Archaeology Dig 2007: Barcombe Villa, Sussex, England

Focus on Field School

The summer of 2007 will see the seventh season of research and training excavations, this year run by the Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Sussex and the Mid-Sussex Field Archaeology Team (MSFAT), continuing investigations in the southern portion of the Roman villa complex at Barcombe, Sussex, England. The main villa building was discovered in 1999 by geophysical survey, and measures 45 metres long by 20 metres wide and is believed to date from around AD 250.

The large house included a line of rooms fronted by a long corridor which also connects wing rooms at both ends of the building. It would have had views across the Ouse valley towards the South Down. Although most of the original masonry has been removed, perhaps to build the nearby church of St Mary in the 12th century, archaeologists have been able to identify the development, layout and features of the Romano-British settlement, including an initial phase of 'Iron Age type' timber roundhouses, a suite of Roman baths and a large, aisled building.

Course Details

There will be four 5-day Excavation Training Courses this year at Barcombe between July 16 and August 10, and also a 2-day course on Planning and Section Drawing (4-5th August), and a 1-day course on Site Photography for Archaeologists(21st July). A 4-day course on First Aid for Finds to be based mainly at the University of Sussex, Brighton (23-26th July) will also include site work at Barcombe Villa.

All courses are suitable either for beginners or for those with some experience, i.e. those (minimum age 16) considering archaeology at university, amateur archaeologists, undergraduates, and those undertaking University Extra-mural courses in archaeology. University undergraduate level academic credit will be awarded to those who successfuly complete the 5-, 4- and 2- day courses. For further information please contact the Centre for Continuing Education, University of Sussex, by: tel.: 44 (0)1273 678527; or email si-enquiries@sussex.ac.uk, or access the project website.

Further Resources

• Centre for Continuing Education, University of Sussex
• CCE Archaeology: Open Course Details
• Barcombe Villa Dig Diary 2006 (Chris Butler, MSFAT)
• More Field Schools in Focus
• Archaeology Digs 2007: Field Schools in the UK and Ireland
• Archaeology Digs 2007
• Archaeology of the United Kingdom
• Roman Empire Archaeology

The photos are of Barcombe villa excavations and were provided courtesy the Centre for Continuing Education, University of Sussex. Top: Barcombe excavations in 2003. Middle: Remains of robbed-out, early phase bathhouse. Bottom: Aerial photograph of the villa site with the parish church of St Mary to the right.