ARCHIVED news story
Volunteers boost Caistor Roman Town project: now call goes out for business backing
Released on 19 September 2006
This is one of the most important Roman archaeological sites in the country and we hope local, regional or national businesses will seriously consider supporting it
Trevor Lewis, Deputy Leader of South Norfolk Council
Around 30 volunteers from Norfolk have come forward to join the work on one of the Britain’s most exciting Roman archaeological sites.
On Wednesday at 7pm (20 September), they will meet site excavation leader Dr Will Bowden of Nottingham University for a special presentation and briefing on the start of a project.
He will be joined by Faye Kalloniatis of Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service, who is based at the Castle Museum in Norwich.
Dr Bowden, a lecturer in Roman archaeology, has also announced that he is seeking serious sponsorship funding from businesses for a project that could last two decades and will attract regional, national and international interest.
Also on Wednesday, but earlier at 5pm, Councillor Trevor Lewis, deputy leader of South Norfolk Council, which manages the site, and Matthew Martin, chairman of Norfolk Archaeological Trust, which owns the site, will unveil the new interpretation panel.
They will be joined by representatives from Caistor St Edmund Parish Council and Caistor Parochial Church Council.
And finally, Wednesday will also see the unveiling of a new website for the project. It is part of the council's own website, and can be accessed by going to:
www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/venta
It is packed with information on the management of the site, its history, aerial photographs and early excavations. In the future, it will carry reports from Dr Bowden and his team as the project progresses, and include information on how to get involved.
Councillor Lewis said:
"This is one of the most important Roman archaeological sites in the country and we hope local, regional or national businesses will seriously consider supporting it.
“However, no one should expect early and miraculous transformations. This is going to be a long, hard, and painstaking process; a process that will be watched carefully by experts and many others to ensure the work goes well.
"That's why we are delighted to be working together with the Norfolk Archaeological Trust and Will from Nottingham University on ensuring this project receives the support and management it needs to be a success.
“We are doing that for the generations of interested visitors who will visit here as they do other great sites across Britain."
Dr Will Bowden said:
"We are especially pleased to have attracted so many volunteers. The work they will be doing is essential to our progress. Field walking, for example, means a painstaking but incredibly important search of hundreds of acres of farmland. This will allow us to understand not only Caistor Roman Town but also the landscape and settlements which surrounded it.
"I will be briefing the volunteers this Wednesday at Framingham Earl High School’s community sports and leisure centre, starting at 7pm. This is aimed primarily at those who have contacted me to express an interest in being part of the project, but if anyone else wishes to attend, they are very welcome.
“I will give a short talk on what the project is and how they can be involved. Then, Faye Kalloniatis of Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service, who is based at the Castle Museum, will talk for 10 minutes about how volunteers can sign up for hands-on sessions with the Caistor material. I hope that there will be more of these meetings as the project gains momentum.”
Dr Bowden has also recently started the work of “coring” on site, taking samples in order to test whether the River Tas was navigable in a way that would have allowed sea-going vessels to reach the town in the Roman period.
Matthew Martin, chairman of the Trust said:
"One of the keys to the success of this project will be the support of the public and the support of business. Communications will be key here, which is why we are unveiling the interpretation panel and the new website.
“Any business which comes forward with serious support for this project will be making a significant contribution to Britain's heritage."
The project will apply to Research Councils and other agencies for funding. Dr Bowden said:
"Ideally we would require up to £150,000 per year, although individual aspects of the work can be done with much less. Put simply, the more funding we have, the more we can find out about the site!"
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| contact officer/team: | Communications Team |
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| web: | online enquiry form |
| email: | communicationsteam@s-norfolk.gov.uk |
| telephone: | 01508 533611 or 01508 533983 |
| minicom/textphone: | 01508 533622 |
| address: | South Norfolk House Swan Lane Long Stratton Norwich NR15 2XE |
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