This year has been a fantastic year for heritage at Stanwick Lakes.
Our project teams and volunteers have worked enthusiastically through all weathers – so let’s take a look at how they have progressed through 2023!
The Big Bronze Age Boat Build
After a gathering of volunteers with Dr James Dilley of Ancient Craft in February 2023, the boats arrived in May, and the boat build began. The boat builders worked all through Spring and Summer, in all weathers, with all three logs now looking very boat-shaped! There has been a great deal of learning along the way – how to cast bronze axe ad adzes, how to make them into usable tools, and even how to use them to best effect. We even have a few volunteers who have embraced the experimental burning out of one of the boats.
Our boats have now been turned and wrapped for the winter, to reduce the risk of ice damage to the wood. The Big Bronze Age Boat Build will resume in the new year when the weather is slightly warmer, with an aim to have them ready for launch in early summer 2024.
Images: Casting Bronze, June 2023, October 2023
Restoration of the Bronze Age Round Barrow
Four thousand years ago, the landscape would have looked very different, with our Barrow being one of four in this part of the valley, very close together. Round Barrows were purposefully created as visible monuments; spiritual places for our ancestors to remember and celebrate the dead.
Our Barrow is now the only one remaining, and as an Ancient Scheduled Monument, it has been a priority to protect it for future generations. All planned works have the approval of Historic England, with work carried out under the supervision of professional field archaeologist Derek Roberts of Pre-Develop Archaeology.
After a great deal of tidying up and conservation to the site by our ranger teams and conservation volunteers in 2022, this year saw the start of the soil bund removal, new geophysical scans and securing of a protective mesh.
The addition of a new path around the Barrow now makes it accessible and viewable from a new perspective.
In 2024, a new permanent boundary fence will be created by volunteers to complete the works, with the Barrow being a significant monument in the landscape once more.
Images: Feb 2023 – July 2023 – Oct 2023
Building of a Second Roundhouse at the Iron Age Settlement
2023 has seen this area completely transform from one lone roundhouse into a replica Iron Age Settlement, complete with a second larger roundhouse and the beginnings of a woven willow boundary fence and gate posts.
Building a roundhouse is no mean feat, and so far the team has put in over 500 hours!
March saw the start of the roundhouse build, with volunteers gathering at the Iron Age settlement area to start digging post holes for the first uprights.
Then it was on to the roundhouse frame, roof struts, and walls. Willow hurdles were made by the team and other volunteer groups to fix into the walls. A fantastic community Daub Day in May saw over 200 people from local communities come and help us finish the walls, a huge job made easier with many hands!
In November, it was time for the roof to be fitted. This was a mammoth job, and over three days, the team added protective layers to the roof before sedum rolls were installed.
The whole area is now looking like a real settlement, and work will continue on the willow fencing and gateway in the new year.
We are looking forward to planning and holding some exciting heritage and living history events in the space in 2024!
Images: March 2023 – May 2023 – Nov 2023
Exploring Iron Age Textiles – Northants Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers
The Northants Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers started their project exploring Iron Age textiles, basing their work and research on the amazingly preserved clothing of Huldremose Woman and the Hallstatt textiles.
So far this year, the Guild has spent hundreds of hours on the project – washing and brushing the wool and then expertly spinning it into fine thread. Summer was spent collecting and preparing plants and roots for natural dyeing – creating beautiful rainbow skeins of wool. It really shows that Prehistoric times were not dull and grey, but rather bright and colourful with the right skills! Autumn and winter have been the perfect time to stay cosy inside the barn and start the weaving of the various garments, and we are very excited to see how this project develops.
The Guild has an open door every Wednesday throughout the year, so please pop in and see them at work if you are planning a visit!
Images: Spinning & wool preparation – Natural Dyeing – Summer 2023 – Weaving test – Oct 2023
Heritage Gardens
Our heritage gardens have bloomed this year despite the dry weather of the summer and the rain over the past few weeks. The gardening team has helped the garden flourish this year, not just with beautiful flowering plants but working with the Weavers Guild to nurture and grow plants that can be used in natural dyeing to help support their textile project.
The team has also developed and started on a garden area at the Iron Age Settlement which will show the types of grains, herbs, and vegetables that would have been grown and used in the Iron Age.
Images: Guild garden – June 2023 – Iron Age Garden Nov 2023
The heritage team is excited for 2024, with plenty of events and activities to enjoy, so keep an eye on our social media and web page for dates and more information!
