Events

Battlefield Heritage Training Day

25 March 2020

This event has been postponed until the autumn due to the growing risk from Coronavirus

The Battlefields Trust in conjunction with the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers and Historic England are running a battlefield heritage training day on 25 March 2020 at the National Civil War Centre in Newark.

The day is primarily aimed at those responsible for the management of battlefield heritage in local and national government, such as archaeologists, conservation officers and planning advisors. The training provides an introduction to some of the challenges, opportunities and approaches associated with battlefield heritage.

Free tickets for such professionals have now all been allocated, but there are some tickets remaining that the Trust can make available to members of the Battlefields Trust and other interested individuals on a paid for basis.

Tickets cost £20 for Battlefields Trust members and £35 for non-members, including a sandwich lunch and teas and coffees and can be obtained from Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/battlefields-trust-battlefield-heritage-training-day-tickets-89384608771

The full programme for the training day is as follows:

10:00 registration and coffee

10:30. Welcome and introductions, purpose of the day – Professor Anne Curry (Battlefields Trust)

10:40 - 11:10 - Battlefields - challenges and opportunities, a local government perspective - James Dinn (Worcester City Council)

What are the challenges faced by those dealing with battlefields professionally, and where would more help be welcome? What opportunities do battlefields present to local authorities and what approaches deliver the best results?

11:10 - 11:40 - Battlefields - nature of the resource and how it is threatened – Simon Marsh (Battlefields Trust)

Overview of battlefield registration in England and non-designated sites (including siege and skirmish sites), uncertainty associated with registration depending on age, research and historical value of sites of conflict. Overview of the main threats to battlefields.

11:40-12:40 Investigating Battlefields – Dr Glenn Foard (University of Huddersfield)

An integrated approach to investigation. Overview of the sources and challenges associated with each including for battlefields, siege and skirmish sites. Review of survey techniques and their limitations. Why approaches need to be adjusted dependant on the age and environmental conditions associated with the battlefield.

12:40- 13:25 - Lunch

13:25 – 13:55 – Battlefield landscapes and their importance – Dr Tracey Partida (Freelance landscape archaeologist)

Investigating battlefield landscape, the nature of the resource and its heritage significance

13:55-14:25 – Grave Pits and battlefields – Peter Masters (Cranfield University)

Grave pit survey techniques, issues for consideration when commissioning pre-development archaeology

14:25- 14:45 - Break

14:45 - 15:15 - Battlefield conservation – Dr Vince Holyoak (Historic England)

Landscape and archaeological conservation including preservation of key terrain components and important views that relate to tactical decision making on deployment and attack, minimising loss of artefacts to treasure hunting and the recording of articles already removed from sites. Existing conservation mechanisms including registration, agri-environment schemes and planning controls and their limitations.

15:15- 15:45 – Battlefield interpretation and presentation – Julian Humphrys (Battlefields Trust)

How best to interpret battlefields, issues for consideration, case study examples of interpretation.

15:45 – 16:15 Plenary session and closing remarks