New book celebrates collaboration between Kennington and Kenya
Abingdon-based The Nasio Trust has been chosen as the beneficiary of a new project which brings together an anthology of work by children from two schools, one in Kennington and one in Kenya.
St Swithun’s School, Kennington and The Nasio Trust are launching Cosmic Cats, an collection of stories written by children from Kennington and Mumias, Kenya. Their work was chosen by authors Julia Golding and Sylvia Vetta and teachers Lesley Maskell and paul gamble to be published in Cosmic Cats. The illustrator Korky Paul designed the cover and it’s published by Oxford eBooks, a Kennington based company.
The schools launch with a presentation from Korky Paul, will be on Wednesday, 6th March at St Swithun’s ready for its release on Amazon and other platforms on World Book Day. On the same day there will also be a live zoom link with the children from Kenya.
The public launch and book sales will be from 11am to 12pm on March 9th in Kennington Village Centre.
The book celebrates the collaboration between the two communities to help set-up the first community library in Mumias with profits from the sale of the book (£8 each) going to the Nasio Trust’s Library Appeal.
A library in Mumias will empower a diverse group of students, youths, farmers, women, and social entrepreneurs by providing access to books they need to expand their horizons in a region where such resources are scarce.
The Nasio Trust is working to empower communities in western Kenya to break the cycle of poverty by providing education, healthcare, and opportunities for income-generation to create sustainable communities.
(Image credits: Children from Mumias School, Kenya; Children from St Swithun’s School; Author Sylvia Vetta with Nasio Trust founder, Nancy Mudenyo Hunt.)
Easter comes early this year, March 29th – April 1st, which gives us an opportunity to enjoy the glories of spring as well of course, as eating chocolate!
There’s so much more to Easter than just choccy eggs, for many it has the deepest religious significance, for others it affords a long weekend of spending time with your loved ones hopefully with some bright cheery spring sunshine then and beyond.
This Easter pop along to a National Trust property near you for a family trail. Jam-packed with outdoor activities, games, riddles and crafts, every Easter celebration is different and ends with a chocolate egg.
You may bump into some grazing sheep and early lambs on your springtime adventure across the country estate at Greys Court near Henley (March 23rd-April 14th) as you follow the Easter trail with 10 activity stations, showcasing the cheery signs of spring. Take part in an Easter wreath making workshop on March 20th and 22nd. Booking necessary.
Embark on an Easter adventure in a neolithic landscape. Walk in the footsteps of dragons, warrior tribes and kings on this easter trail and explore the secrets of the White Horse near Uffington on March 29th to April 1st.
Explore the Wilderness Walk at Chastleton near Moreton-in-Marsh, March 29th-April 1st, and find out more about all the creatures and critters that call it home before heading to the house to spot the 10 Easter bunnies hiding there to claim your prize.
An egg-citing Easter weekend will fill the Walled Garden at Blenheim Palace with fun from March 29th – April 1st. Hop along to enjoy a whole host of egg-citing activities including circus skills, balloon modelling, bubble performances, bungee trampolines and a travelling vintage variety show, and look out for the Easter Bunny throughout the weekend too. Keep little ones busy with the Easter egg hunt around the grounds and why not visit the Walled Garden Pizzeria to refuel with a delicious wood-fired pizza afterwards.
Join the Big Easter Bunny Hunt around the ornamental Waterperry Gardens, April 1st-14th. £3.50 per child with a prize – children must be accompanied by an adult for whom the garden entrance fee applies. The gardens are open from 10am and close at 5.30pm daily, including over the Easter period, no need to pre-book, look forward to seeing you!
Get ready for an egg-citing adventure at Stonor and Tumblestone Hollow, Henley, this Easter when the popular Easter Trail returns to the gardens and adventure playground between March 29th and April 14th. Discover the nature walk, craft activities and storytelling sessions, all within the picturesque backdrop of the gardens and woodland adventure playground. Children are free to weave their way throughout the gardens, walkways, playground and woodland, solving riddles, spotting signs of spring, listening to stories and getting creative.
Experience the magic of spring at Cotswold Farm Park whose annual lambing event is back and better than ever, with over 900 lambs and kids expected to be born on the farm. It’s a must-see for anyone who loves animals and the wonder of new life with a team of experts on-hand to share their knowledge with daily lambing talks to help you learn all about the new arrivals.
Millets Farm spring event is open daily from April 1st to 14th at the Millets Maze Courtyard… all the puzzling fun without the maize! Spring into the great outdoors to help Farmer Carter play our great quiz trails and activities within the three woodlands, courtyards and castle. Enjoy the go-karts, pedal tractors, sand pits, family games and much more!
Buscot Park house and gardens reopen for the summer season on Good Friday, 29th March, and will be open 2-6pm daily over the Easter bank holiday weekend. New for 2024 is a free sculpture trail around the gardens, featuring stunning glass sculptures by Gloucestershire artists Sally Fawkes and Richard Jackson. More here.
Instead of Easter bunnies how about Easter horses? Huntersfield Equestrian Centre near Faringdon hosts regular pony camps, days and rallies during holidays and mid-term breaks. Open to children between the ages of four and 16 years, no prior experience is needed, just a positive and eager attitude to learn more about horses and their care. And of course there’s loads of fun to the activities too. Find out more and book here.
If you’re looking for some entertainment over the Easter holidays how about a trip to a local theatre. The Cornerstone, Didcot invites you to visit The Museum of Marvellous Things on Sunday, 7th April, and watch the impossible happen with giant puppets, magical effects, interactive storytelling, live original music and a chance to make your own special puppet, all from the magic of your imagination. Book here.
All the fun of the circus comes to The Beacon, Wantage on Thursday, 11th April when the laughter-packed stage show Cartoon Circus Live combines the comedy of pantomime with the thrill of the circus. Expect clowns, traditional slapstick comedy, illusions, the amazing girl in the spinning bottle, magic, a huge giant dancing bear, cartoon characters, an acrobatic human slinky, puppets, prizes and surprises and a performing piranha! Book here.
Spring, even the sound of the word lifts your spirits. Little shoots of colour start to emerge and with it hope for the warmer months ahead, so get digging and clearing and start getting your garden in shape
Getting your garden ready for spring should be a pleasure rather than a chore, so it’s time to dig deep and get some spade work in and you’ll reap the rewards later.
Even for professionals such as our expert Cathie Welch, kick starting your garden for spring is no easy task: “Gardening is a real challenge these days and every season will be different.” So where to start? Cathie advises ‘mulch, mulch, mulch’. “The most important thing any gardener can do is to improve the soil. A thick mulch of home-made garden compost, well-rotted manure or suitable compost that is peat free.
“It’s a huge subject but anything that is not wood chip or multi-purpose potting compost should be ok but check to avoid expensive mistakes. A thick mulch will keep in the moisture, suppress germinating weeds, feed the plants, prevent soil compaction from walking on it as well as looking fabulous.”
Having done the ground work, you need to turn your attention to your plants health, which means pruning and training. This time of year is especially important for roses to ensure a fragrant colourful abundance in the summer months to come – make sure you know whether you have climbers, ramblers, bush, shrub and prune accordingly, says Cathie.
And it’s not just roses that need some TLC, “Wisteria is another tricky one that needs its spur prune by mid March as do apples and pears,” Cathie continues, “many other plants can be cut hard back like Spireaea, Hypericum, Buddleia and all the Dogwood Cornus to name but a few. Avoid pruning Acers until they are in full leaf and never prune plums and other stone fruits until the summer. Evergreens should ideally wait and be especially vigilant of nesting birds. When you prune consider making piles or a dead hedge if you have space rather than burning or binning.”
For many of us our lawns are the crowning glory. This month is the ideal time to sow a new lawn or repair worn patches. As the month progresses, it may even be time to cut the lawn again. Some lawn basics – set the mower blades high to avoid scalping. Rake (scarify) the lawn to get rid of debris, dead grass and moss. Aerate badly drained areas of the lawn with a hollow tined fork. Try to avoid walking on waterlogged lawns and working in sodden borders to avoid soil compaction.
Cathie warns against neglecting your lawn. “If you want a green striped lawn then that is hard work scarifying, aerating, top dressing and seeding at this time of year. Think about whether you can let areas grow a little longer or create a meadow (not easy) but you are creating diverse habitats.”
And finally, to planting. Cathie says: “Take time to enjoy the bulbs, emerging shoots and the warming sun.” Find out more advice and about her services at cathiesgardeningschool.co.uk
“This year, why not try your hand at sustainable gardening,” asks Wantage based Helena Whall who runs a garden and planting design business. “Sustainable gardening means gardening in an environmentally conscious way – putting nature at the forefront of all your gardening practices. Gardening sustainably is not only good for the environment, it is also good for your health and well-being, so it’s a win-win! Gardening sustainability is not difficult or expensive and you don’t need a large garden.”
Helena’s top tips for making your garden greener include planting a tree and one or two shrubs which will provide habitat and shelter for birds as well as offering shade in the increasingly warm summers. Choose pollinator-friendly plants, Helena adds: “As a rule of thumb, the greater the diversity of flowering plants in your garden, the greater the diversity of pollinators you will get. And it goes without saying, that avoiding the use of pesticides will enhance the biodiversity in your garden.”
Choosing the right plant for the right place in your garden is also crucial and most importantly as she concludes: “Don’t forget on the next warm day, take a chair outside and sit and enjoy the wildlife in your garden.”
For help to make your garden more sustainable, contact Helena Whall Garden & Planting Design at [email protected]
A&M Fencing are a small independent business with over 25 years of experience specialising in all types of high quality, built to last fencing and gates. They offer a personalised service for both domestic and commercial fencing and will meet you to discuss your requirements and offer advice and free quotations. More information at amfencing.co.uk or call David on 07779 681484.
Is moss falling from the roof clogging up your gutters and making an unsightly mess about the garden? The Gutter Cleaning People will bring your roof back to life, and the biocide treatment will prevent regrowth. Bookings now being taken for the spring. All work guaranteed. Contact The Gutter Cleaning People on 0118 933 6983. With spring showing signs of arrival it’s time to think about your garden and how you can enjoy the summer. At Countryside Oak we work with homeowners like you to design and create inviting outdoor living spaces. From solid European Oak frame gazebos and pergolas in off-the-shelf designs, to creating something completely bespoke, all our oak frames are hand-crafted in South Oxfordshire by our experts to ensure we deliver and exceed customer expectations every time. Get in touch on 07387 248887 or visit countrysideoak.co.uk
Much-loved classic comedy comes to the Kenton Theatre, March 20th to 23rd
Eccentric phonetics expert, Henry Higgins, thinks he can pass off a poor flower girl in polite society with a few months of elocution lessons.
It turns out that spirited Eliza Doolittle has a mind and personality of her own and is not willing to lose them as easily as she sheds her cockney accent.
Strong characters and great wit animate this classic comedy, and the themes of social mobility and women’s empowerment are as relevant today as when Pygmalion was first performed, over a century ago. Whether you’re a lover of classic drama or a seeker of truth, this play promises an unforgettable evening.
Pygmalion spawned many adaptations for film and stage and was recently revived at the Old Vic.
The Henley Players’ Saturday matinee performance is once again ‘pay what you want’ with a minimum price of £5.
“Quentin Tarantino of comicbooks” gives online interview for the Soldiers Of Oxford Museum
Garth Ennis, the writer behind The Boys and Preacher, is to give online interview and live audience Q&A for Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum. The interview will be streamed on Saturday 9th March from 7pm, followed by a live Q&A session where the audience will be invited to put forward their own questions. Watchable via the museum’s website, the event is the latest in a series of popular online events the museum has been running over the past three years.
The interview ties into one of the museum’s most recent exhibitions, Into Battle! The Art of British War Comics, which runs until the end of April 2024. The exhibition and this accompanying event are a collaboration with Oxford-based publisher Rebellion, best known for 2000AD and Judge Dredd, alongside their recent revival of several classic British war comics.
In the interview, Garth discusses how his childhood enthusiasm for comics led to a career writing for 2000 AD, Marvel and DC Comics. He will also discuss the landscape of British War comics in the seventies and their decline in the eighties and describe how writers re-invigorate classic characters for contemporary audiences.
This event will offer a chance to hear from one of the leading comic book writers, whose literary achievements have recently been translated into successful television series.
The interview and Q&A will be free to view and participate in, with donations encouraged throughout the stream in support of the museum. Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust aims to preserve the county’s military heritage for future generations in its archives and museum, and a diverse range of stories through its exhibitions and events like these. Shortly after the live event ends, a recording will be made available to watch on-demand, from the same page, for those that wish to catch-up later.
The Soldiers of Oxfordshire (SOFO) Museum opened during the summer of 2014. A new take on the classic military museum, SOFO shares stories of heroism, combat and peace from across the globe and throughout time and explores how conflict has affected the county and its people, from soldiers serving on the front lines to ordinary people living on the Home Front.
As well as a range of ever-changing displays and events, the permanent exhibits explore topics that are surprising and moving in equal measure, such as raw accounts of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen from both camp survivors and Oxfordshire soldiers.
Battles of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry puts you on-board a Horsa Glider as it prepares to land in Normandy in the early hours of D-Day 1944, while Secret Agents, Secret Armies explores the world of spies and espionage through the lens of Ian Fleming and his creation, James Bond.
SOFO holds a collection of over 3,500 objects and 7,500 archive items from two county regiments, the Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars (QOOH) and the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Broader smiles than ever on Broad Street at the annual Pancake Day race
Launchpad’s annual Pancake Race which saw 34 teams brave the weather and batter it out on Broad Street celebrating Shrove Tuesday has so far raised £8,500.
The team from RSM UK, dressed in their animal-themed costumes, lifted the coveted frying pan trophy – becoming the 27th champion team. The money raised by all the amazing teams will help fund Launchpad’s vital services across Reading supporting people who are homeless, or at risk of losing their home.
Teams of four representing businesses and other groups from across Reading flipped pancakes as they competed in knock-out stages and a fantastic final. All the races were compered by Tarek Ahmed, from B Radio, much to the delight of hundreds of cheering onlookers, including the Mayor of Reading, Tony Page who presented the prizes.
Winners RSM UK received a Cocktail Masterclass at The Roseate, and runners up, Nexus Planning were given vouchers for Wine and nibbles for four at Veeno. Third-place team Air IT won Afternoon tea for four from Afternoon Tea Box (Crumbs Food Co).
The team from Take Note Choir were best fundraisers, raising over £865 and won bottomless brunch for two and afternoon tea for two at Revolucion de Cuba. Collard Environmental – who raced as characters from the Wizard of Oz – won best fancy dress and received a £50 voucher for Honest Burger. Field Seymour Parkes were highly commended for their fancy dress and won £40 of vouchers for Shed. Our team spirit award went to Phantom Brewery who won Cocktails for four at Novotel. Winners of the Great Pancake Flip off were The Oracle, winning four tickets to The Biscuit Factory after flipping a pancake 57 times in a minute!
The entire Launchpad team is incredibly grateful for the support from these amazing local businesses and community groups.
Kirsti Wilson, Head of Fundraising and Marketing, said: “It’s brilliant that our Pancake Race has been as wonderful as ever. Every year the race is full of amazing costumes and laughter – and this year was no exception, even with the unfortunate weather. Few will forget the ‘2024 Where’s Wally Wiggle?’!
“We’re also grateful to the hundreds of people who cheered on the runners and made donations at the event – AND to our amazing team of volunteers – the race just wouldn’t be the same without them. Our fun-filled event has a very serious purpose – to raise funds and awareness that we are here for anyone in Reading who has become homeless, or is at risk of losing their home, regardless of circumstances.”
Oxford charity provides mental health support for young adults
Last year 65 people in Oxon took their own life – most of them young adults with suicide now the biggest cause of death for people under 35. Each death is heart-breaking – a tragedy, a terrible loss and a dreadful waste of potential. A death that changes the family they leave behind forever.
There is a fantastic charity Nai’s House. Set up in 2019 by Nai’s Mum – Gem after Nai sadly took her own life in 2017 aged just 22 , Nai’s House is a place of sanctuary, safety and support. It is a place that gives young people in crisis the safe space of a ‘home from home, a place where they can get the specialist help, they need, an environment that can help them hopefully turn a corner and move through crisis to more stability.
Since 2019 they have helped over 600 young people, but they are at a crossroads. The truth is they can’t meet the demand they are now facing. More and more young people are getting in touch asking for help with over 200 young people on their waiting list, many of them who can’t get the support they need through the NHS given the pressures there.
It’s an emergency for sure but it is an emergency we can help address and help tackle together. If Nai’s House can grow and expand its services it can offer help to the 200 plus people on the waiting lists.
Your support could make a massive difference and offer a genuine lifeline. Just £20 could help give a young person in need a fighting chance. It costs £800 a year to help one young person with professional therapy to. £520 over 13 weeks to train a volunteer. But the reality is that every penny counts.
Nai’s House didn’t exist when Nai needed it. Please help us make sure it can be there for other young people who do now so, together, we can help prevent this tragic loss of young life.
Wittenham Clumps finds on display at Festival of Discovery on February 17th & 18th at Earth Trust
Archaeologists have unearthed an exceptionally rare Iron Age blacksmith’s workshop in South Oxfordshire, dating back nearly 2,700 years to the earliest days of ironworking in Britain. The discoveries were made by archaeologists from DigVentures during excavations at the Earth Trust, near Abingdon. Just downslope from the iconic Wittenham Clumps, the dig revealed a smithy containing artefacts like pieces of hearth lining, hammerscale, iron bar, and the exceptionally rare discovery of an intact tuyere – evidence of a serious ironworking operation.
“At Earth Trust, we’re thrilled whenever discoveries at Wittenham Clumps shine a light on the deep history of human activity in this area,” said Anna Wilson, Head of Experience and Engagement. “Nearly 10,000 artefacts were recovered during the dig, and as we continue to analyse them, the story gets more and more captivating. These new discoveries are literally forging new history before our very eyes and revealing more of the ancient mysteries behind this very special place – we can’t wait to share more through our upcoming Festival of Discovery.”
Photo Credit: Digventures
Festival of Discovery
The key finds will be on display February 17th-18th, during a special Festival of Discovery at the Earth Trust Visitor Centre. The festival includes talks from the archaeologists, hands-on workshops with the archaeologists, and a free pop-up exhibition showcasing artefacts like the tuyere and rare small finds. Visitors will have an exclusive chance to see the discoveries up-close and learn more about the skills of these early Oxfordshire craftsmen. Tickets and more information are available at earthtrust.org.uk/whats-on.
Ancient Blacksmiths of the Clumps
Radiocarbon dating reveals the smithy dates from 771-515 BC, soon after ironworking first arrived in Britain around 800 BC. The size of the hearth suggests this was no ordinary village blacksmith, but rather the workshop of an ‘elite’ or ‘master’ ironworker producing swords, tools, wagon wheels, and other high-value objects.
“It’s exceptionally rare to find a complete tuyere, especially one that’s as old as this. Although there are examples from later periods, including Saxon, Viking-age, and medieval pieces, this is one of the only known Iron Age ones in the country, if not Europe. The fact that it dates not just to the Iron Age, but to the first few centuries of ironworking in Britain, is remarkable” said Gerry McDonnell, the archaeometallurgical specialist who examined the finds.
“What’s more, the size of it suggests we’re looking at a hearth that was much larger and more specialised than that of your average village smithy” he continued.
The vast majority of artefacts produced in the Iron Age weren’t very big and could be produced with quite a small hearth, while larger hearths would have taken much more skill and resources to control, said the researchers. “The only reason a blacksmith would need a bigger hearth would be if they were forging something long like swords or trade bars, or big, like cart wheels. And these wouldn’t be done by your average village smithy who would normally take care of everyday objects and repairs. “The fact that this early Iron Age smithy had a specialist tuyere shows us this was much more likely to have been a serious operation by a highly skilled, elite, or master blacksmith” McDonnell concluded.
Even though the Iron Age takes its name from the mastery of this metal, sites that provide us with direct evidence of how they did this – especially ones from such an early period – are extremely scarce.
“It’s always exciting to uncover the remains of ancient buildings that were occupied thousands of years ago, but it’s even more special when we find such direct evidence of who lived there and what they were doing inside,” said Nat Jackson, DigVentures Site Director, who led the excavation.
“In this case, the range of evidence is remarkable. We’ve got almost every component of the blacksmith’s workshop; the building, internal structures, hearth lining, tuyere, even the tiny bits of metal that fly off when the blacksmith is hammering the metal. The only thing we haven’t found is the tools. “It’s an incredible thrill to uncover something like this. It basically allows us to peer back in time and see what could have been one of Britain’s earliest master blacksmiths at work,” he added.
Excavations also revealed an Iron Age settlement including a cluster of roundhouses, an Iron Age pantry, and evidence of ceremonial or ritual activity including animal burials, as well as a later Roman villa where archaeologists found the remains of a tiny Roman pet dog.
Local residents now have an exclusive opportunity to view these finds first-hand and learn more about Oxfordshire’s ancient ironworking heritage at February’s Festival of Discovery.
BBOWT wildlife charity launches new commemorative display
To mark Valentine’s Day, a local wildlife charity has opened two new butterfly memory walls to celebrate special occasions, declare your love for nature – or your sweetheart!
The ‘Your Wild Memories’ displays have been installed by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) at two of its visitor centres. They feature specially-designed butterfly plaques which can be personalised with messages to remember precious moments, people or wild times.
The butterflies are made of brushed stainless steel and fly above an eye-catching wildlife border. They have been put up at the Nature Discovery Centre near Thatcham and College Lake visitor centre near Tring.
Laura Pepper, BBOWT’s Head of Philanthropy, said: “If your Valentine sets your heart a-flutter or you’ve just got engaged or married, why not celebrate your love with a specially engraved butterfly? Or you might like to commemorate a special birthday, a retirement, a favourite family walk or perhaps remember a loved one.
“Butterflies hold all sorts of different meanings for people, as well as being beautiful to behold. Our new ‘Your Wild Memories’ wall is a lovely way to celebrate your special memories and help the vital work of BBOWT at the same time.”
The Your Wild Memories walls have got off to a flying start, with butterfly messages added by local MPs, writers and nature champions.
Estelle Bailey, BBOWT’s Chief Executive, wrote: This special place, with nature at its heart. Here for every community.
Laura Farris, MP for Newbury, left this message on her butterfly at the Nature Discovery Centre: Delighted to support the NDC, bringing the wild into the heart of Thatcham.
Buckingham MP Greg Smith’s butterfly at College Lake reads: Thank you BBOWT, our nature champions. Proud to support you and work with you.
Writer and butterfly lover Patrick Barkham left this beautiful message: Breathe in green, Breathe in blue, Soar soul! Thanks, nature.
Priced at £250 (inclusive of VAT), each butterfly can be engraved to order with the wording of your choice. Funds raised from the sale of the commemorative butterfly plaques will go towards BBOWT’s work creating more nature everywhere for everyone, to benefit wildlife, climate and people.
To order your personalised butterfly visit: www.bbowt.org.uk/support-us/your-wild-memories Order forms are also available from College Lake or the Nature Discovery Centre. For more information call 01865 775476 (Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm) and ask to speak to the Membership Team.
Archaeologists have unearthed an exceptionally rare Iron Age blacksmith’s workshop, dating back nearly 2,700 years to the earliest days of ironworking in Britain, right here in South Oxfordshire.
The discoveries were made by archaeologists from DigVentures during excavations at the headquarters of local environmental charity, Earth Trust, near Abingdon. Just downslope from the iconic Wittenham Clumps, the dig revealed a smithy containing artefacts like pieces of hearth lining, hammerscale, iron bar, and the exceptionally rare discovery of an intact tuyere – evidence of a serious ironworking operation.
“At Earth Trust, we’re thrilled whenever discoveries at Wittenham Clumps shine a light on the deep history of human activity in this area,” said Anna Wilson, Head of Experience and Engagement.
“Nearly 10,000 artefacts were recovered during the dig, and as we continue to analyse them the story gets more and more captivating. These new discoveries are literally forging new history before our very eyes and revealing more of the ancient mysteries behind this very special place” she said.
“We can’t wait to share more through our upcoming Festival of Discovery,” adds Wilson.
Festival of Discovery
The key finds will be on display February 17-18, 2024 during a special Festival of Discovery at the Earth Trust Visitor Centre in Abingdon.
The festival includes talks from the archaeologists, hands-on workshops with the archaeologists, and a free pop-up exhibition showcasing artefacts like the tuyere and rare small finds.
Visitors will have an exclusive chance to see the discoveries up-close and learn more about the skills of these early Oxfordshire craftsmen. Tickets and more information are available here.
Ancient Blacksmiths of the Clumps
Radiocarbon dating reveals the smithy dates from 771-515 BC, soon after ironworking first arrived in Britain around 800 BC. The size of the hearth suggests this was no ordinary village blacksmith, but rather the workshop of an ‘elite’ or ‘master’ ironworker producing swords, tools, wagon wheels, and other high-value objects.
“It’s exceptionally rare to find a complete tuyere, especially one that’s as old as this. Although there are examples from later periods, including Saxon, Viking-age, and medieval pieces, this is one of the only known Iron Age ones in the country, if not Europe. The fact that it dates not just to the Iron Age, but to the first few centuries of ironworking in Britain, is remarkable” said Gerry McDonnell, the archaeometallurgical specialist who examined the finds.
“What’s more, the size of it suggests we’re looking at a hearth that was much larger and more specialised than that of your average village smithy” he continued.
The vast majority of artefacts produced in the Iron Age weren’t very big and could be produced with quite a small hearth, while larger hearths would have taken much more skill and resources to control, said the researchers.
“The only reason a blacksmith would need a bigger hearth would be if they were forging something long like swords or trade bars, or big like cart wheels. And these wouldn’t be done by your average village smithy who would normally take care of everyday objects and repairs” explains McDonnell.
“The fact that this early Iron Age smithy had a specialist tuyere shows us this was much more likely to have been a serious operation by a highly skilled, elite, or master blacksmith” he concluded.
Even though the Iron Age takes its name from the mastery of this metal, sites that provide us with direct evidence of how they did this – especially ones from such an early period – are extremely scarce.
“It’s always exciting to uncover the remains of ancient buildings that were occupied thousands of years ago, but it’s even more special when we find such direct evidence of who lived there and what they were doing inside” said Nat Jackson, DigVentures Site Director, who led the excavation.
“In this case, the range of evidence is remarkable. We’ve got almost every component of the blacksmith’s workshop; the building, internal structures, hearth lining, tuyere, even the tiny bits of metal that fly off when the blacksmith is hammering the metal. The only thing we haven’t found is the tools” he said.
“It’s an incredible thrill to uncover something like this. It basically allows us to peer back in time and see what could have been one of Britain’s earliest master blacksmiths at work” he concluded.
Excavations also revealed an Iron Age settlement including a cluster of roundhouses, an Iron Age pantry, and evidence of ceremonial or ritual activity including animal burials, as well as a later Roman villa where archaeologists found the remains of a tiny Roman pet dog.
Local residents now have an exclusive opportunity to view these finds first-hand and learn more about Oxfordshire’s ancient ironworking heritage at February’s Festival of Discovery.
