Accessioning Arch Camb
In 2020, GAT needed to refocus the volunteer programme in order to continue to engage with people during the Covid-19 pandemic. Staff prepared a new entirely digital project which asked for volunteers to help us enhance the regional Historic Environment Record (HER) from home.
The project, entitled Accessioning Arch Camb , assigned volumes of Archaeologia Cambrensis , the journal of the Cambrian Archaeological Association, available via the National Library of Wales and the Archaeology Data Service, to willing volunteers. Each volunteer was asked to carefully read through a particular volume, and identify new information to add to existing HER records, or create new records, in accordance with detailed guidance created by staff for the project.
Volunteering opportunities were offered to our mailing lists and publicised via our social media channels and website. We were overwhelmed by the response. In total, 37 volunteers have participated in the project so far, using the entire 172 volumes to update more than 1300 existing records and create over 35 new records. In total our volunteers have contributed almost 1000 hours to the Trust's work programme! We are hugely grateful to all those who are participating in the project and to the project partners. We hope to create other digital volunteering projects in the future.
Dinas Dinlle Prehistoric Coastal Hillfort
Over 40 volunteers took part in our Dinas Dinlle community excavation, which formed part of the EU funded CHERISH project, which studies the impact of climate change on coastal heritage.
The site, some of which has been eroded, is situated on National Trust owned land and is both a scheduled monument and SSSI. Volunteers helped us uncover the remains of a large prehistoric roundhouse in the hillfort itself, as well as assisting with the investigation of features to the south of the site.
Those participating included members of the local community, regular GAT volunteers, university students and members of the wider public. 400 members of the public attended our open day, we also organised a Young Archaeologists' Club session as part of the project.
Pen y Bryn Quarry Barracks, Dyffryn Nantlle
Volunteers assisted with the Cadw funded excavation, vegetation clearance and recording work at Pen y Bryn Quarry Barracks, Dyffryn Nantlle, part of a nominated World Heritage Site. The site comprises of a block of four barracks converted from a seventeenth-century building during the 1860s, along with other associated features.
The project helped provide a clearer understanding of the phasing and development of the barracks. Excavations evidenced activities carried out here and shed light on the material culture of the quarrymen and their families.
Volunteering opportunities were offered to members of the local community, Trust volunteers and students from Bangor University and beyond. Local primary schools also participated in the project, and, during a public open day, (which was also part of the Festival of Archaeology) visitors were given guided tours of the site and wider quarrying landscape.
Members of the Heritage Lottery funded Dyffryn Nantlle Unloved Heritage? group (run by Gwynedd Archaeological Trust) also took part in the project.
Finds Washing and Cataloguing
Pictured above are two of our regular volunteers assisting with the washing and cataloguing of finds at our offices in Bangor. The finds were from various projects - Pen y Bryn Quarry Barracks (Dyffryn Nantlle), the Former Site of Ysgol Pendalar (next to Segontium Roman Fort, Caernerfon) and our Llanfairfechan Neolithic Axes project (the latter working in conjunction with the Carneddau Landscape Partnership).
Volunteers work with us for a variety of reasons – from wishing to gain archaeological experience in order to improve employment prospects, to wanting to ‘give something back' to society, in this case through enriching the Trust's work.
If you're interested in volunteering for us, complete and return this form to outreach@heneb.co.uk to join our mailing list, we'll let you know about volunteering opportunities with the Trust.
