Thursday 3 May 2012

Join us at Bedwyn Brails this weekend.

Let's hope the rain stays away!

An aerial photograph taken in 1946 shows what appears to be a rectangular feature in an area of the brails to the north of the conduit house which at that time was open ground but is now wooded.  This feature may be a woodland bank or something similar, but as it is on the projected line of the exit pipe from the conduit house is worth a little more investigation.

One of the Longleat Thynne papers transcribed by Graham Bathe referring to the pipe from the conduit house says “I doubt not to have water running in the base court (of the house) or at least within iii feate whear it is best to make the mortar heapes because the water runneth ther and the lyme kiln not farroff.” The purpose of this weekend is to survey the area using plane table and/or tape and offset, and to look for evidence of lime kilns. We hope to have magnetic susceptibility equipment to look for evidence of burning, and an auger to investigate the nature of any buried features revealed. Test pits may be hand dug over anything needing further investigation.

We will be working from 10am to 4pm on both Sunday 6th May and Monday 7th May - with a break for lunch.  Please bring your own refreshments.  Meet in front of the large barns at Hill Barn, but we may park in the bowser field if ground conditions allow.

Contact - Brian Clarke at brianclarke.wanboro@tiscali.co.uk or telephone 01793 790158 or on 07732 486108 on the day.