Breaking News Newsletter for Breaking New Ground Landscape Partnership Scheme
July 2016
A newsflash for project partners and participants with news items, project updates, special features and forthcoming events.
Thetford Warren Lodge to star in new film As part of our Digital Access to the Brecks project, critically acclaimed Ember Films spent last week on set shooting our short film about the history of warrening in the Brecks, which focuses on Thetford Warren Lodge. The BNG team went along to see how they were getting on and Ed even got a part, as one of the warreners!
Forest Fest Success This year’s Forest Fest (3rd June) was a great success, with over 800 people attending, and 500 children getting a goody bag for completing their “Forest passport” by taking part in at least four activities. Events on offer included archery, making willow crowns, firelighting and toasting marshmallows, as well as the opportunity to see a performance of our kids theatre show “Beastly Brecks” with Tangram Theatre! Photo © Back to Wilderness
Photo Evie Calaby/Ember Films
Also starring in the film will be several dogs and a ferret, kindly provided by members of the local community. Now filming is complete the editing has begun and we will share the film as soon as we can, It was also be going out to local schools and community groups, so let us know if you’d like a copy!
UEA Surveying Students from the Landscape History Department at the University of East Anglia spent a week surveying the grounds of Brandon Country Park, as part of the Landscape Revolutions project Photo © UEA
A sad goodbye to Martina June also saw us saying goodbye to Martina, a valued member of the team who started working for BNG as a volunteer and has been working as Business Support Officer since June 2015. We will miss her and wish her all the best with her new full-time role at Brandon Country Park! Setting fire to a model of Thetford Warren Lodge!
Project Focus C9: Connecting the Landscape with its Archives: East Meets West Join Ancient House Museum for a fascinating series of events bringing together experts in flint and obsidian, in connection with our Flint Rocks Exhibition. 14 - 16 July 2016 (The exhibition itself runs until 29th October) Flint and Obsidian Schools Day: Thursday 14 July at Ancient House and venues in Thetford. Get a taste of university life with lecturers from the University of East Anglia, University of York and University of Southampton. Also discover how science can reveal what Jomon (Japanese Neolithic) people ate, how a Stone Age man knapped a flint, what ‘flash in the pan’ means, how flint shaped the architecture of Thetford, learn some Japanese and more! Free to attend! To book please contact Melissa on 01842 752599 /melissa.hawker@norfolk.gov.uk East Meets West: Academic Conference: Friday 15 July, 10am-5pm at the Carnegie Room, Thetford. A fascinating conference bringing together specialists in the archaeology of the exploitation of sources of flint and obsidian. East Meets West will explore commonalities and differences in approach between Europe and Japan, and consider how a comparative approach can enhance our understanding of the development of lithic technologies in both regions. Guest speakers include:
Dr Simon Kaner (Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures and University of East Anglia, Norwich) Peter Topping (University of Newcastle) Professor Sato Hiroyuki (University of Tokyo, Japan) Professor Ono Akira (Former Director of the Center for Obsidian and Lithic Studies, Meiji University, Japan)Dr Nick Ashton (The British Museum) Professor Yajima Kunio (Meiji University, Japan)
£10 or £8 for Students (including lunch and refreshments) To book a place please visit: Leaping Hare – Thetford’s Great Information Centre 01842 751975 East Meets West FREE Family Fun Day! Saturday 16 July at King’s House Gardens, Thetford 10am-4pm Free to attend. See flint and obsidian knapping, hear a flintlock fire, handle real flint objects, enjoy tours of Thetford Priory, meet costumed characters, play Tudor games, learn about Jomon (Japanese Neolithic) cooking and even try some Jomon food! Plus crafts, refreshments and prizes to be won. Event taking place in Ancient House, Thetford Priory and Kings House Gardens King Street, Thetford IP24 2AP.
Project Focus D6: Breaking New Ground in the School Grounds As part of our Breaking New Ground in the School Grounds project, the Green Light Trust have installed a wonderful new pond dipping platform for use by the students at IES Breckland in Brandon!
Photos © Green Light Trust
Events Coming Up: East Meets West Flint/Obsidian Events 14-16th July, various locations around Thetford Summer Bees of the Brecks: 16-17th July, 10am-4pm Cranwich Heath. Booking essential West Stow Church Tidy Up 16th July 9am-5pm, West Stow Church BioBlitz at Brandon Country Park 29th-30th July Find out more and book at http://www.breakingnewground.org.uk/events
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Picture of the Month Bex and Rex start their tour of local schools! Photo © Tangram Theatre
What the Brecks Means to Me... I have been lucky enough to work with the historic environment of the Brecks for nearly fifteen years. In 2002 I spent six months excavating the remains of Woolly Mammoths and Neanderthal handaxes in a gravel quarry at Lynford. This launched my interest in the archaeology of the Brecks and helped introduce me to one of the most significant historic landscapes in East Anglia – countryside with one of the highest concentrations of prehistoric burial mounds, prehistoric and post medieval flint mines, medieval rabbit warrens, pine rows, military camps, Thetford Forest, and wide open grass and heather heaths.
Ground Disturbance on Weeting Heath
For the last ten years I have worked with land managers across the Brecks to positively manage archaeological sites; a lot of my time has been spent with farmers, the Forestry Commission and Defence Infrastructure Organisation. Working with wildlife organisations introduced me to the concept of ground disturbance (rotovating, turf stripping, soil inversion) for the benefit of flora and fauna, and the impact this can have on heritage assets. Breaking New Ground’s Ground Disturbance project has given the opportunity to develop closer working between the historic environment and wildlife conservation sectors to minimise this impact.
My fondness for the Brecks is long standing. I remember childhood picnics in Thetford Forest. One was on a very cold January day; after another I swam in the Little Ouse then left my favourite T-shirt drying in a tree. I went on a Scout camp at Harling and, as I know now, put up tents and lit fires on a Scheduled Monument. As a teenager I went to many 18th birthday parties across the Brecks, and explored Grimes Graves, Weeting Castle and a maze with a wooden squirrel at the centre. My children now love the High Lodge climbing frames that stand where the squirrel once did. The Brecks has been the location for many close encounters with wildlife – a low flying Hobby, nesting Stone Curlew and seeing my first Glow worms while surveying Nightjars remain special in the memory of a life-long birder. It is fair to say I feel privileged to have been able to visit and work in what I see as one of the most distinctive and special parts of the United Kingdom. David Robertson, Historic Environment Officer (Countryside), Norfolk County Council Historic Environment Service
Get your project noticed!: If there is something that you would like included in the next newsletter, please send details to Amy by 22nd July: BNG.Admin@suffolk.gov.uk Breaking New Ground c/o Visitor Centre, Brandon Country Park, Bury Road, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 0SU 01842 815465 e: bng.admin@suffolk.gov.uk t: @TheBrecksBNG f: TheBrecksBNG. w: www.breakingnewground.org.uk