Boxford

Author: boxfordparish (Page 1 of 11)

Boxford’s Heritage Centre 2024

29th August 2024 /

THE BOXFORD HERITAGE CENTRE OPENING TIMES

Sundays 2-5pm –   1st September, 6th October, 3rd November, 1st December

Additionally, we open on demand to local historical groups and schools as well as individual visitors. Please contact boxfordhistoryproject@boxford.org.uk

We hold a wide selection of maps, family histories and slide shows of Old Boxford as well as artefacts from different periods of Boxford’s history including finds from the three Roman sites recently excavated by the community. We also have a large photo courtesy of David Shepherd of The Boxford Mosaic and slideshows of the excavations.

Boxora to Boxford – the latest history book and The Boxford Mosaic – about the 2019 excavation which fully uncovered The Boxford Mosaic are on sale.

 

 

Repair to St.Andrew’s Church Tower

29th August 2024 /

This major project which involved replacing all the roof timbers including the huge main beam in the tower- all in oak of course, rebuilding the parapets and re-roofing, and completing a new drainage system round the entire church, is now finished. The rectangular brick and flint tower was built in 1693 replacing an earlier round tower which had collapsed, so it is hoped and expected that this work will last another 400 years! The date of this year’s work has been carved into an oak plaque placed on the main beam by the master carpenter. The work was carried out by heritage contractors JG Restorations and project managed by Mike Appleton.

 

New oak tower roof timbers

On top of the world!
Mike Appleton on the tower roof at the end of the project. Note the large hatch for removing bells if needed at a later date.

 

This major tower repair work now completes the 3R’s Project to REVEAL, REJUVENATE and REPAIR the church which began in 2010 with the remodelling of the interior of the church, removing the Victorian cement render on the south, east and chancel walls which revealed attractive flint work and the rare Saxon window in the chancel.

The PCC would like to thank all those who supported this particular appeal, with grants,  donations and fund raising events, large or small – it is most gratefully appreciated.

 

Boxford Bog Oak Talk

29th August 2024 /
The Boxford History Project is hosting a talk by Gill Campbell from Historic England entitled
The Boxford timber: its conservation and what it tells us about Mesolithic life.
This follows on from the exciting find in Boxford of worked bog oak dated to the Mesolithic period, so well before Stonehenge and is the earliest piece of worked timber so far found in the UK. We knew Boxford was an ancient settlement but this find has taken our breath away.
The talk is being held in Boxford Church on 16th October at 7.15pm. Parking will be in the field opposite the The Mill and will be signed.
Visitors are welcome but as we don’t charge for our events, we gratefully appreciate individual donations to help defray our costs.

BOXFORD HISTORY PROJECT AGM AND GUEST SPEAKER

6th March 2023 /

The Annual General Meeting of the Boxford History Project will be held at 7pm on 10th March 2023 in the Heritage Centre

1. Welcome
2. Approval of the AGM Minutes held on 8th MARCH 2022
3. Chairman’s Report for 2022
4. Election of trustees (new trustees welcome to stand)
5. Inspected Financial Report for approval
6. Latest find in Boxford
7. To receive suggestions for the BHP Programme for 2023
8. Any questions

All Boxford residents past and present are welcome to join this meeting. We are always looking for new trustees and members for the BHP and welcome ideas and suggestions for the BHP programme for the future. At 7.30pm, following the Annual Meeting, Dr Philip Smither, Berkshire’s Finds Liaison Officer, will talk about his role and the work of the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme. If you have any finds or artefacts for him to evaluate, please bring them with you. Please RSVP to boxfordhistoryproject@boxford.org.uk or phone 01488 608422

The Triumphs of Pelops and Bellerophon: Unique Mosaic Evidence of Romanitas in Late Roman Britain

17th June 2022 /

At long last Cambridge University Press has published online in First View,  the report commissioned by the BHP and written by the late Anthony Beeson and Matt Nichol. The 41 page report is available to download – sadly at a cost of £20 unless you have a Cambridge Core Account. This will be published in hard copy at the end of the year in Britannia. It’s just sad that Anthony did not live to see it published.

 

 

Excavation Report MHV19

18th November 2020 /

The Excavation Report produced for the BHP by Cotswold Archaeology for the excavations at the Mud Hole Villa in 2019  is available to download. It makes for interesting reading – particularly surprising is the “bone” report – not one usually at the top of the reading list. Mud Hole Villa is compared to other Roman establishments including Fishbourne Palace on account of the lavish meals consumed and suggests a possible use of the building – a hunting lodge. Was this the Michelin starred eatery of its time? The bulk of the report is devoted to the scholarly interpretation of the mosaic by Anthony Beeson to whom we are greatly indebted.

Also available to download is a review of the book “The Boxford Mosaic” by the Journal of Roman Archaeology. This majors on Anthony Beeson’s interpretation of the mosaic but also refers to the colour photographs of our talented volunteers David Shepherd, Chris Forsey and Richard Miller.

The unpublished Excavation Reports for Hoar Hill 2015, Wyfield Manor 2016 and Mud Hole 2017 are held by the authors Steve Clark and Lindsey Bedford – for details of their reports email: archaeology@westberks.gov.uk

THE BOXFORD MOSAIC BOOK

20th February 2020 /

The book written by Anthony Beeson and Matt Nichol with a foreword from Joy Appleton tells the story in words and wonderful photos of this extraordinary Roman find in Boxford. Sales are going well. According to publisher Countryside Books, over 1000 copies of The Boxford Mosaic book have been sold. The book is now available from many bookshops including Blackwells in Oxford and online.  Copies are also available from St.Andrew’s Church or the Heritage Centre in Boxford. Please email: boxfordhistoryproject@gmail.com

 

 

The Boxford History Project introduces the story of The Boxford Mosaic

26th November 2019 /
Anthony Beeson – Iconographer extraordinaire
Matt Nichol – Senior Site Project Archaeologist
Duncan Coe – Head of Cotswold Archaeology’s Exeter and Andover Offices
Joy Appleton – Chairman Boxford History Project
The Boxford Mosaic book – published by Countryside Books

at the Corn Exchange, Newbury

November 19th – An evening at the Corn Exchange with around 300 in the audience, excellent speakers and a book launch! All in all, a fitting tribute to the Roman Boxford Mosaic and the community group that worked to bring it back to life, this summer.
What a wonderful way to close the project!

Photos kindly supplied by Chris Forsey

email: boxfordhistoryproject@gmail.com

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