The BHP relies on volunteers to man the Heritage Centre opening days. We have done pretty well to date but it can’t be helped on April 2nd – the manpower is otherwise engaged! Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience. Please contact us if you would like to become a volunteer – full training given!!
Author: boxfordparish (Page 1 of 11)
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
Please make a note in your diary: March 10th at 7pm followed by a talk at 7.30pm on the Portable Antiquities Scheme by Berkshire’s Finds Liaison Officer (FLO) Dr. Philip Smithers. This is the database run by the British Museum which holds details of all the small finds including coins that are found across the UK. Boxford has quite a large entry for a parish of this size because of the finds from the 3 Roman sites here. But if you have found strange and unidentified things while digging your veg………….please bring them along and hopefully Dr.Smithers will be able to identify them for you.
Roman broach found in 2019 during excavations at the Mud Hole site
THE BOXFORD HERITAGE CENTRE OPENING TIMES
Sundays 2-5pm – 8th January, 5th February, 5th March, 2nd April, 7th May, 4th June, 2nd July, 6th August, 3rd September, 1st October, 5th November, 3rd 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.
Mosaic now in colour!
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 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
From left to right: Authors Matt Nichol, Anthony Beeson and Joy Appleton having a brief respite from signing the new book The Boxford Mosaic by local publishers Countryside Books. The book is available from W.H.Smith in Newbury or direct from the publishers https://countrysidebooks.co.uk
Photo courtesy of Matt Nichol and Nick Battle
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