Great progress so early in the dig although trench 1 turned into a serious mattocking day!
Photos kindly supplied by David and Richard
Page 9 of 18
Men and women at work!
A really successful day with all hands working hard to clean the trenches and some good pottery and glass finds.
It was really great to be able to catch up on lots of news with friends from the previous digs and we welcomed several newcomers too.
A terrific start to the dig! Marquees, Gary’s tent and our Sponsors Board all up on Saturday; loos, tools and equipment delivered today – so we look very posh! To cap it all, Matt spotted that red tesserae border as Scud was excavating the mosaic trench.
Scud on the Mosaic trench
But this time it’s in a different place – we can see it clearly up against the party wall to the adjoining room and it looks fine. So here’s hoping the central panels will be as good.
Photos thanks to Dave
Boxford’s community project to fully excavate the Bellerophon Mosaic in the local Roman villa will be starting soon. Also in the planning is an Open Day for members of the public to see this extraordinary mosaic for themselves. The date has been set as Saturday August 31st and the site will be open from 10am to 4pm.
The mosaic only partially uncovered in 2017 due to time constraints, was considered by experts to be the most important Roman mosaic found in the UK for the last fifty years. It depicts many scenes from Greek myths – almost like a story book or a cartoon strip on the floor. The chief character is the celebrated flying knight of Greek myth – Bellerophon, son of the god Poseidon who is frequently portrayed on the back of the winged horse Pegasus.
Volunteers return this year in the hope that the remainder of the mosaic is undamaged and when fully uncovered will perhaps reveal the owner of this modest villa. From the little we have seen so far, he must have been well educated and probably well travelled. Why did he come to Boxford and what happened to the villa are questions that still hang in the air.
Below: Richard Miller’s photo from 2017
In Line with the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, the Local Audit Regulations 2015, and the Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities please find below the Boxford Parish Council Accounts for 2018/19. Please click on the link to download:
Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2018/19 including the Certificate of Exemption, Annual Internal Audit Report, Annual Governance Statement and Accounting Statements.
The 2018/19 Bank Reconciliation, Analysis of Variances and Notice of Public Rights. In addition we have also published the Annual Internal Auditors Report, Spending Details and Parish Council Asset Register.
The Boxford History Project submission for registered charity status was approved by the Charity Commission in April.
Charity registration number: 1182817
Charity name: Boxford History Project
First of all, sorry about the break in transmission but WordPress websites were upgraded and the subscription configuration to the blog was lost in the ether! Anyhow now all fixed by our webmaster.
We have had a huge response to the call for volunteers – now over 80! It’s really great but we have to restrict numbers on site each day, so have started a waiting list for any latecomers.
We are all looking forward to August and the great reveal!
Following generous donations from individuals and organisations for this year’s dig at Mud Hole our funding total now stands at over £46,500 – ever closer to full funding. We have just received notification that the Greenham Trust has awarded the project a Reactive Grant of £1,000 and ASPROM the Association for the Study and Preservation of Roman Mosaics have awarded their maximum grant of £500. Updated funding information is available on the Boxford Mosaic page of the Good Exchange.
https://app.thegoodexchange.com/project/12262/boxford-history-project/the-wondrous-boxford-mosaic
We are advised by the land agent that our most likely start date is during the week of 19th August but as always it’s weather and harvest dependent. We are still hoping to be excavating for 3 weeks followed by a week of recording but it all depends on full funding.
Volunteers have been coming forward and in some numbers. It looks like we will be oversubscribed which is great but we will have to regulate numbers on the site each day. So if you would like to join us for the dig, please complete and return a volunteer contact form asap even if you have been on Boxford digs in the past, or if you prefer email: boxfordhistoryproject@gmail.com
Many thanks to many of you who have been helping in so many ways.
Joy
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN OF A GENERAL MEETING OF THE BOXFORD HISTORY PROJECT AT 19.30 ON TUESDAY 12th FEBRUARY 2019 IN THE BOXFORD HERITAGE CENTRE
AGENDA
- To approve an application to the Charity Commission for Charitystatus
- In accordance with Charity Commission model document Charitable Associations:
a) To adopt a new constitution
b) To initiate a Register of Members (Membership is invited from Boxford and neighbouring parishes)
c) To elect 6 trustees
d) To elect officers viz Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer
3. To approve the inspected accounts for year ending December 31st 2018
In line with the Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities published in 2015, Boxford Parish Council hereby presents the following information for download:
- 2017/18 Bank Reconciliation
- The Completed Annual Return
- The Internal Auditors Report
- The External Auditors Report
- Report on the Annual Governance Statement
- The Parish Council Asset List
- Details of Expenditure
- Variations in Balances between 2016/17 and 2017/18
If you require any further details please contact the Parish Clerk