Friday 8th September 2023 - What a wonderful day!!
Twenty eight children and 15 family members and staff from Chestnut Nursery (Ages 2-4) and
55 children and 36 family members and staff from Wynstream School. Ages 4-11.
A total of 134 participants came to join us for a special archaeology event at Wynstream Primary School.
What we did
Using the Heritage Gateway we were able to discover that the site of Bradley Rowe School was excavated in 2005 prior to building the new school to be renamed Wynstream Primary School. Not only did they discover a Bronze Age ditch but a surprisingly wide chronological range of artefacts including two high status ceramic pieces from the Tudor period.
Interwoven Productions CIC will be using these discoveries and other investigations in a longer term project to be led by estate residents themselves – East Side Poets.
To promote the event Interwoven created a Resource Sheet explaining the archaeology to send home with children at the end of the Summer term 2023 and the School asked families to sign up to the event in the first week of the Autumn term.
We invited children and families from the local ‘feeder’ nursery. Chestnut Nursery children traditionally progress to Wynstream Primary School so it was an excellent opportunity for the children to connect with their future school.
We also invited Thomas Cadbury, Curator from the Royal Albert Memorial Museum to bring along the finds from the 2005 and to make a short presentation showing the artefacts. This was very warmly received by children and families alike and did a great deal to elicit pride in their place.
The Activities
During school hours we provided refreshments outdoors and an archaeology remote sensing demonstration specifically tailored for ages 2-4 which was enjoyed by the children who actively participated. We talked about What does an Archaeologist Do? And What to do when you’re not allowed to dig? This then led naturally to explaining the artefacts that were found on site. So the children were then led to the Hall where they could see the artefacts themselves.
We also provided original colouring artwork based on the specific artefacts found on the site.
Early 16th century tile from Seville
16th century green, glazed stoneware jar from the far east
Then, after school, the older children and their families took their turn in the remote sensing demonstration exploring the instrument (Magnetic Susceptibility Meter ) on loan from Bartington Instruments Ltd in more depth and how it can reveal underground features.
Again, the RAMM artefacts were very popular with colouring sheets plus text from the Heritage Gateway provided.
We supplied free pizza slices, fresh fruit and squash for all!
Feedback on the day
Teacher
Hi, I’m Claire Turvey. I’m a year 6 teacher at Wynstream. I am a Lead on History along with David Coven who is also a teacher here. The event has been really well turned out. Lots of parents have engaged with it and the children seem really happy. I saw lots of children doing the colouring and enjoying looking at the artefacts. I’ve heard several parents saying “what a brilliant event”. Very excited about their pizza and their squash. Really good turn out. Really happy. The beautiful weather has helped. A superb event!
Parent
It was brilliant because seeing the artefacts, it was really a great opportunity to see this personally and hold it in our hands. It gave us boosebumps because if you think about it, its quite a history really, beyond your imagination. The people who dug it here in this lovely school in Exeter, it really gives us a lot of joy. It’s exciting especially when you realise that it’s right here! Congratulations for this lovely event. This age is more about computers but with this you are able to feel it and see it. It gives you joy!
Head
It was an amazing event. It was so good to see so many children, parents and carers coming in to see the demonstrations and the artefacts that were found at the school site all those years ago when the school was built. Lots of parents and children were excited about the event and actually being able to touch the artefacts was really memorable for them all.
Twenty eight children and 15 family members and staff from Chestnut Nursery (Ages 2-4) and
55 children and 36 family members and staff from Wynstream School. Ages 4-11.
A total of 134 participants came to join us for a special archaeology event at Wynstream Primary School.
What we did
Using the Heritage Gateway we were able to discover that the site of Bradley Rowe School was excavated in 2005 prior to building the new school to be renamed Wynstream Primary School. Not only did they discover a Bronze Age ditch but a surprisingly wide chronological range of artefacts including two high status ceramic pieces from the Tudor period.
Interwoven Productions CIC will be using these discoveries and other investigations in a longer term project to be led by estate residents themselves – East Side Poets.
To promote the event Interwoven created a Resource Sheet explaining the archaeology to send home with children at the end of the Summer term 2023 and the School asked families to sign up to the event in the first week of the Autumn term.
We invited children and families from the local ‘feeder’ nursery. Chestnut Nursery children traditionally progress to Wynstream Primary School so it was an excellent opportunity for the children to connect with their future school.
We also invited Thomas Cadbury, Curator from the Royal Albert Memorial Museum to bring along the finds from the 2005 and to make a short presentation showing the artefacts. This was very warmly received by children and families alike and did a great deal to elicit pride in their place.
The Activities
During school hours we provided refreshments outdoors and an archaeology remote sensing demonstration specifically tailored for ages 2-4 which was enjoyed by the children who actively participated. We talked about What does an Archaeologist Do? And What to do when you’re not allowed to dig? This then led naturally to explaining the artefacts that were found on site. So the children were then led to the Hall where they could see the artefacts themselves.
We also provided original colouring artwork based on the specific artefacts found on the site.
Early 16th century tile from Seville
16th century green, glazed stoneware jar from the far east
Then, after school, the older children and their families took their turn in the remote sensing demonstration exploring the instrument (Magnetic Susceptibility Meter ) on loan from Bartington Instruments Ltd in more depth and how it can reveal underground features.
Again, the RAMM artefacts were very popular with colouring sheets plus text from the Heritage Gateway provided.
We supplied free pizza slices, fresh fruit and squash for all!
Feedback on the day
Teacher
Hi, I’m Claire Turvey. I’m a year 6 teacher at Wynstream. I am a Lead on History along with David Coven who is also a teacher here. The event has been really well turned out. Lots of parents have engaged with it and the children seem really happy. I saw lots of children doing the colouring and enjoying looking at the artefacts. I’ve heard several parents saying “what a brilliant event”. Very excited about their pizza and their squash. Really good turn out. Really happy. The beautiful weather has helped. A superb event!
Parent
It was brilliant because seeing the artefacts, it was really a great opportunity to see this personally and hold it in our hands. It gave us boosebumps because if you think about it, its quite a history really, beyond your imagination. The people who dug it here in this lovely school in Exeter, it really gives us a lot of joy. It’s exciting especially when you realise that it’s right here! Congratulations for this lovely event. This age is more about computers but with this you are able to feel it and see it. It gives you joy!
Head
It was an amazing event. It was so good to see so many children, parents and carers coming in to see the demonstrations and the artefacts that were found at the school site all those years ago when the school was built. Lots of parents and children were excited about the event and actually being able to touch the artefacts was really memorable for them all.
Download the free resource sheet below and/or check out more information about the 2005 excavations on the Heritage Gateway
This event was enabled by the British Science Festival Community Grants, facilitated by Exeter Science Centre.
Thanks are also due to Bartington Instruments Ltd for the loan of a Magnetometer for the Remote Sensing demonstrations.
Thanks are also due to Bartington Instruments Ltd for the loan of a Magnetometer for the Remote Sensing demonstrations.
Left image credit - https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/teaching-resources/teaching-history/teaching-prehistory/
