Last week I was invited to go along to meet up with the ‘Friends of Norton Common‘ where they were working on clearing an area of undergrowth towards the Icknield Way side of the Common. These are the very culprits that have been tidying up my potential finds and clearing away precious evidence. It was easy to forgive such differences however, especially so as they kindly offered me coffee, biscuits and mince pies whilst enthusiastically offering to help me in anyway they could. It was quite enlightening actually and I discovered a bit about the tent that had started me on this trail in the first place. It was in fact them that finally removed it after walkers had mentioned that they felt uncomfortable walking by, worried by who might be lurking. It had supposedly been there for a good few weeks and seemed not to be in use anymore. They suspected it had been used for a party. This kind of adds up with some of the finds I’ve uncovered but not others, and not the report from my aunt about a man near by. Maybe that was just coincidence after all. Anyway, as I gather all my findings together maybe I’ll be able to draw out some conclusions on this. I also could tell them a bit about my findings over at The Pudding Basin. It isn’t an area they’ve really looked at and they certainly weren’t aware of the old mattress I discovered, half buried in undergrowth and greening with moss.
It was also good to get an insight into their motivations for volunteering to do this kind of work, which seems to range from a feeling of responsibility because of its proximity to their homes and also its identity within the town, to an interest in the wildlife and fauna, and probably most come for a good day out, with a cuppa and a biscuit with some very nice people. I could certainly see the appeal and must say it was a very enjoyable morning! (I shall forgive them their tidying for sure!)
Tomorrow I’m off to help the Norton Community Archaeology Group with their finds processing from the summer dig at Stapleton’s Field. It will be very interesting to be a part of their finds cleaning process and compare it to my own that’s going on at the studio at the moment. I’ve been told to bring a mug – a chance for more tea is always a good incentive!
