Big Dig 2014.

Apologies for not posting an account earlier of the Big Dig that took place in August this year but the findings have thrown up more questions than there are answers to. This year's dig was on a much more professional footing with a proper Project Design in place. Using the findings from last year i.e. the ornamental bridge it was theoretically possible to mark out the site of the L-shaped building and thus site our 5 m x 2 m trench more accurately.

 

The small square 'building' bottom right showed itself to be the ornamental bridge in 2013. Knowing the dimensions and position it was theoretically possible to find the location of the larger building. Using surveyors tapes and a laser level the outline of the larger building was plotted.

 

 

In this way it was hoped to be able to position our trench over the larger end of the building, if possible across the wall.
The other information that was used was to take so samples 20 cm down at the supposed depth of the archaeological deposit. These were tested for phosphate as the presence of this compound is always linked with occupation or animal husbandry.

 

The two darker blue samples on the left indicate a high level of phosphate and came from two places within the proposed trench area. The much paler blue samples on the right were taken from areas adjacent to but away from the site on the North and West sides. The show what may be considered to be an "background" phosphate level. With this evidence the site of the 5m x 2m trench was fixed.

The area was then mown  by contractors and the turf  removed using a turf stripping machine.  The turf was carefully rolled up  and covered in polythene sheeting to keep it  in good condition for relaying.

 

 

 

 

 



Coppicing in the Park.

On Thursday 16^th of January 5 Friends and volunteers from outside the area started to coppice some young Hazel in the North West corner of the Park. There is some debate as to whether coppicing would have actually taken place on the Park in the 18^th-century, but there is little doubt that this North West corner was coppice before the Park came into existence. Some of the ancient hornbeam trees were doubtless incorporated into the Park. Hazel is a relatively short lived tree and the best way to manage it is by coppicing. This means cutting the tree down to near ground level, the following year it will produce a large number of vigourous shoots. These shoots develop into sticks and rods which were typically used for craft purposes including hurdle making and the wattle of wattle and daub walls for buildings. In doing this coppicing we are not only continuing and ancient tradition on the Park but we are also demonstrating a sustainable method of woodland management which can be continued indefinitely into the future.

 

 

 

The trees were cut down to ground level using bowsaws. It is very important to protect the stumps from browsing by rabbits and muntjac, if this is not done then day can severely inhibit the regrowth and possibly threaten the life of the tree. To do this a dead hedge had to be built.

Poles were selected as the felling went along, these were pointed up and driven into the ground in pairs. The tops of the trees were laid in between the paired stakes and finally some “weavers” were used to bind the stakes together. This fence should last long enough to allow the Hazel trees to sprout and grow to a height so that they are out of the way of damage.

 

 

 

 

 

Managing the spring area.

From now on there will be a small Friends work party on the third Thursday in the month unless otherwise advised. Today’s task was to make a start on the management of the spring area in the south part of the Park. Friends have been given responsibility to manage and improve this small area and the task today was to make a start on the autumn conservation cut to remove the overburden of summer vegetation. If this is not done there will be an accumulation of  a dense mat of material which will prevent the germination of small seeds and more interesting plants. It will also control the growth of shrubs which will change the nature of the area away from that which is desired. The aim is to admit air and sunlight to promote a good variety of wildlife. The material was cut using a hand scythe and raked off and piled to make a composting heap for reptiles such as Grass Snakes.

 

 

Big Dig Surprise.

 

 

 

 

We started off Saturday morning by trying to expose as much as possible of what we believed was a cobbled yard and brick floor of a building discovered in the closing stages of the dig last year.  Saturday was spent tracing the line of several walls which gave us a lot more to puzzle about. On Sunday morning I suggested that two of the excavators try to see how substantial was one of the apparently well built redbrick walls. They fairly soon traced it down to at least six courses, and it had every appearance of a short stretch of ha ha wall. There was a similar wall of white brick on the opposite side. It was whilst pondering on what these walls could be, possibly more retaining walls than foundation walls, and also why they appeared to have laid a curved surface rather than a flat floor and why there were apparently no doorways, that it suddenly dawned on me that we were looking at a small humpback bridge over what was once a deep ditch which divides what I believe to be the Park “recreation” from the Park “agricultural”. The bridge is over 7 m wide and is accurately divided into two surfaces. One was a cobbled surface, presumably for stock to be driven over so they could get a grip, and the other half is thin bricks laid edge on presumably to give a smoother ride for a wheeled vehicle. I believe that what we were digging in last year i.e. brick rubble, slate, stones, etc was simply a spread of material laid down on either end of the bridge to give a firm and dry run up surface. Excavation on the side of the structure shows a rather crude culvert with the brickwork being corbelled. The core of the bridge seems to be a rather crude primitive concrete mix. I am not sure what you would like to do with this feature, but it seems to me that it is almost certainly 18^th-century and belongs to the original Park landscape. It almost certainly served the cattle sheds, but by its substantial nature may well have been a main route for crossing this dividing, or boundary ditch which has long since got badly degraded by the hooves of generations of cattle.

 

 

 

 

 

Reptile refugia.

East Herts have provided a quantity of small rectangular shaped pieces of black corrugated roofing material called refugia. 36 of these have been placed in sunny positions throughout the Park. Not only do they provide a refuge for reptiles but also a warm place where they can bask in the sun.

 

 

Maintaining reptile habitat.

During February a small group of friends cut back bramble which was threatening to overwhelm  Common Lizard site on the west of the Park. This has paid dividends as Common Lizards have been seen basking in the recent warm weather.

 

 

Ancient Hornbeam.

During February 2012 and ancient Hornbeam in the north-west corner of the park was felled because it was felt it was a safety hazard. This was very unfortunate as it was probably one of the oldest trees on the Park. The tree had been coppiced and as such probably predated the existence of the Park, the tree would have been taken into the Park when it was formed which means that it was growing in these 1700s. The tree had three main stems and was very large.

Because the tree had been brutally felled without knowledge of its historic importance, East Herts agreed to construct a barrier around it to prevent damage by browsing animals and to give it every chance, however slight of recovery.

 

Mercifully, and against all the odds, there happened to be some small shoots on the north side of the stump. Friends have added some chicken wire to prevent rabbits gaining access and to date these small shoots are growing well so we shall keep our fingers crossed.