Digging for Britain - Loftus Princess & Salt Works

Norman_Conquest

Norman_Conquest

Well-known member
Did anyone watch this series with Professor Alice Roberts?

I am watching a few of the episodes on the BBC Iplayer and they are talking about the Loftus Princes and the neolithic salt production in the Loftus area.

I remember Rob posting a link to this some time back, really interesting.
 
Yep indeed. The site that keeps on giving.
A Saxon Princess that was almost stumbled upon by accident. As in the burials were found cutting through an iron age settlement that had been discovered from an aerial photo.
A few years later on the same site Dr Steve Sherlock digging with a band of volunteers has uncovered Teesside's oldest house, nearly 6000 yrs old in the Neolithic (new stone age). And then actually beneath that was evidence of Teesside's first industry and in fact western Europe's earliest industrial production of salt. The stuff of life to the first farmers. The only means of preserving meat to keep them through the depths of winter.
Prof Alice Roberts was most impressed and so she should be - this site continues to make history or should that be pre-history.
If anyone is interested then there are a lot of the treasures and artefacts of the Saxon Princess in Kirkleatham Museum and in future there will be other displays from a site that stretches in use for well over 4000 years. Early Neolithic through Roman and Saxon.

The programme is on iplayer - I think it is due to be screened on a Sunday in February.
 
fmttmadmin said:
Yep indeed. The site that keeps on giving.
A Saxon Princess that was almost stumbled upon by accident. As in the burials were found cutting through an iron age settlement that had been discovered from an aerial photo.
A few years later on the same site Dr Steve Sherlock digging with a band of volunteers has uncovered Teesside's oldest house, nearly 6000 yrs old in the Neolithic (new stone age). And then actually beneath that was evidence of Teesside's first industry and in fact western Europe's earliest industrial production of salt. The stuff of life to the first farmers. The only means of preserving meat to keep them through the depths of winter.
Prof Alice Roberts was most impressed and so she should be - this site continues to make history or should that be pre-history.
If anyone is interested then there are a lot of the treasures and artefacts of the Saxon Princess in Kirkleatham Museum and in future there will be other displays from a site that stretches in use for well over 4000 years. Early Neolithic through Roman and Saxon.

The programme is on iplayer - I think it is due to be screened on a Sunday in February.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that Rob, I will have a pop along to Kirkleatham to see the artefacts.
 
Rob, do you know who the artist is that painted that image of the old guy with the pigeon basket cycling past the blast furnace? I've not seen it before. It's on the first page of your Kirkleatham Hall link.

EDIT Reading on it's clearly one of the mechanics from Route 1 Coffee House which is where? You can tell I've not been back for some years.
 
Norman, the exhibition was on last year apparently. The type of thing I'd have been interested in if i was still around. Bikes and Art, what more do you need! :)

Bikes Mean Business is an exhibition of all things bike, with artwork created by the cycle mechanics who work at Route 1 Coffee House. This enterprising group have downed tools and replaced them with pens and paper, to try and share what bikes, recycling and renovation means to them.

Kirkleatham Museum is celebrating Route 1 Coffee House as a community hub and as local ‘bike heroes’ to coincide with The Tour of Britain 2022. Route 1 are passionate about recycling old unwanted bikes and getting them back to the community at a reasonable price. All the mechanics who service and restore the bikes are adults with a learning disability who gain skills and run their own enterprise.

The mechanics have worked with Illustrator, Bethan Laker to explore new creative tasks and alternative ways to share their passion for renovating bikes and the sense of pride and friendship that they share working at Route 1.

Creative Thinking is part of the Route 1 family and provides a community artists studio and day service for adults who think differently. Inspired by the Tour of Britain and Route 1’s work, the Creative Thinking Artists have responded creatively and imaginatively in different media and are delighted to share their work at Kirkleatham Museum.
 
fmttmadmin said:
Yep indeed. The site that keeps on giving.
A Saxon Princess that was almost stumbled upon by accident. As in the burials were found cutting through an iron age settlement that had been discovered from an aerial photo.
A few years later on the same site Dr Steve Sherlock digging with a band of volunteers has uncovered Teesside's oldest house, nearly 6000 yrs old in the Neolithic (new stone age). And then actually beneath that was evidence of Teesside's first industry and in fact western Europe's earliest industrial production of salt. The stuff of life to the first farmers. The only means of preserving meat to keep them through the depths of winter.
Prof Alice Roberts was most impressed and so she should be - this site continues to make history or should that be pre-history.
If anyone is interested then there are a lot of the treasures and artefacts of the Saxon Princess in Kirkleatham Museum and in future there will be other displays from a site that stretches in use for well over 4000 years. Early Neolithic through Roman and Saxon.

The programme is on iplayer - I think it is due to be screened on a Sunday in February.
Click to expand...
Hi Rob - I met up with guisborough_rob today and we paid a visit to Kirkleatham Museum. The Saxon Princess artefact's on display is unbelievable and the colours of the pendant and beads are so vibrant and well preserved. To say these date back hundreds of years, the craftsmanship with primitive tools is first class.

We also had a walk into the Gertrude Bell exhibition and finished the morning off in the Walled Garden Cafe with a coffee and a slice of lemon drizzle cake each. ;)
 
Norman_Conquest said:
Hi Rob - I met up with guisborough_rob today and we paid a visit to Kirkleatham Museum. The Saxon Princess artefact's on display is unbelievable and the colours of the pendant and beads are so vibrant and well preserved. To say these date back hundreds of years, the craftsmanship with primitive tools is first class.

We also had a walk into the Gertrude Bell exhibition and finished the morning off in the Walled Garden Cafe with a coffee and a slice of lemon drizzle cake each. ;)
Click to expand...
This sounds great, Is the saxon princess artefacts a permanent display or is it for a limited time do you know?
 
Colgates_shaving_foam said:
This sounds great, Is the saxon princess artefacts a permanent display or is it for a limited time do you know?
Click to expand...
Permanent exhibition - it is the Sutton Hoo of the north. In future there will hopefully be more exhibition space to other finds and discoveries at Street House, Loftus.
As I say it this dig and its post exhibition analysis is changing the face of (pre) history. And incredible to think that Teesside with all its industrial revolution roots is providing the first evidence for the (prehistoric) Neolithic industrial revolution in the British Isles.
 
fmttmadmin said:
Permanent exhibition - it is the Sutton Hoo of the north. In future there will hopefully be more exhibition space to other finds and discoveries at Street House, Loftus.
As I say it this dig and its post exhibition analysis is changing the face of (pre) history. And incredible to think that Teesside with all its industrial revolution roots is providing the first evidence for the (prehistoric) Neolithic industrial revolution in the British Isles.
Click to expand...
Rob - Did you work on this site?
 
Norman_Conquest said:
Rob - Did you work on this site?
Click to expand...
I usually dig a day or two every year. I didn't find any of the amazing bling though. I have lots of friends amongst the diggers. They are very talented and experienced but mostly have other day jobs and all give up their time and holidays completely for free. But there are so many rewards. It is such a beautiful area and the views are amazing. And it be involved in such an incredible site that just keeps on giving is reward enough. There is usually an open day on the site every late summer/autumn. And Steve will often speak in Loftus and talk about the latest discoveries. He is very down to earth Redcar lad and a Boro fan of course as is the farmer, Alan Bothroyd.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top