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Archaeology at Copped Hall | Field Schools | Taster Weekend
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Copped Hall Trust Archeological Project: FIELD SCHOOLS 2010
8th year of excavation tracing the development of a Tudor grand-house from medieval beginnings at Copped Hall on the edge of Epping Forest, Essex Monday 9th - Friday 13th August; 2010 The name of Copped Hall first appears in a document of 1258 but the family named in the document, the Fitzauchers, who were the Kingxs huntsmen, had been granted land in the vicinity in 1165. Waltham Abbey bought the Hall in 1350 and held it until 1534, when it passed to the Crown. Mary Tudor (the future Queen Mary) lived here and celebrated the Catholic mass under her Protestant brotherxs rule. Queen Elizabeth I granted the manor to her Chancellor, Sir Thomas Heneage, in 1564, who immediately started rebuilding it to create a Tudor grand-house. Shakespeare's A Midsummer Nightxs Dream may have had its first performance at Heneagexs wedding festivities here in 1594. Later it was home to Lionel Cranfield, a Lord High Treasurer of England under James I who was condemned by Parliament for xbribery, extortion, oppression and other grievous misdemeanoursx. But the Tudor grand-house - save for some 'romantic ruins' - was demolished in the mid-18th century and replaced by a new mansion 250 metres to the south-east. This in turn was gutted by fire in 1917 and stood ruinous for much of the 20th century. In 1995, the Copped Hall Trust succeeded in saving what remained of this mansion and its gardens from the attentions of a variety of developers, authorities and vandals and has since been working to restore them to their original condition. The Copped Hall Trust Archaeological Project (CHTAP) was set up, with the support of the West Essex Archaeological Group (WEAG), to investigate the remains of the Tudor grand-house. In previous seasons, an intriguing sequence of brick walls and other features overlain by the landscaped gardens of the mid-18th century mansion has been uncovered. The excavations will continue in 2010. Two 5-day Field Schools (Monday to Friday), for people already familiar with the basic techniques of Archaeological excavation and recording, will start on 9th and 16th August 2010. A small number of places may be available for those who have attended one of the July 'Taster Weekends' but priority will be given to: (1) diggers from other sites who are keen to develop their existing skills under expert supervision and No formal teaching sessions are planned for the Field Schools. Our aim is to involve students as fully as possible in further excavating, examining, recording and interpreting the remains of the brick-built mansion and associated features and structures which are being revealed on the site. Supervision will be given by professional archaeologists assisted by highly experienced volunteers. All of these know the site very well. The directors will be Christina Holloway, Lee Joyce and John Shepherd. Attendance certificates will be awarded at the end of the course. The cost will be 90 GB Pounds for each week (WEAG 80 GB Pounds). Students will be welcome to book for both the Field School weeks. Tea/coffee/drinking water will be provided, as will all tools except a digging trowel, but you will need to bring your own packed lunch. Accommodation will not be made available at Copped Hall but details of nearby B&B/hotel/hostel/camping accommodation can be supplied. The site is just off the M25 motorway and easily accessible by car or bicycle. Though not directly on any public-transport route, a taxi firm operates a service from Epping Station on the London underground Central Line.
If you book a place, a set of final joining instructions will be sent to yu about a month before the school starts |
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If you wish to come, please fill in the