The Hidden Heritage of High Lodge

Project Activities Q2 2018

Below are selected images from project activities run during Q2 2018 as part of the history & heritage of the High Lodge site project by the Friends of Thetford Forest (FoTF).

15 April 2018 - Conservation work for Great-Crested Newts at Horseshoe Pit

Volunteers are briefed — The volunteers receiving their briefing at Horseshoe Pit, including protection of the archaeological features and the heritage signifciance of the site.

Creating feeding areas for newts — Creating open grassy areas where the newts can feed and building shelters for them from the cut-down saplings.

Scrub clearance — At the same time, some of the volunteers cleared scrub and saplings to open up the vista from the viewing platform on the heritage trail.

Lingheath gunflint mines can bee seen from the trail — Lingheath, one of the main gunflint-mining sites, is now visible from the heritage trail.

21 April 2018 - Tree Identification and Veteran Trees

Bark helps to identify a tree — Learning how to identify a tree by its bark.

Using tree identification charts — Using tree identification charts to identify conifers.

Studying the shape of needles — Studying the shape of needles as a guide to identification.

27 April 2018 - How to identify birds of High Lodge and Thetford Forest

Nick Moran explains the significance of Thetford Forest — Nick Moran explains the significance of Thetford Forest for bird species.

Classifying species — Classifying species by shared characteristics.

Look and listen — Learning how to 'look and listen' as a guide to identification.

9 May 2018 - Exploring Trackways and Historic Routes around High Lodge

Comparing maps — The morning session included examining and comparing maps of High Lodge for evidence of trackways pre-dating the forest.

Discovering an 1800 road closure notice — Discovering that a forest track was once a main highway but was diverted in 1800 with a road closure notice.

The highway closed in 1800 — Discussing whether this was the highway closed in 1800 - and deciding that it was!

Fire Route 12 — Fire Route 12 was formerly the main north-south highway from Elveden to Santon Downham, shown on the 1791 Estate Map.

12 May 2018 - How to track and identify animal and bird prints & where to look for them

An event for families and children

Oak Lodge set up for the workshop — Oak Lodge set up for the workshop, with activities awaiting the families.

Plaster casts of animal and bird prints — Plaster casts of animal and bird prints made by the children.

24 May 2018 - The Origins of Flint Mines

Presentation about the flint mining — Presentation about the flint mining from the Neolithic to the Gunflint Mines.

Flint-knapping — Demonstration of flint-knapping by NHES' Jason Gibbons.

Investigating a flint mine — Investigating a flint-mining site opposite the entrance drive at High Lodge.

Assessing a flint flake — Assessing a flint flake to decide whether it has been worked and if it is prehistoric or later.

1 June 2018 - Finds Processing and Identification

John Craven recaps results — John Craven reminds participants of the archaeological investigation and its interim results.

How to classify and date artefacts — Richenda explaining how to classify and date artefacts, using SACIC's handling collection

Explaining dating techniques — Ioannis explaining dating techniques and the characteristics of different periods of pottery production.

Finds assembled for cleaning — The quantity of the finds is evident as they are assembled for cleaning.

Washing a Roman pot sherd — One volunteer carefully washes a sherd of Roman Pottery.

Sorting finds — Having washed the artefacts, volunteers group them into categories within their context layers and record the results on the context forms.

Weighing finds and recording the results — Weighing the categories and recording the results on the context forms, as part of the archaeological processes following the actual ‘dig’.

20 June 2018 - How to identify Plants of High Lodge and Thetford Forest

Examining the structure of plants — Examining the structure of plants and some diagnostic features.

Learning how to use guidebooks — Learning how to use guidebooks and the keys within them.

Examining and identifying plant — Out in the Forest, examining and identifying plants adjacent to the heritage trail.

Plants in shaded habitat — Easton College student asking about plants in a shady habitat.