Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project - SHARP

30/05/2026

Our HR team have been busy getting ready for our 2026 season.

There is still space to book on as an HR volunteer in Week 3 this summer for those interested. You must have previously taken our HR course or have equivalent training from another institution.

Visit our website for more information and other opportunities for digging with us in 2026!

WARNING: the following article contains images and text related to human remains The SHARP Human Remains Team has had a trip up to Norfolk this May to get things ready for the 2026 season. We have got our skeletons and lectures ready to run our Human Remains Course (week 2), and prepared lots of job...

25/05/2026

Directors blog 3 of 3

We had previously announced we have been given funding to refurbish the visitor centre, turning into a heritage education centre. But other than showing a blank canvas we haven't yet shown any pictures of the centre.

Work really started on this in March, with the laying of a new floor to replace the dark patchy one we had before.

In early March our carpenter Richard arrived with a van packed with goodies, so much that it took almost a day to unpack it all 😁 . While this was happening an electrician was in the cabin installing new power sockets. Over the next few days with the help of Alvin and Terry, work started on assembling the base cabinets, attaching doors (all hand made out of real wood) and laying out the display case bases on the surface.

Another visit took place in April, where Richard and Alvin continued to fit the cabinets and built a few of the display cases. They also fitted lights into the display cases, built the desk and started work on the merchandise cupboard. I think you will all agree its looking amazing. Thanks so much to Richard who is going the extra mile for us, and to all his helpers who have been working on this; from helping to fit it to waxing each and every bit of wood. This whole build is going to make such a difference to SHARP going forward. A huge thank you also to the funders the Farming in Protected Landscape programme.

During our team maintenance session, I worked on the layout for other fittings such as the new poster displays, leaflet holders and measured the space for fitting out the new merchandise area. I also got out and tested the new computer system with a test demo of the interactive system, the touch screen display works a treat! Ann worked hard on preparing the foam for within the drawers, where more finds will be put on display. I also tested out our new digital contactless donation point!

There will be improvements on the outside too, the funding allowed us to purchase a picnic bench for outside, a new flag to advertise the visitor centre and an external notice board.

Its all very exciting!

22/05/2026

Returning this season is our one-day photogrammetry course. If you are already a photographer but want to take things to the next level, and make 3D images, or perhaps a student or already in the archaeology business looking for new skills this could be the course for you.

During this course you will learn the basics of taking photographs with photogrammetry and making 3D images in mind. There will be lecture sessions that cover the theories, and methods, as well as the software required. As with many of SHARPs courses however we find that the best learning environment is to give it a try, so there is a heavy practical element, where participants will use their devices under the guidance of the tutor to do some photogrammetry of finds from SHARP and/or the church.

If you want to put what you have learnt to use, and gain more insights into the processing of the images, we are also offering a discount for those wanting to stay on and do further photogrammetry. See the website for more details.

This course costs £60 which includes lunch and tea/coffee through the day. Visit https://www.sharp.org.uk/courses for more information and to book your experience with us.

21/05/2026

Directors blog 2 of 3

So last time we discussed the work on the toilet block but in addition to that we had lots of other jobs to do around the site. So the maintenance team have been kept very busy.

One of the big tasks was to sort out the kitchen and waste water situation. The kitchen had a long list of problems and improvements. The old sink has gone, and is replaced with a shiny new one. At the same time we spent more time and money to improve the plumbing, adding new taps, a grease trap and enzyme buster. But just as we were ready to test it, we had a leak from the kitchen boiler pipes, we could have replaced the copper pipes but the boiler was on its last legs so we got someone in to replace the whole lot.

The outside sink was stripped down, and the wood replaced with shiny new painted wood, including a shelf with pots for the soap dispensers.

There has been a lot of planning and work gone into solving our waste water issue. But after a lot of weeding we have managed to get a pipe down the track to the sewer. After a quick test we are happy that all our grey water will now be disposed of safely, and will require fewer pump outs in the future.

Back in the kitchen we have re glued and fastened down things, installed new chain curtains and extractor fan filters. We have also moved things around so that all the windows and doors can be opened.

When we had a larger number of people on site we even tackled the fence around the trench, replacing posts. As well as doing some extreme weeding cutting the brambles, roses and a host of other spiky weeds away from the fence. We had a bit of an audience as the cows watched us work.

These were the big jobs but we have also cleaned cabin walls, weeded the worst areas, built new picnic benches, planted some bulbs, installed electrics in the enviro cabin, gave the electrics a test and added more grounding pins, tackled a wasp nest, to name just a few jobs.

I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone that has helped during these work sessions. You know who you are so won't embarrass you here. SHARP really wouldn't function without the king donation of time people give out of season to get these essential jobs done. THANK YOU!

19/05/2026

Through the years our environmental team has changes, and moved house many times. It has however been in safe hands for the last 7 years under Tom. Here he shows the BERTs from 2018 the process of floatation.

There have been so many team members, and volunteers that have worked in environmental over the years. Please feel free to comment below, perhaps sharing your favourite moments in enviro. Or if perhaps if you have similar photos of this process at SHARP over the years please feel free to share them with the SHARP community on the SHARP Community page linked here https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499756993659206. If sharing on facebook please also add some details if its not clear when it was taken or what it’s a photo of

18/05/2026

Directors blog, 1 of 3.

There has been a lot of work going on in our little field in Sedgeford. So I am going to write about it over the next few days.

Let's start with the toilet block. The first work on this was started back in 2025, when we created the structure. It was quickly clear it would not be ready for the 2025 season. Over the last few weeks we have carried out more work on it, and it's getting closer to completion.

The electrician and plumbing contractors have finally installed lights and done the essential plumbing. There are automatic motion sensitive lights and emergency lighting throughout. Meaning the unit is pretty bright when in use.

The toilets themselves were mostly installed this time last year, with holes cut during the May visit in 2025. But recent work has finished these off. A lot of work was done on the outside area with the bins and the addition of fans. During a recent visit mirrors, shelves and other fittings have been added to each cubicle.

Several of the team have also been busy painting, giving it the first coat of primer. We don't think we will get all the multiple coats of painting done for this season but it certainly looks brighter with the primer.

The last job during this visit was to set up the ramp for the toilets. This involved shifting a bit of soil to level the area, and making a wooden support.

The doors will be installed in the next few weeks. This means we will have a fully self sufficient composting toilet block beside the campsite. The team have already being using the toilets, and I can report there is no smell, and they are much nicer than portaloos. There will be some information about how they work on a blog due out soon.

12/05/2026

This photos was taken in 2017 features the preparation for a Friday afternoon tour. Here you see the volunteers who had completed the environmental and zoo-archaeological course, laying out displays to show what they had learnt during the week. Over the years we have run many different courses, often limited by the team on site, but also based on the interest of our volunteers.

What courses would you like to see back at SHARP, please comment below.

Also if you have similar photos from any of our public tours please feel free to share them with the SHARP community on the SHARP Community page linked here https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499756993659206. If sharing on facebook please also add some details if its not clear when it was taken or what it’s a photo of

05/05/2026

Fieldwalking, often out of season, have always been a huge part of SHARPs research. This photo was taken of the fieldwalking team in 2005, as they examined their finds.

Please feel free to comment below or if you have similar photos from any fieldwalking activities please feel free to share them with the SHARP community on the SHARP Community page linked here https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499756993659206. If sharing on facebook please also add some details if its not clear when it was taken or what it’s a photo of

01/05/2026

This event may be of interest to SHARPies, something to add to your diaries. For a few years were were involved in the Kings Lynn under Siege project. The same team is currently working on a special exhibition opening at Huntingdon's Cromwell Museum this autumn.

Hosted by the Cromwell Museum and run jointly by the museum and the Fortress Study Group, the exhibition explores the sieges and fortifications of the ‘English’ Civil Wars, a form of warfare which dominated the conflict. It will include recent research from King’s Lynn.

As well as the exhibition itself, there are other activities taking place during the exhibition including siege-focused wargames and, in March 2027, a symposium dedicated to the study of fortresses and sieges during the English Civil War.
Taking place on Saturday, 20 March 2027 at Huntingdon Town Hall, joining the event’s key-note speaker, Doctor Ismani Pells, will be experts presenting papers covering the latest research into fortifications and sieges. Tickets will go on sale in October 2027.

The image is a screen shot of the poster.

Further information about the exhibition and symposium will be available in due course at
https://www.cromwellmuseum.org/events, but in the meantime, you can contact the
museum at The Cromwell Museum, Grammar School Walk, Huntingdon, PE29 3LF; Tel:
01480 708008, Email: [email protected].

21/04/2026

Fast forward to 2019, and another excavation not far from the 2003 trench in Saggy Horse Field revealed an unexpected cremation burial. These vessels were lifted with the soil still within the urn, and were slowly micro excavated by our human remains team. If you want to learn more about this please view our blog https://www.sharp.org.uk/single-post/a-roman-cremation-urn

Please feel free to comment below or if you have similar photos from any excavations in Saggy Horse Field please feel free to share them with the SHARP community on the SHARP Community page linked here https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499756993659206. If sharing on facebook please also add some details if its not clear when it was taken or what it’s a photo of