Parham 2009.

This is just a quick summary of the Parham excavation over the bank holiday weekend.

The weather was much kinder to us than last year (although those of us on site at 9.00 a.m. on Monday were worried that the downpour we were met with would last all day).

Over the weekend, we wanted to explore the area of Glebe land where the parsonage once stood, and to examine a feature on the geophysics results which appeared to show a footpath.

The weekend was open to members of the public who took the opportunity to learn about the documentary research that has been undertaken on the Parham Estate, visit the trenches, and even help wash the finds as they were discovered.

We opened three main trenches. Two of these have positively identified the original footpath to the church, which was made up of substantial fragments of sandstone covered with gravel/flint/iron stone. One of these trenches also seems to indicate that the two mounds south of the house are actually made up of the soil removed to make the Ha-Ha.

The main trench, appears to have come down directly on the yard of the parsonage. A sondage at one end shows that the area had been resurfaced at some stage. Finds on the yard surface including salt glazed pottery imported from Germany, fragments of an eighteenth century wine bottle, and a clay pipe bowl all seem to tie up with the probably date of the demolition of the Parsonage by 1750.

We also opened 8 test pits, and these have helped define the western limit of the Glebe land. We hope to return to Parham (possibly later this year) to dig some further 1m x 1m test pits to try and find the northern and eastern limits. We will also be doing some half meter resistivity over the area of Glebe land. Obviously, our main goal is to locate the footprint of the Parsonage, and in particular the cellar mentioned in the documentary evidence.


As well as roof tile, floor tile, bricks, pottery (ranging from the twelfth century onwards), window glass etc, the finds include a possible falconers bell, a decorative copper stud and a possible pair of iron candle snuffers.


The interim report is currently being worked on, so keep an eye on the blog site for details.