Community Archaeology on Hadrian’s Wall 2019–2022

Rob Collins · Jane Harrison · Ian Kille · Kathryn Murphy · Kerry Shaw

Aug 2023 · Oxbow Books

About this ebook

The Hadrian’s Wall Community Archaeology Project (WallCAP) was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to promote the value of heritage – specifically of the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site – to local communities and provide opportunities for volunteers to engage with the archaeology and conservation of the Wall to better ensure the future of the monument. This short book provides a summary of the project, communicating the range of activities undertaken during the project and key results. The structure and aims of the project are communicated, and an overview of the many different people and communities that participated are explored. Archaeological fieldwork resulted in a number of new discoveries and insights into Hadrian’s Wall. Revolutionary new work to explore the stones of Hadrian’s Wall, its source geology and how stones were reused from the monument is also discussed. Each chapter is supported by full color illustrations and contributions from project volunteers also bring the project into a vibrant focus.

About the author

Rob Collins is Researc h Associate in the Department of Archaeology at Newcastle University. His principal research interests are in frontier studies and the collapse of complex societies, making use of archaeological remains of built structures and small finds to provide a social interpretation of the material record. Jane Harrison is Research Associate and Tutor at the Department for Continuing Education, Oxford University. A graduate of Cambridge and Oxford universities, she completed her D.Phil at Kellogg College, Oxford in 2016, on Norse settlement mounds in the North Atlantic zone. A specialist in public engagement in Archaeology, she is a member of a number of interdisciplinary research networks covering northern world topics. Ian Kille is Community Geologist for WallCAP at Newcastle University. He also runs Northumbrian Earth, set up in 2006 to create community and visitor events to explore the geology of the north-east. He completed his PhD at Imperial College studying magmatic processes within the Mull volcanic complex. Kathryn Murphy is a Research Assistant in Archaeology at Newcastle University, and the Project Support Officer for WallCAP. She studied GIS and Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh, and previously worked as the HER officer at Lincolnshire County Council. Kerry Shaw is the Community Liaison Officer and Volunteer Coordinator for WallCAP, situated in Archaeology at Newcastle University. She has previously worked on a range of heritage and community projects focused on Hadrian’s Wall, including Hadrian’s Wall Community Champions.