Archaeology at Rufford Abbey, July 2013

The Community Archaeologists at Nottingham County Council are organising a volunteer dig at Rufford from 1st to the 12th July.

The first week (1st-5th July) will be run as a field school and will examine the foundations of an ornamental gateway at the north end of the Broad Drive, near to the mill. It is intended that the week will be "ideal for people who want to get a proper introduction to professional excavation techniques."

The second week (8th-12th July) will see the excavation of a disused water channel and studying the former garden features in an attempt to understand their layout.

For further information or to book a place email (community.archaeology@nottscc.gov.uk) or phone on 0115 969 6525.

Local History Fair at Mansfield Library, 19 May 2013

There is a FREE local history fair at Mansfield Library on Sunday 19 May, between 11am and 3 pm.

There will be local history displays, screenings of old films of Nottinghamshire, demonstration of conservation techniques for documents and books by specialist staff from Nottinghamshire Archives with practical advice on how to take care of your own family documents, craft demonstrations, free children's activities, displays of old photographs and local history books on sale.

Further information and directions are here: http://www.experiencenottinghamshire.com/whats-on/the-great-nottinghamshire-local-history-fair-2013-p550281

Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire

The latest volume of the Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire has just been published. It includes the following articles:

• The Origins of Nottingham: Archaeological Investigations in the Medieval Town from 1969 to 1980 by David Knight, Scott Lomax and Gordon Young
• Community archaeology at Thynghowe, Birklands, Sherwood Forest by Lynda Mallett, Stuart Reddish, John Baker, Stuart Brookes and Andy Gaunt
• Bingham Hall and the Porter Family: A New Interpretation of the 'Deserted Medieval Village' at Crow Close, Bingham, Nottinghamshire by Adrian Henstock & Peter Allen
• Coal mining in medieval Nottinghamshire: consumers and producers in a nascent industry by Richard Goddard
• Dr George Ridding: First Bishop of Southwell, 1884-1904 by J.V. Beckett
• 'And many of the little ones died' Public health, sanitation and weather in early 20th century Nottingham by John Wilson

Further details are available on the Thoroton Society website.