We arrange the Lake District Annual Archaeology Conference to showcase the research that takes place within this rich cultural landscape, which was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in July 2017.
Each year the conference provides an opportunity to learn about recent projects carried out in partnership with local communities and volunteers within the National Park. Many of these have been supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
This year we are celebrating 21 years since our first conference in 2002!
The 2023 Archaeology in the Lake District conference will be held on Saturday 4 November at Percival Lecture Hall, Ambleside campus, University Cumbria, Ambleside.
Parking is available in pay and display car parks at the University of Cumbria or across the road at the Rydal Road car park.
The event is now fully booked. If you would like to be added to our waiting list, please email archaeology@lakedistrict.gov.uk with your details and we will notify you if a space becomes available.
Programme
10.00 Introduction Tiffany Hunt, Chair, Lake District National Park Authority
10.05 Archaeology in the Lake District National Park 2022-23 Eleanor Kingston, Lake District National Park Authority
10.25 War and Peace at Ambleside Roman fort: old finds and new discoveries John Reid, Trimontium Trust and Professor Manuel Fernández-Götz, University of Edinburgh
10.55 Questions and Discussion
11:00 Coffee/Tea Break
11.30 Romans in Ravenglass 2023: results of recent investigations north of the fort Rebecca Jarosz-Blackburn and Kurt Hunter-Mann, AOC Archaeology
12.15 Questions and Discussion
12.20 Set in stone: A Cumberland hill farm in the early post-medieval period Kevin Grice, Lake District Archaeology Volunteer Network
12.55 Questions and Discussion
1.00 Lunch
2.00 Lowther Castle and Village Project Dr Sophie Ambler, University of Lancaster and Dr James Morris, University of Central Lancashire
2.50 Questions and Discussion
3.00 Coffee/Tea Break
3.20 The Brigham Smelter complex at Keswick - is this one of the most important historic industrial sites in the UK? Mark Hatton, Cumbria Amenity Trust Mining History Society
3:55 Questions and Closing Remarks
4.00 Finish
Last year's conference was held on 8 October at Percival Lecture Hall, Ambleside campus, University Cumbria. Speakers included:
Archaeology in the Lake District National Park 2021-22 Eleanor Kingston, Lake District National Park Authority
The Archaeology of Riverlands Jamie Lund, National Trust
Loaves & Fishes - the mills and fishponds of Shap Abbey Kevin Grice, Lake District Archaeology Volunteer Network
Recent Survey Work at Shap and Bampton Common John Hinchliffe, Lake District Archaeology Volunteer Network
Assault on Ambleside: a Roman Iron Age battle rediscovered John Reid, Trimontium Trust and Professor Manuel Fernández-Götz, University of Edinburgh
I’ll Take the High Road: investigations of a Roman Road Martin Railton, Eden Heritage Ltd
Our Speakers included:
Archaeology in the Lake District National Park 2019-21 Eleanor Kingston, Lake District National Park Authority
Archaeology in the time of a pandemic – an update on recent work by the National Trust Jamie Lund, National Trust
A new survey of the Carles stone circle, Castlerigg Al Oswald, University of York
‘Weird and atypical, even degenerate’…or then again, maybe not? Early Neolithic enclosures in the North Al Oswald, University of York
An Aerial Perspective of the High Street David Knight, Historic England
Recent fieldwork at Ravenglass and Muncaster Castle Kurt Hunter-Mann, Romans in Ravenglass
The origins of Dacre: What should an early medieval monastery look like? Rachel Newman, Oxford Archaeology North
A huge thank you to anyone who donated to the Lake District Archaeology Volunteer Network. We have purchased a new tablet to enable further archaeological survey work out in the field.
