Monthly Archives: April 2023

Chairman’s Update April 2023

A reminder that the Spring Newsletter is planned to go out in late May. All contributions most welcome. Please email me at rob.close1@gmail.com.

The Trustees met by Zoom call in April. The main points to note are:

  • Field Centre: We have just received our first electricity bill covering the period since November and are relieved that this was far less than we had dreaded. We remain fairly optimistic about staying at the farm, but we are taking nothing for granted. Norman Garnett has very kindly offered to lead re organising any maintenance projects
  • Finances: Our main outgoing expenditure is the rent for the Centre. One important contributor towards that is the 100 Club. Trustees are disappointed to hear that the number renewing Club membership is still very low. Please consider joining.
  • Lectures: These have been badly disrupted by Steve’s poor health. Thankfully he is now better and the first 2023 lecture is this Thursday about the Northant’s Archaeological Resource Centre.
  • Education sessions: Steve and Rob are running a Day School in Rugby. Steve is also discussing ongoing sessions at Bradwell Abbey, Milton Keynes.
  • Summer projects: Steve proposes a further excavation at Manshead in late August or early September, depending on discussion with the farmer about the crops. A fieldwalking exercise might be planned for say June. A number of geophysical surveys will also hopefully take place.Rob Close




Steve Young and Rob Close are running an Archaeology Day School at the Percival Guildhouse (adult education centre) in Rugby on Saturday 13th May. The Objective is to attract new members for CLASP by giving an overview of most aspects of archaeology, drawing on CLASP projects. This may be also of interest to any new Members of CLASP. More information is available from https://percival-guildhouse.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/PGH-Summer-2023-web.pdf  (page 15).




Additional Volunteers

We need to expand our team of enthusiastic and committed volunteers to fulfil a variety of roles and maintain the charity’s development whether you are able to give a few hours a week or more:
Volunteer help needed for:
  • Field work (field walking, excavation, geophysics etc.
  • Post excavation (processing and recording finds and archiving)
  • Computer and digital work
  • Fund raising
  • Publicity
[more information]