Oswestry, United Kingdom : A group of A Level History students from North Shropshire College (NSC) visited Maesbury Marsh where a local archaeological site has recently been under excavation. The dig was an exploratory week-long dig by Nexus Heritage who survey potential sites and gather evidence with a view to conducting more detailed digs in the future if the site is deemed feasible. Students at NSC were invited to participate and work alongside volunteers from different backgrounds to uncover industrial and prehistoric remains. The site, part of which was the back garden of local residents, revealed not only an area rich in industrial and farming history but also uncovered the possibility of Roman remains. The site identified three ‘trenches’ in which groups of students were able to dig and then sort and wash the recovered artifacts.

A2 History student, Lloyd Hughes, commented, “During our visit to Maesbury Marsh, we were taught the key objectives of the current dig that was taking place, as well as the finite details that an archaeologist must fulfil to categorize their findings. This was new for all the students, as we all got an opportunity to dig in several of the trenches, and were searching for different materials and items from key ages of the Marsh’s history. This was a fantastic and new experience for all of us, which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who had the opportunity to take part.”

The dig’s organiser, Kate Churchill, was keen to publicise the event and asked whether the College could in some way record the activities.

Jo Jones, NSC History Tutor, commented, “This was a wonderful opportunity for our students to become actively involved in local history in a very ‘hands on’, practical way. It was great for the students to leave the classroom and explore their local area. It is always surprising what we can discover in our own locality and the students seemed to enjoy the chance to get their hands dirty and get stuck in!”