INFORMATION NOTE FOR HOLY TRINITY CHURCH PADDOCK VOLUNTEERS
The University of Reading investigations at Church Paddock in Cookham will run for 6 weeks this year. An initial 2 weeks for site preparation and volunteers will commence on Monday 24 July, followed by the University Field School from Monday 7 August to Saturday 2 September.
The first two weeks will involve machine excavation of the main trench, erection of security fencing and the marquee, installing water supply and sanitation: hand excavation in the main trench to the level of the archaeology will follow on from the mechanical excavation. In addition, a smaller trench will be hand excavated in Bell Rope Meadow between the Paddock and the Thames. There will be opportunities for both novice and inexperienced excavators to acquire some basic fieldwork skills under supervision, as well as for those with experience. Those wishing to participate will be asked to commit to purchase of the University’s ‘skills passport’, adhere to an agreed attendance schedule and to attend a single prior Zoom briefing. There is likely to be a daily numbers limit for volunteers.
The four weeks of the Field School will have excavation, finds and environmental processing opportunities for experienced volunteers, but the large number of undergraduates that will be involved this year may constrain numbers.
As last year, volunteers will be asked to commit to a minimum of three consecutive days. The arrangements will apply in respect of excavation, finds processing and environmental processing, and there will be a constraint on daily numbers. All volunteers will be covered under the University’s insurance arrangements.
The University of Reading will be organising the deployment of volunteers at Church Paddock themselves this year. Volunteers should send their preference for particular weeks or dates of attendance (the site runs from the 24th July to 2nd September) directly to
fieldschool@reading.ac.uk by 21 May 2023 at the latest.
