we all need more of this sort of thing

Mum doesn't know it yet but this is what she's got me for Christmas. I seem to have got sucked into exploring that mysterious late Romano-British early 'English' phase of things. I'm sure this will be dead useful @alexharvv.bsky.social I may be some time

Our friends at Castleshaw fort in the Pennines on RR712 have made digital a video made of the late 80's dig of the fortlet. www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9wA... It is absolutely of its time, a study in historiography in itself

Newsletter should be put before Christmas once Dave has added his notes about the AGM,. A slimmer volume this time. I think everyone's got sidetracked looking at the new map.

In case you're at a loose end tonight, our next talk is this every evening (Thursday 11 Dec) all about the Gough Map. Tix www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-15th-c...

As others have said, this: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Obviously, all we're interested in is what sort of road led there ;-)

Can absolutely recommend a trip to Ostia Antica. Short train ride from Rome and way quieter than sites in Rome itself. Massive site - so, so much to see.

Don't expect much from me today. I'm playing with Mike Haken's mapping (not a euphemism). The first new mapping for erm, 50 years or so, and as accurate as possibly given all the new techniques we've acquired since then. Nearing completion it will be free for all to use when launched.

Next Thursday evening, 11 Dec at 7.30 it's our next talk in the winter series. Dr. Eljas Oksanen & Dr. Stuart Brookes are talking about what insights we can gain from the Gough map about the survival of Roman routes in Britannia Tix: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-15th-c...

Llanymenech is also on a list. I didn't know about this Hoffman kiln - there's a cracking one in the Dales not far north of Settle that's well worth a visit.

Now I can't remember what I came on here for but I have just been sidetracked by this. Added to the list of things to poke at next time I'm that way. Please tell me other people have lists of this sort of stuff

Word

Well worth a read.

Yet another talk this Thursday. I know. It's been all go this month what with maps and AGMs.

À La Chapelle-des-Fougeretz (Ille-Et-Vilaine), l'Inrap a mis au jour en 2022 les vestiges d'une importante occupation gallo-romaine comprenant un vaste sanctuaire. Vidéo complète 👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=enFJ...

It was our AGM last night with some useful reports about where we've got in the past ten years. I'll be feeding some of that info to a wider audience gradually. The main thing is, of course, Mike Haken's new mapping of the roads in Britannia which will be released to all shortly.

AGM tonight. I know.

This week we've also got the AGM, although I doubt we'll struggle to handle all the numbers for that one. If you are interested in that, what we've been up to and what we're planning, it's on Thursday at 19.30. Drop me a DM for details.

Mike Haken's talk last Thursday on the new digital mapping of Roman roads in Britannia seemed to go down very well. At least for those who got into the talk. Despite us paying for extra places, Zoom had a wobble and many missed out.

If someone could drag me away from @ainmean-aite.bsky.social that would be handy. That site is way too much fun. I have things to do.

Don't forget Mike Haken is talking about new interactive mapping for UK Roman roads this evening. This is more a reminder for myself than anyone else ;-) romanroads.org/2025-6_lectu...

Also, we're ten. Not sure quite when - you know the difficulties with precise dating. 'Early November sometime' was what I was told.

Thursday 13 Nov is our next talk. This one is a bit special because our Chair, Mike Haken, is talking about A New Digital Map of Roman Britain: how to access it, how to use it and what comes next. It's a huge step forward that's taken a decade to develop

Aldborough. What a splendid site. Those mosaics. The look on that horse/dog/creature's face. And a placename that indicates awareness of those who came before as 'the old fortification'. Plus for philologists, a chance to get excited about the initial vowel. It's got it all.

Just settling down to compile the latest edition of the newsletter. If you are a member, you get this fun, fact packed item of wonderment four times a year. Articles from members, ideas people want to try out, news, gossip, all that kind of stuff. Plus the old copies are held on the website

So, from perusal of the splendid maps from @natlibscot.bsky.social reveals Bessie's Apron Plantation was there on the 1900 map but not on the 1862. Random googling reckons Bessie was a local woman who tended the plants whilst wearing an apron of leaves.

I mean, look at that - why would you not want to go and poke around an area that looks like that. Easy to get to, too - just up from Ecclefechan (ooh, early church place name) known as The 'Fech locally (really) just off the M74.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Burnswark is a great site - well worth a visit if you've not been. But a little bit mysterious so this excavation could be really interesting.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Why do I never find this kind of stuff? Ok, the easy answer is I tend to dig at Castleshaw, but even so

Just had a week up near Comrie, Perthshire (I presume). What a great area for nosying round - everyone has been here and everyone has left their mark. So much stuff. And the scenery is pretty fine, too. Have no pictures of anything Roman as it rained for the Roman bits. Perth museum also good

Obviously those feet and shoes would have trodden on roads. Roman roads. Which, when you start to think about these things, starts to get quite mindblowing

More news. The AGM is 20th Nov at 7.30 pm. If you want to get involved or find out what's been going on over the past 12 months, DM me and I'll sort you an invite. There's actually a lot been going on and much excitement to report. Obviously 'excitement' is relative to your own interests here.

Some news for you. Our next talk is Thursday 23rd Oct: Frank Giecco, From Hadrian to the Severan Palace, Carlisle Tickets available here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/from-hadri...

Oh dear, set up an account and then real life gets in the way. What's all that about? Hopefully back on the case soon. Any gossip?

I suppose I'd better do something slightly more constructive that just nosy around. So then, tomorrow evening 25 Sept, we have the return of our guest lectures. For our first talk, Paddy Lambert, of Oxford Archaeology, talk is entitled Populus: the real people of Roman Britain.

Thanks for the welcome and the follows everyone. Apart from @romanpalace.bsky.social who haven't changed at all 🤣

😍😍😍

That's my reading sorted for this afternoon

Let's have a picture. If you peer hard enough it's an agger (the raised mound Roman roads ran on) up in the Cheviot, bang on the Pennine Way which follows it for a wee while. In real life it's very clear in places and a good one to have a nosy at. It's somewhere around NT 789 089

Ah, we're here at last. #Roman Roads having a bit of an explore in the new place. Just finding our way so help appreciated for good #history #archaeology feeds to follow and interact with