Archaeology becomes hands-on as visitors join the Dig For Shakespeare

In an exercise that is probably the largest archaeological sieving ever undertaken in the UK, visitors to the Dig for Shakespeare at New Place in Stratford Upon Avon are set to work alongside archaeologists as they sieve through tons of soil removed from Shakespeare’s last home in the town!

The massive exercise, which can take place as the result of a £50,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), will see the huge pile of soil that has already been removed from the archaeological exploration carefully examined for any small items that have already escaped the eagle-eyed archaeologists who are digging at the site of Shakespeare’s final home to unearth more secrets about the writer’s later life.

“Whenever you are excavating by hand, it is inevitable that you will miss some bits and pieces – the fact that we have found items in the spoil thrown back by the Victorian exploration at this site demonstrates that perfectly – so archaeologists will normally take occasional samples from the soil to sieve for smaller particles that are easily missed,” explains Director of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Diana Owen. “What we are doing here is far more ambitious. We literally want to sieve every last trowelful of soil that comes out of the ground so that nothing is missed – not a bead, beetle or even one of Shakespeare’s fingernail clippings!”

The dedicated sieving marquee opens on Friday 18 June, and has been set up in Shakespeare’s Great Garden, at the rear of Nash’s House and the archaeological dig at New Place. Spoil will be removed from the excavations and taken directly into the marquee for checking at one of 15 sieving stations, which will be manned by volunteers and visitors to the site.

“For visitors, this really completes the archaeological experience that they can have a Nash’s House & New Place – they can see the exhibition explaining why we are digging and see some of the most significant finds in the house, watch over the shoulders of archaeologists as they work in the trenches and now, they can also contribute to the project itself by helping us sieve through the soil,” adds Diana.

Volunteers and visitors will be closely monitored by trained members of the Birmingham Archaeology team, based at Birmingham University, who are undertaking the dig. Archaeologists are expecting the intense search to turn up many tiny artefacts that were missed during the initial dig, from smaller pieces of pottery and broken glass to jewellery items and beads.

The dig is open to the public seven days a week from 10.00am to 5.00pm (extending to 6.00pm in July and August). Admission prices are £12.50 for adults, £11.50 for concessions and £8.00 for children, which also includes entry into two other properties owned by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Hall’s Croft. The ticket is valid for 12 months, so visitors can come back as many times as they like to see the progress of the dig, which continues until the end of September 2010. For more information, or to book tickets, please visit www.digforshakespeare.com or call 01789 292325.
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Notes to editors: The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, founded in Stratford in 1847, is the guardian of the world’s greatest Shakespeare heritage sites, comprising Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Nash’s House & New Place, Hall’s Croft, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and Mary Arden’s Farm. Offering a unique Shakespeare centred experience, The Trust is a truly global brand that has been attracting visitors to the houses since as early as the 17th century. At the heart of all things ‘Shakespeare’, the Trust is not only at the forefront of academic learning, but also an iconic destination in the UK and the cornerstone of the region’s identity and tourism economy. The five houses offer a multi-layered experience for visitors unlike any other, giving people from all over the world the opportunity to learn about the life of the world’s greatest playwright, discover his work and experience a real sense of the times that influenced him here in Stratford. Anyone wishing to volunteer at the Dig for Shakespeare can do so by contacting Helen Arbron on 01789 204016, or email volunteering@shakespeare.org.uk. T

he dig is open seven days a week, and volunteers aged 14 or over are required every day.

Birmingham Archaeology is the commercial arm of the Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity at the University of Birmingham. It comprises three teams; Birmingham Archaeology Heritage Services, the Visual and Spatial Technology Centre (VISTA) and Birmingham Archaeo-Environmental (BAE). Each of the groups is responsible for the undertaking of commercial projects and services, the development of research projects and the delivery of postgraduate and professional training via taught Masters programmes and Continuing Professional Development workshops.

Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported 33,900 projects, allocating £4.4billion across the UK. www.hlf.org.uk

The Shakespeare Houses and Gardens are winners of the Gold Award for ‘Best Tourism Experience in the Heart of England Excellence in Tourism Awards 2009. For further information about the houses, please visit www.shakespeare.org.uk

For further information and press enquiries please contact: Jay Commins PRO Dig for Shakespeare Tel: 0113 251 5698 Mobile: 07810 546567 Email: jay@fim.org.uk