Digging Harlaxton named Top 3 Community Project of the Year by Council for British Archaeology

Evansville, Ind. (07/19/2023) — The Council for British Archaeology in partnership with the Marsh Charitable Trust has named Digging Harlaxton in the Top 3 for the Marsh Community Archaeology Awards.

Digging Harlaxton was a month-long archaeology field school that focused on the Walled Garden Project, a carbon-negative initiative that allowed for greater access and engagement opportunities to the Harlaxton community and visitors. Most of the excavation and findings revolved around a prehistoric ritual landscape site situated just beyond the Harlaxton grounds.

Developed by Harlaxton College in 2022, the dig began in the "Thunder House" of the long-abandoned gardener's cottage. Participants from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom uncovered the forgotten lives of those who helped run the manor, revealed traces of the site's prehistoric past, and investigated WWI training trenches. The Archaeology Field School was offered in partnership with the Enabled Archaeology Foundation and a range of local community history and archaeology societies.

Harlaxton College is housed in an exquisite, 19th-century Victorian manor located in the countryside of Lincolnshire, England, near the town of Grantham. Every semester, the manor welcomes students from UE and other partner institutions across the nation, and they complete general education and program-specific courses while immersed in British culture.

"Digging Harlaxton epitomizes the power of community archaeology, where the passion for uncovering the past unites diverse individuals in a shared mission," said Emily Stammitti, PhD, program coordinator and director of the Archaeology Field School at Harlaxton. "By unearthing forgotten stories, restoring a carbon-negative initiative, and fostering engagement, this field school has become a catalyst for change and a testament to the lasting impact of preserving our heritage at Harlaxton Manor."

The Marsh Community Archaeology Awards, funded by The Marsh Charitable Trust, celebrates the outstanding contributions of those people who are committed to social, cultural, and environmental causes, including through Archaeological impact.

An image of some sight work at Digging Harlaxton is attached.

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Work at the site of Digging Harlaxton

Work at the site of Digging Harlaxton