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Archaeology Review - Spring 2003

This has been a busy 2003 so far for the Section with a disproportionate amount of time taken up with a detailed study of the Jersey Heritage Trust's plans for Mont Orgueil. In general we applaud the conservation, some of it long overdue but, after careful study, are unhappy with some aspects of the recreation projects, in particular the proposed introduction of a kitchen and toilets to the inner keep and of plans for interpretation for the visitor. All exhibits are to be artist based and should be concentrated on the period 1200 to 1600.

We very much welcome the early consultation by the Jersey Heritage Trust on relatively minor work at Elizabeth Castle.

We are planning a clean-up of our "lavoir" at St Cyr at St John but this must await a precise definition of one boundary.

We are examining a low circular wall near the summit of the hill behind La Chaire Hotel at Rozel where a 24lb gun stood in Napoleonic times. It has been capped with cement at some time possibly by the Germans who are believed to have had an anti-aircraft gun there. Research will be necessary to try and determine how much, if any, of the wall is original.

We are most grateful to Tom Binet of Fairview Farm who is building on the field immediately to the west of La Hougue Bie who allowed us to dig two exploratory trenches to see if there might be any traces of prehistoric structures or other significant material. Nothing was found except for a few flint tools and shards and much later fragments of Normandy stoneware. We wish his co-operative example would be followed by all developers as a great deal of historical evidence has certainly been lost in recent times, particularly in the town area.

As this Newsletter goes to press a small group of stalwarts will be spending a week on what may well be a final phase of examination of Tesson Mill, an exercise which has been a fascinating introduction to some of industrial archaeology even if, after rain, it has sometimes been submarine work!

We continue to meet every Thursday evening at 8.00 pm, usually at La Hougue Bie and an advance programme of activity is on the Société noticeboard at No. 7 Pier Road. Members are always welcome.

Bob Le Sueur