Category: One Off

  • Archaeology of the Essex Landscape – HIAG Talk

    With Maria Medlycott, Senior Historic Environment Consultant,Essex County Council on Monday15th March 2021 at 7:30 pm

    The talk will consist of an overview of 40,000 years of archaeology in Essex and how the archaeological finds are shaped by and in turn shape the landscape of the county. It will cover the end of the Ice Age, the introduction of farming, the creation of large-scale monuments, the development of the road network, villages and towns and the exploitation of the coastal marshes and woodlands. The talk will include examples from the areas of Essex closest to Cambridgeshire and the results of recent excavations.

    Artist impression of medieval Stebbingford

    It is hoped that the talk will demonstrate the range and significance of the archaeology of what is often a misunderstood county, and that it will enable comparisons and contrasts to be drawn with the archaeology of the Histon and Impington area.

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    Maria Medlycott was born and studied in Ireland.  She came to work in Essex by accident in 1986, starting on the large-scale excavations in advance of the development of Stansted Airport The late 1980s and early 1990s were spent in the field excavating and fieldwalking sites across Essex. In 1995 she moved indoors to undertake the Essex Historic Towns Project.  Since 1999 she has worked as an archaeological development control officer, providing archaeological advice on planning applications, primarily to Maldon and Harlow District Councils. She also has an ongoing programme of projects, on a wide-range of subjects from the publication of the unpublished archives of Roman Great Chesterford to the study of the Essex Coastal Grazing-Marshes. 

    If you would like to register for the talk please use the HIAG Contact Us page and they will send you a Zoom link 3 days in advance of the talk. There is no charge for this event and you do not have to be a member.  

    If you would like to join and support HIAG or rejoin after a gap please use the link here. HIAG members will be sent the links automatically so they will not need to register for each talk.

    Image at top – Excavating a Beaker burial near Harlow

  • The Treasures of Durobrivae and Early Christianity in the lower Nene Valley – HIAG Talk

    The talk will review several Treasures from this Roman town and assess their significance. Stephen will go to on discuss the coming of Christianity to the eastern areas of England.

    Professor Stephen Upex, University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, Madingley on Monday 8th March 2021 at 7:30 pm

    Durobrivae from the air
    Area of Durobrivae from the south-west

    Durobrivae was a significant walled Roman town located near current day Peterborough. It grew up close to a Roman fort established to create and protect the crossing point of Ermine Street over the River Nene. There were extensive potteries and iron works close to the town. There were also many Roman villas or farmsteads in the Nene valley region – and an impressive official building or Praetorium across the river at Castor. The name Durobrivae translates as fort by the bridge and is first recorded in the late-second century; the route from Londinium (London) to Luguvalium (Carlisle) describes Durobrivas as 35 miles from Duroliponte (Cambridge) and 30 miles from Causennis (Ancaster)

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    Votive Plaque
    Votive Plaque water Newton Hoard 4th century Roman

    Prof Stephen Upex has written on a wide variety of topics related to British landscape history and archaeology and his interests range from prehistoric settlement, Roman and Saxon farming to medieval open fields systems – a topic which formed the subject of his PhD dissertation. He has excavated widely and contributed to several Time Team programmes for Channel Four. His book on the Romans in the East of England was published in 2008 and a new book on the Romans in the Peterborough area is due to be published soon Stephen is currently writing up a series of landscape and archaeological reports and books on sites within the East Midlands for the Society of Antiquaries. His research interests include various aspects related to medieval agriculture and landscape and the archaeology of Roman and Saxon settlement, as well as collecting data for a book on Roman pottery. Stephen lectures at the University of Cambridge,  is a member of the Chartered Institute for Field Archaeologists and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

    If you would like to register for the talk please use the HIAG Contact Us page and they will send you a Zoom link 3 days in advance of the talk. There is no charge for this event and you do not have to be a member.  

    If you would like to join and support HIAG or rejoin after a gap please use the link here. HIAG members will be sent the links automatically so they will not need to register for each talk.

    Artist Impression at top – Durobrivae from the Praetorium Image – Peterborough Museum

  • Ladies Who Broke the Mould – WI Talk

    On Thursday 18th February 2021 at 7.30pm Douglas Palmer will talk at the zoom meeting of the Histon and Impington Women’s Institute. Telling the stories of four Cambridge women who helped pave the way for female participation in the study and research of Earth Science in Cambridge. Mrs Kenny Hughes, Dr Gertrude Elles, Helen Megaw and Margaret Sudbury.

    If you would like to attend this meeting please email sophie.howson@googlemail.com for the joining details. New members and visitors are welcome . No charge…you may come to two meetings free of charge before you join.

  • Dealing With Anxiety During Covid – Workshops For Parents and Carers

    Emma Moat, the HI Friends play therapist, is delighted to be able to offer advice and ideas around supporting your family using creative play therapy techniques, which will be helpful and fun for all ages. The workshops are suitable for parents and carers to help support their loved ones with practical and enjoyable activities. Full details will be given on registering.

    Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th March 7.30 – 8.45pm via Zoom

    Emma is a play therapist and counsellor with 15 years’ experience and a training background and has delivered many workshops on different conditions to do with mental health.

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    To register, please email: emma@hifriends.org.uk

  • Mindful Connection – Parenting Peacefully Through the Pandemic

    A free 3-part workshop to parents from HI Friends on mindful connection with children on 1st, 8th and 15th March 7.30-8.30pm

    Parenting during the pandemic is no easy task. With home-schooling, working from home and lack of places to stimulate the children, its no wonder relationships are tense and conflict at home could arise.

    This set of 3 workshops will support parents in their communication and interactions with their children. The workshops with consider how children’s brains develop at various stages and look at the body mind connection and will explore how co-regulation leads to self-regulation and develops children’s emotional well-being. Using cutting edge theories about neuroscience, taught in a simple and digestible way, it will focus on how parenting styles can help children thrive and feel confident.

    If you are feeling frustrated and like you are in a constant power struggle with your children or like emotional outburst feel unmanageable, this training will teach you the tools of emotion coaching to move things from conflict to communication.

    TO BOOK, PLEASE VISIT THIS EVENTBRITE LINK:
    eventbrite.co.uk/e/title-mindful-connectionparenting-peacefully-through-the-pandemic-tickets-137612132593

  • Royal Anglo-Saxon Rendlesham – HIAG Talk

    This is an extraordinary site. The seat of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom for 300 years from the 5th century, close to Sutton Hoo, and occupying an area of 50 hectares! The wealthiest of all sites in the country in this period?

    Royal Anglo-Saxon Rendlesham with Faye Minter, Senior Archaeological Officer, Suffolk County Council on Monday 15th February 2021 at 7:30 pm

    The now tranquil Deben valley in south-east Suffolk was once at the heart of the East Anglian Anglo-Saxon Kingdom, which is home to the princely ship burial discovered at Sutton Hoo in 1939, and the long-lost royal settlement found at Rendlesham.

    This royal settlement, or vicus regius, is first mentioned in the 8th century by the venerable Bede, a Northumbrian monk, in his book The Ecclesiastical History of the English People.

    Rendlesham Gold and Garnet Beads
    Gold and Garnet Beads

    Archaeological investigations at Rendlesham by Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service identified the site of this royal settlement in 2008 and has since revealed that it was active for almost 300 years, from the 5th to 8th centuries. Covering 50 hectares, the size of 70 football pitches, it is the largest and wealthiest settlement of its time known in England.

    In this talk, Faye Minter will explore the archaeology of this Anglo-Saxon royal settlement and the archaeological techniques which have revealed it.

    Faye is an archaeologist who specialises in the identification of Roman and early medieval metal artefacts. As Senior Archaeological Officer for Suffolk County Council, Faye manages the county’s archives, the Finds Recording Team and several research projects, as well as advises developers and landowners.

    For the past 12 years, Faye has been investigating Rendlesham on behalf of the archaeological service, which has involved many specialists, organisations, and volunteers. Faye also manages the new community archaeology project Rendlesham Revealed: Anglo-Saxon Life in South-East Suffolk which is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.   To find out more visit: https://heritage.suffolk.gov.uk/rendlesham

    If you would like to register for the talk please use the HIAG Contact Us page and they will send you a Zoom link 3 days in advance of the talk. There is no charge for this event and you do not have to be a member.  

    If you would like to join and support HIAG or rejoin after a gap please use the link here. HIAG members will be sent the links automatically so they will not need to register for each talk.

  • Human DNA Analysis from Ancient to Historical Times – HIAG Talk

    The world-renowned Sanger Wellcome institute is on our doorstep. Hear how ancient DNA analysis throws new insights including on Human-Neanderthal contacts, Saxon peoples, and even the crusaders!

    Human DNA Analysis from Ancient to Historical Times – throwing surprising light on our past with Dr Mical Szpak, Research Associate at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge at 7:30pm on Monday 8th February 2021

    Skeleton from the excavation at Sidon (credit Dr Claude Doumet-Serhal)

    Not so long ago, it would have seemed incredible to think that DNA could be recovered from skeletons that are thousands of years old. Yet analysis of such DNA is a modern reality – happening in a world centre research campus just a few miles from our village. With findings that not only complement those from archaeology and related disciplines but sometimes also challenging them. Dr Mical Szpak will take us on a journey into this world with new insights into human-Neanderthal contacts, middle east peoples, Anglo-Saxon migration, and the crusaders!

    Biography:

    Michal studied ancient DNA of extinct Pleistocene mammals for his BSc degree and subsequently moved to bioinformatics and exploration of human genetic variation across different ethnicities in his master’s degree research at the Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia. He joined the human evolution team at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in 2012 and received his PhD in human population genetics from the University of Cambridge. His doctoral and postdoctoral work at the Sanger focused on positive selection and genetic adaptations in humans.  He investigates the link between genetic variants and diverse adaptive traits found in human populations around the world. He joined European Bioinformatics Institute in 2019 and continues to deliver bioinformatic training worldwide.

    Talk abstract:

    Ancient DNA studies have revolutionised the field of human evolutionary genetics and transformed the understanding of our past. Direct access to ancient human genomes has shown that the human demographic history is more complex than inferred from the DNA of present-day people alone. Not only does DNA research complement archaeological studies, but also captures signatures of past demographic events impossible to recognise from examining bones alone. In this lecture he will talk about the biggest revelations in the field of ancient DNA ranging from human-Neanderthal contacts 55,000 years ago, to the formation of the European genetic makeup about 4,500 years ago, Anglo-Saxon migration to British Isles in the 5th century AD and ethnic origin of Crusaders from 13th century. He will take a look at Iron Age and Anglo-Saxon skeletons excavated from the ground of the Wellcome Genome Campus site itself in Hinxton, and at Oakington and Linton – to show what can be learnt about population migration and the genetic composition of modern Britons.

    If you would like to register for the talk please use the HIAG Contact Us page and they will send you a Zoom link 3 days in advance of the talk. There is no charge for this event and you do not have to be a member.  

    If you would like to join and support HIAG or rejoin after a gap please use the link here. HIAG members will be sent the links automatically so they will not need to register for each talk.

  • Mental Health Talk

    On Wednesday 27th January at 7.30pm on Zoom Tony Sigrist will tell the personal story of his mental health journey from the MET police to helping the Ely community with the TalkingFreELY initiative.

    We will also hear about a new idea “HI Chat” to support local wellbeing in Histon and Impington.

    If you would like to join, here are the zoom details:
    https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84215979494?pwd=TWZHeXlva3RBSGNrYlAzcTM3QkxQZz09
    Meeting ID: 842 1597 9494
    Passcode: 976573

    There is more info about TalkingFreELY on Facebook and Twitter @TalkingFreELY

  • Histon and Impington Feast AGM

    Histon and Impington Feast AGM

    The Histon and Impington Feast AGM is on Thursday 21st January at 8pm, on Zoom.  We weren’t able to run any events in 2020, but we hope that this will change in 2021.

    If you are interested in attending, please email me stevecox.histon@gmail.com and he will send you a link. 

    The plan this year is to be able to run a Feast Festival, if possible closing the High Street in early July, but this is obviously dependent on a number of factors.  So please attend the AGM, if only to show support for this as a community as we need something like this in 2021

  • Dealing With Anxiety During Covid – Workshops For Parents and Carers

    Emma Moat, the HI Friends play therapist, is delighted to be able to offer advice and ideas around supporting your family using creative play therapy techniques, which will be helpful and fun for all ages. The workshops are suitable for parents and carers to help support their loved ones with practical and enjoyable activities. Full details will be given on registering.

    Monday 1st February and Monday 8th February: 7.30 – 8.45pm via Zoom

    Emma is a play therapist and counsellor with 15 years’ experience and a training background and has delivered many workshops on different conditions to do with mental health.

    To register, please email: emma@hifriends.org.uk