Ivan Clowsley

John’s stunning Geo Phy’s results.

Time Team Brancaster season 20 episode 2

The last Time Team episode to be filmed, although we didn’t know it at the time. All we were told was it would be the last programme of the series.

In July 2012 I received an email out of the blue asking if I’d like to take part in a Time Team in North Norfolk in August. Silly question really but could I get the time off work that was the thing. I was prepared to move heaven and earth to be honest to be there. I begged my work colleagues to cover for me and eventually I got three days off for the dig. A few weeks later I set off for Kings Lynn where the Time Team Academy were meeting up. We had a trip around the museum and saw the Sea Henge exhibition made famous by Time Team. It was fascinating to see close up. After lunch in Brancaster, we headed for site. All we knew before hand was that it was a large Roman site. We were greeted by Tim Taylor he explained we were searching for a ‘Saxon Shore Fort’ and we were all dispatched to different trenches. I went off to where Phil Harding was digging. His target was the Principia the administration block for the fort. That doesn’t sound very exciting but locating it would give us a good idea of the layout of the fort. Roman Forts all roughly conformed to the same plan and would also confirm the geo phys results provided by John Gator and his team. The geo phys was extensive and a very impressive amount of detail was visible, the results were some of the best seen on Time Team.

The Roman gaming piece similar to a dice.

Phil in action with Philipa Walton small finds expert.

I hadn’t been digging for long when Tracey shouts “look at this I think it’s a Roman gaming piece” and indeed it was. Phil was in raptures doing his bit to camera. The thing we found the most of though were oyster shells. The Romans ate them as a snack like we’d eat a chocolate bar or a packet of crisps, there were mountains of them. I was still only a novice digger and I really could not believe how fortunate I was to be involved. Tumbling down to earth I soon came though, when I removed something I shouldn’t have done, Phil gave me a rollicking I’ll never forget. Don’t worry I didn’t dig up a mosaic or anything I just moved a few roof tiles. We were there to help but also to learn and that was a lesson I’ll never forget! It was a chastening experience but listening to Phil talk so passionately about archaeological excavation techniques was a privilege. To give Phil some credit though he did apologise later on.

The pot washing team.

Naomi sorting through the mountains of bones.

On day two a new archaeologist was bought in for the specialist work that needed doing and we went to do some finds processing, pot washing to the uninitiated. A crucial part of the dig so that more detail can be seen on the finds and for preservation purposes. There were also some Time Team club winners visiting site who we knew but no time to dawdle we had work to do. I got sent to help out Raksha and Matt they needed some muscle. I heard Kerry asking where Ivan the shovel was and realised he meant me! We were looking at our end of the trench for a defensive ditch which we found.

Rob and his Vicus.

Tony and Mark Corney doing a scene.

When you’re on a dig, on such a massive site, you only really get to see the bits you’re involved with as there’s so much going on over such a large area. As well as Raksha and Matt’s trench, Phil had his, Rob Hedge was excavating the Vicus and there were several other trenches. I went over to see Rob and he explained what he was doing and the finds including several coins that had been found. Victor was sat at the back of the site office in the shade, a quiet man, but by heck can he draw. Also in the site office we saw the team going over the geo phys results on computers and some finds were on display that had been found here previously. Amongst all the hustle and bustle a helicopter was doing flyovers of the site helping Stewart get the lay of the land. A Roman food specialist was cooking on the last day I seem to recall. As for the crew, archaeologists and assorted others we were all the same in the queue at lunch time for food. The great and the good all stood in line waiting their turn. It was hectic and over 70 people were involved directly on site, one of the reasons I think Channel 4 called time on the show. Expenditure was getting out of hand.
On the last day I remember in Phil’s trench something particularly exciting was found Roman chain mail - Lorica Hamata was uncovered. This had been a great experience a bit of a roller coaster at times but still a great privilege. Thanks again to Tim Taylor for putting his trust in me and the rest of the Time Team Academy. We were also approached by Tim to see if we were interested in taking part in his new archaeological project Dig Village, he didn’t really need to ask did he.

Victor creating another one of his wonderful illustrations.