Ivan Clowsley

Drop Short
December 2011

Phil talks 'spadeology.’

Well it did drop short of expectations for Tony and the rest of Time Team who were expecting to find a large grand Roman Villa complex in the Mystery of the Thames Side Villa series 20 episode 08.
But we did a training weekend there the year before that episode was filmed and that certainly didn’t disappoint.

The first training weekend in Cornwall went so well, Tim Taylor series producer, decided to have a quick follow up in early December at a place called Drop Short near Didcot, Oxfordshire. The interesting thing was that this site went on to become a full Time Team episode as I’ve mentioned.

This time fortunately I didn’t have so far to travel, so I jumped in my car for the trip to Oxfordshire. I was getting to know my fellow trainees well now, we corresponded online and exchanged photos and anecdotes about Time Team and archaeology amongst other things. So it was great to meet up with them all again at the Didcot Premier Inn, for another exciting weekend of archaeology. The event consisted of Tim, Phil Harding, Paul Blinkhorn, Dani Wootton, Jim Mower and Cassie Newland talking some more, about archaeological research techniques, pottery identification, map regression and reinforcing what we’d talked about in Cornwall at the first training weekend. John Gater had already done some Geo Phys work and he explained his results to us. He revealed what appeared to be a large Roman site. After a day in the class room, which was the local village hall, we all went to a local pub for the evening. It was Mr Gator’s birthday so we raised a glass or three to him, played billiards, had a sing song and all in all we had a great night

John explains his Geo Phys results.

Paul Blinkhorn talks pot sherds.

Nursing a few sore heads the following morning it was revealed that we’d be putting in some test pits. Others would be field walking as the neighbouring farmer had reported finding Roman pot sherds in his plough soil. Three of us were chosen to start the test pits and Cassie bought Phil around to inspect our work and I was rather nervous I have to say. I’m glad to report on this occasion Mr Harding was very jovial and only jokingly, I hoped, threatened to give me a swift kick if I didn’t keep a tidy test pit. Fortunately he approved of my efforts.

It was December not the usual time of year for digging and it was freezing cold as can be seen from the hats and coats being worn. I seem to remember Phil had a new jacket given to him by the army after a dig he’d been on involving them. Phil was also asked about the feathers in his hat and I’m sure he said it was from the Great Bustard which had been successfully reintroduced to Salisbury Plain.

As always with Roman sites lots of finds for Blinky to go through.

The test pitting was fruitful as can be seen from the photographs I found two sizes of tesserae in black and white and some nice pot rim. Loads of material came out of the farmers field in fact so much that just a sample was taken away for further analysis. We set up a finds processing station back at the village hall. That’s the thing about digging Roman sites, finds are almost guaranteed.

The Tesserae from my Test Pit.

So the upshot of Drop Short was it didn’t quite live up to expectations, that is the full Time Team dig didn’t. A huge Roman Villa that never materialised only a more modest abode, but our second training weekend certainly didn’t drop short. A fantastic experience with some brilliant archaeologists giving us the benefit of their experience. Digging with some of your Tv archaeological heroes, friendships made and cemented in the pub over a beer or two, what could be better I ask you!

Pool sharks at the Billiard table, Dani was quite the professional.

A great weekend with amongst others Tim Taylor, Dani Wooton and Paul Blinkhorn.