|
BAILEY *
|
The courtyard of a castle, ie. the area enclosed by the rampart or curtain. Use with wider site type where known.
|
| back |
|
|
BRIDGE *
|
A bridge which has been prepared for demolition by the insertion of explosive charges. The bridge would be destroyed in the event of an invasion to impede the advance of hostile forces.
|
| back |
|
|
BRIDGE *
|
A structure of wood, stone, iron, brick or concrete, etc, with one or more intervals under it to span a river or other space. Use specific type where known.
|
| back |
|
|
CASTLE *
|
A fortress and dwelling, usually medieval in origin, and often consisting of a keep, curtain wall and towers etc.
|
| back |
|
|
COURTYARD *
|
An uncovered area, surrounded or partially surrounded by buildings.
|
| back |
|
|
CURTAIN WALL *
|
A wall between two towers or pavilions, usually surrounding a building, and often forming a major part of the defences.
|
| back |
|
|
DITCH *
|
A long and narrow hollow or trench dug in the ground, often used to carry water though it may be dry for much of the year.
|
| back |
|
|
EARTHWORK *
|
A bank or mound of earth used as a rampart or fortification.
|
| back |
|
Earthwork
|
Earthworks can take the form of banks, ditches and mounds. They are usually created for a specific purpose. A bank, for example, might be the remains of a boundary between two or more fields. Some earthworks may be all that remains of a collapsed building, for example, the grassed-over remains of building foundations.
In the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky than during the other seasons, earthworks have larger shadows. From the air, archaeologists are able to see the patterns of the earthworks more easily. Earthworks can sometimes be confusing when viewed at ground level, but from above, the general plan is much clearer.
Archaeologists often carry out an aerial survey or an earthwork survey to help them understand the lumps and bumps they can see on the ground.
|
| back |
|
|
excavation
|
Archaeologists excavate sites so that they can find information and recover archaeological materials before they are destroyed by erosion, construction or changes in land-use.
Depending on how complicated and widespread the archaeological deposits are, excavation can be done by hand or with heavy machinery. Archaeologists may excavate a site in a number of ways; either by open area excavation, by digging a test pit or a trial trench.
more ->
|
| back |
|
|
FEATURE *
|
Areas of indeterminate function.
|
| back |
|
|
FINDSPOT *
|
The approximate location at which stray finds of artefacts were found. Index with object name.
|
| back |
|
|
FLOOR *
|
A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known.
|
| back |
|
|
FORT *
|
A permanently occupied position or building designed primarily for defence.
|
| back |
|
|
GARDEN FEATURE *
|
Unspecified landscape feature. Use more specific type where known.
|
| back |
|
|
GATEHOUSE *
|
A gateway with one or more chambers over the entrance arch; the flanking towers housing stairs and additional rooms. Use with wider site type where known.
|
| back |
|
|
Geophysical Survey
|
The measuring and recording of electrical resistivity or magnetism in order to determine the existence and outline of buried features such as walls and ditches. Geophysical techniques include resistivity survey, magnetometer survey and ground penetrating radar.
|
| back |
|
|
Ground Penetrating Radar
|
Ground-penetrating radar is a geophysical technique that sends electromagnetic pulses into the ground and records the pattern of their reflection. A radar antenna is towed along the ground surface and radar waves are sent into the ground. As they reflect off any archaeological buried features some of the waves are reflected back to the surface and are measured by another receiving antenna. The radar travel times are measured and stored on a computer. The readings can then be plotted to create a three dimensional picture of the features below the ground. See also geophysical survey.
|
| back |
|
|
KEEP *
|
|
| back |
|
|
KEEP *
|
The major tower of a fortification, often acting as its last defence.
|
| back |
|
|
KITCHEN *
|
A building or room where food is prepared and cooked.
|
| back |
|
LBL
|
Listed Building List. Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a list. Buildings placed on the list are protected through various planning and conservation acts which ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them. The Listed Buildings List is compiled and maintained by English Heritage. It includes details of where the building is, when it was built, a description of its appearance, and any other special features.
|
| back |
|
Listed Building
|
Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a statutory list. These buildings are protected by planning and conservation acts that ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them.
Depending on how important the buildings are they are classed as Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II. Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest. Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Those listed as Grade II are those buildings that are regarded of special interest.
|
| back |
|
Medieval
|
1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)
The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.
The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.
The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
more ->
|
| back |
|
|
MOAT *
|
A wide ditch surrounding a building, usually filled with water. Use for moated sites, not defensive moats. Use with relevant site type where known, eg. MANOR HOUSE, GARDEN, etc.
|
| back |
|
|
MOTTE *
|
An artificial steep-sided earthen mound on, or in, which is set the principal tower of a castle.
|
| back |
|
|
MOTTE AND BAILEY *
|
An early form of castle consisting of a flat-top steep-sided earthen mound, supporting a wooden tower, and a bailey.
|
| back |
|
|
MOUND *
|
An artificial elevation of earth or stones, especially the earth heaped upon a grave. Use more specific type where known.
|
| back |
|
|
MUSEUM *
|
A building, group of buildings or space within a building, where objects of value such as works of art, antiquities, scientific specimens, or other artefacts are housed and displayed.
|
| back |
|
|
PALISADE *
|
An enclosure of stakes driven into the ground, sometimes for defensive purposes.
|
| back |
|
|
POST HOLE *
|
A hole dug to provide a firm base for an upright post, often with stone packing. Use broader monument type where known.
|
| back |
|
|
RESERVOIR *
|
A large natural or artificial body of water, sometimes covered, used to collect and store water for a particular function, eg. industrial or public use.
|
| back |
|
|
Resistivity Survey
|
A resistivity survey measures the electrical resistance of the soil and any buried features within it. Where there are buried pits and ditches, there is less resistance to the flow of electricity. Where there are archaeological remains made from stone, for example a wall, the resistance is greater. These differences in resistance are measured and recorded by archaeologists using a resistivity meter. The measurements can then be used to plot features that exist below the ground. See also geophysical survey.
|
| back |
|
|
SAM List
|
Scheduled Ancient Monument List. A list or schedule of archaelogical and historic monuments that are considered to be of national importance. The list contains a detailed description of each Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) and a map showing their location and extent. By being placed on the schedule, SAMs are protected by law from any unauthorised distrubance. The list has been compiled and is maintained by English Heritage. It is updated periodically.
|
| back |
|
Scheduled Monument
|
Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs) are those archaeological sites which are legally recognised as being of national importance. They can range in date from prehistoric times to the Cold War period. They can take many different forms, including disused buildings or sites surviving as earthworks or cropmarks.
SAMs are protected by law from unlicensed disturbance and metal detecting. Written consent from the Secretary of State must be obtained before any sort of work can begin, including archaeological work such as geophysical survey or archaeological excavation. There are nearly 200 SAMs in Warwickshire.
|
| back |
|
|
STABLE *
|
A building in which horses are accommodated.
|
| back |
|
|
STREAM *
|
A natural flow or current of water issuing from a source.
|
| back |
|
|
TBAS
|
Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society is a journal produced by the society annually. It contains articles about archaeological field work that has taken place in Birmingham and Warwickshire in previous years. Copies of the journal are kept by the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record.
|
| back |
|
|
Test Pit
|
A small, exploratory excavation that helps archaeologists to find out how deep below the ground surface the archaeological layers extend. They are also dug to discover whether the topsoil contains particular concentrations of artefacts. Test pits are dug before a large excavation to determine a site's depth and contents.
|
| back |
|
|
TOWER *
|
A tall building, either round, square or polygonal in plan, used for a variety of purposes, including defence, as a landmark, for the hanging of bells, industrial functions, etc. Use more specific type where known.
|
| back |
|
|
TRACKWAY *
|
A pathway, not necessarily designed as such, beaten down by the feet of travellers.
|
| back |
|
|
WALL *
|
An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known.
|
| back |
|
|
WATER TOWER *
|
|
| back |
|
|
WATER TOWER *
|
A tower serving as a reservoir to deliver water at a required point.
|
| back |
