300,000 artefacts recorded on the database

Today is quite momentous for the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Charlotte Burrill, Finds Liaison Officer for Berkshire & Oxfordshire recorded the 300,000th object onto the Scheme’s database. I’m not sure why she recorded this today, as she is actually on leave, shows how dedicated they all are! There are other records in a paper format, so if you’re adding up records or objects from the Annual Reports, this explains the discrepancy.

Charlotte recorded a grotty Roman coin (a nummus or radiate), which can be found shortly (when she’s promoted it at BERK-CD8351. However in the meantime, here’s an image of this not so pretty find. This coin was found at a Weekend Wanderer’s rally recently.

Well done to all the finders and the Scheme’s staff and volunteers who have added to this corpus of data.

300,000 record

Shortly, I will be releasing a discussion document for the future of the Scheme’s database, so that people can use the resources we have more easily. I hope that we get some good feedback for the planned changes.

National Archaeology Week events

Throughout National Archaeology Week (14 – 22 July) the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) will be running a series of archaeological finds identification and recording sessions at local museums and other venues: often these will include a variety of other activities for adults and children. On the 14 July, in conjunction with experts at the British Museum and local museums, there will be at least one Finds Roadshow in every part of the country.

14 July (national event)

North of England
Grosvenor Museum, Chester, Cheshire – 10.30-16.30 (contact: Frances McIntosh – T. 0151 478 4259).
Museum of Antiquities, Newcastle-upon-Tyne – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Rob Collins – T. 0191 222 5076; robert.collins@ncl.ac.uk).
Museum of Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire – 12.30-15.30 (contact: Dot Bruns – T. 01772 532175; Dot.Bruns@mus.lancscc.gov.uk ) (educational event only).

West Midlands
Roman Alcester Heritage Centre, Alcester, Warwickshire – 11.30-14.30 (contact: Angie Bolton – T. 01905 721130; abolton@cityofworcester.gov.uk).

East Midlands
Chesterfield Museum, Chesterfield, Derbyshire – 11.00-15.00 (contact: Anja Rohde – T. 01332 716665; anja.rohde@derby.gov.uk).
Jewry Wall Museum, Leicester, Leicestershire – 11.30-16.00 (contact: Wendy Scott – T. 0116 265 8325; wscott@leics.gov.uk).
Wooton Hall Park, Northampton, Northamptonshire – 10.00-15.00 (contact: Steven Ashby – T. 01604 237249; sashby@northamptonshire.gov.uk).

East
Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire – times tbc (contact: Philippa Walton – T. 01223 717573; philippa.walton@cambridgeshire.gov.uk).
Verulamium Museum, St Albans, Hertfordshire – 11.00-16.30 (contact: Julian Watters – T. 01727 751 826; j.watters@stalbans.gov.uk).

South West
Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, Devon – 10.30-16.00 (contact: Danielle Wootton – T. 01392 665858; danielle.wootton@exeter.gov.uk).
Salisbury Museum, Salisbury Museum, Wiltshire – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Katie Hinds – T. 01722 332151; katiehinds@salisburymuseum.org.uk).
Wimborne Minster, Dorset – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen – T. 01305 224921; c.h.trevarthen@dorsetcc.gov.uk).

South East
Havant Museum, Havant, Hampshire – 10.30-15.30 (contact: Rob Webley – T. 01962 848269; RWebley@winchester.gov.uk).
Guildford Museum, Guildford, Surrey – 11.00-13.00 (contact: David Williams – T. 01737 247296; david.williams@surreycc.gov.uk).
Maidstone Museum, Maidstone, Kent – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Andrew Richardson – T. 01622 221544; andrew.richardson@kent.gov.uk).
tbc Michael Faraday School, Southwark, London – times tbc (contact: Kate Sutton – T. 020 78145733; ksutton@museumoflondon.org.uk) (educational event only).
Newport Roman Villa, Newport, Isle of Wight – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Frank Basford – T. 01983 529963; frank.basford@iow.gov.uk).
Risborough Festival – Risborough Community Centre, Risborough, Buckinghamshire – 14.00-17.00 (contact: Ros Tyrell – T. 01296 624519; rtyrrell@buckscc.gov.uk).

15 July
Archaeological Excavation, Bigbury-on Sea, Devon – times tbc (contact: Danielle Wootton – as above) (educational event only).
Grosvenor Museum, Chester, Cheshire – 10.30-16.30 (contact: Frances McIntosh – as above).
Roman Town House, Dorchester, Dorset – 11.00-16.00 (contact: Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen – as above).
Maritime Museum, Lancaster, Lancashire – 14.00-16.00 (contact: Dot Bruns – as above) (educational event only).
Verulamium Museum, St Albans, Hertfordshire – 14.30-16.30 (contact: Julian Watters –as above).

16 July
Burton Family & Local History Centre, Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire – 10.00-12.00 & 13.00-15.00 (contact: Caroline Johnson – T. 0121 303 4636; caroline_a_johnson@birmingham.gov.uk) (educational event only).
Gosport Discovery Centre, Gosport, Hampshire – 10.30-15.30 (contact: Rob Webley – as above).
Wakefield Museum, Wakefield, West Yorkshire – 14.00-16.00 (contact: Amy Cooper – T. 01924 305359; acooper@wyjs.org.uk).

17 July
Rickinghall Church, Rickinghall, Suffolk – 14.00-18.00 (contacts: Faye Minter & Jane Carr – T. 01284 352 449; faye.minter@et.suffolkcc.gov.uk).
St Chad’s Church, Stafford, Staffordshire – 10.30-14.30 (contact: Caroline Johnson – as above).

18 July
Clifton Park Museum, Rotherham, South Yorkshire – 14.00-16.00 (contact: Amy Cooper – as above).
Museum of Archaeology, Southampton, Hampshire – 10.00-15.00 (contact: Rob Webley – as above).
Museum of Lancashire, Lancaster, Lancashire – 14.30-16.30 (contact: Dot Bruns – as above). (educational event only).
Rugby Museum & Art Gallery, Rugby, Warwickshire – 13.00-14.30 (contact: Angie Bolton – as above).
Swindon Museum, Swindon – 10.00-12.30 & 13.30-16.00 (contact: Katie Hinds – as above).
Warrington Museum, Warrington, Cheshire – 13.00-16.30 (contact: Frances McIntosh – as above).

19 July
Lancaster City Museum, Lancaster, Lancashire – 14.30-16.30 (contact: Dot Bruns – as above).
Mansfield Woodhouse Library, Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire – 10.30-14.00 (contacts: Rachel Atherton & Anja Rohde – T. 01332 716665 ; rachel.atherton@derby.gov.uk).
tbc St Chad’s Church, Stafford, Staffordshire – times tbc 09.30-11.30 & 12.45-14.45 (contact: Caroline Johnson – as above) (educational event only).

20 July
Alton Museum, Alton, Hampshire – 10.30-15.30 (contact: Rob Webley – as above).
Museum of Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire – 14.30-16.30 (contact: Dot Bruns – as above).
Norton Priory, Halton, Merseyside – 12.00-16.30 (contact: Frances McIntosh – as above).

21 July
Andover Museum, Andover, Hampshire – 10.30-15.30 (contact: Rob Webley – as above).
Buckinghamshire County Museum, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire – 11.00-16.00 (contact: Ros Tyrell – as above).
The Roman Baths Museum, Bath, North East Somerset – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Kurt Adams – T. 0117 9222613; kurt_adams@bristol-city.gov.uk).
Bolton Museum, Bolton, Greater Manchester – 10.00-16.30 (contact: Frances McIntosh – as above).
Donington Manor House, Donington Le Heath, Leicestershire – 11.00-16.00 (contact: Wendy Scott – as above).
Guildhall in Priory Park, Chichester, West Sussex – 10.00-13.00 & 14.00-16.00 (contact: Liz Andrews-Wilson – T. 01273 405731; FLO@sussexpast.co.uk).
Chippenham Museum, Chippenham, Wiltshire – times tbc (contact: Katie Hinds – as above).
Kirton Living History Festival, Kirton, Suffolk – 11.00-17.00 (contact: Faye Minter & Jane Carr – as above).
Lancaster City Museum, Lancaster, Lancashire – 10.30-15.30 (contact: Dot Bruns – as above).
Leatherhead & District Museum, Leatherhead, Surrey – 10.00-16.00 (contact: David Williams – as above).
Museum of London, London – times tbc (contact: Kate Sutton – as above).
Millgate Museum, Newark, Nottinghamshire – 10.30-12.30 (followed by an educational event only from 14.00-16.00) (contacts: Rachel Atherton & Anja Rohde – as above).
North Lincolnshire Museum, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire – 11.00-15.00 (contact: Lisa Staves – T. 01724 843533; lisa.staves@northlincs.gov.uk).
Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro, Cornwall – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Anna Tyacke – T. 01872 272 205, ext 219; anna.tyacke@royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk).
Wells Museum, Wells, Somerset – 12.00-16.00 (contact: Naomi Payne – T. 01823 320200; NCPayne@somerset.gov.uk).
Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock, Oxfordshire – 10.30-16.30 (contact: Charlotte Burrill – T. 01635 519534; cburrill@westberks.gov.uk).

22 July
Devizes Museum, Devizes, Wiltshire – 11.00-16.00 (contact: Katie Hinds – see above).
Museum in the Docklands, London – times tbc (contact: Kate Sutton – see above).
Sefton Museum, Sefton, Merseyside – 14.00-17.00 (contact: Frances McIntosh – see above).
Woodbury Castle & Common, Woodbury, Devon – times tbc (contact: Danielle Wootton – see above).