Hundreds enjoy Exmoor’s archaeology

Around 450 people helped to celebrate Exmoor's historic environment through events held in National Parks Week and the Festival of British Archaeology.

The celebrations kicked off at Wheddon Cross, Exmoor, on the 17th July with the annual Exmoor Archaeology Forum, which this year was themed 'Iron Age and Roman Exmoor', and was followed by a series of guided walks exploring aspects of Exmoor's archaeology and a chance for people to try their hand at making mosaics at the National Park Centre in Dunster.

The events culminated in two Open Days at Timberscombe hillfort at the end of July. The Open Days coincided with the end of a fortnight long excavation of an Iron Age settlement carried out by National Park Authority staff, volunteers and students.

Jessica Turner, Exmoor National Park Archaeologist, described the excavation as 'highly successful; it has contributed to our understanding of Exmoor's past in general but has also given us an insight into Iron Age life'.

She continued: “We were pleased that so many people were keen to volunteer to assist us with the excavation and we would like thank them for their help and enthusiasm.”

As well as the excavations, visitors to the open days were treated to re-enactments of Iron Age life, including warriors, a blacksmith, a woodturner and domestic life.