NASNEWS
Newsletter of Northamptonshire Archaeological Society
www.northants-archaeology.org.uk
November 2003

NAS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2003
7.15pm Thursday 4th December, Jeffery Room, Northampton Guildhall
NAS will be holding its 2003 AGM on Thursday 4th December. We are again very fortunate to be able to hold the AGM in the Jeffery Room, in the splendid surroundings of Northampton’s Guildhall, courtesy of Northampton Borough Council. The Guildhall is located on St Giles Square, in the centre of Northampton, at the top of Guildhall Road, a short distance from the Museum and Derngate Theatre. Plenty of public parking (Ridings or St Johns car parks) is available nearby. Doors will open at 7pm when free tea or coffee & biscuits will be served. The AGM will commence at 7.15pm sharp with a public lecture to follow at 7.30pm. The meeting is expected to be over by 9pm. 

Please come along and support your archaeological society.

New nominations to the NAS Committee would be very welcome! Please send nominations to the Secretary (A Chapman c/o Northants Archaeology, 2 Bolton Hse, Wootton Hall Park, Northampton  NN4 9BE) as soon as possible. 

At 7.30pm, following the AGM there will be a public lecture by local archaeologist Stephen Young entitled ‘The Whitehall Villa and its Landscape’.  As members may know, Stephen has carried out extensive fieldwork on the Roman archaeology of the upper Nene valley. Most recently he has directed excavations for the Whitehall Farm Roman Villa and Landscape Project based at Nether Heyford between Daventry and Northampton. The site was discovered by two local metal detectorists in 1996 and with their help and that of the landowner a vibrant and highly successful community archaeology project has developed. At its heart is a sophisticated Roman villa and bath house complex, the centre of a large agricultural estate. Part of a small Saxon cemetery was also examined in 2001. The project has involved extensive excavation, metal detecting and other survey and field walking. Highly popular public open days have been run over the last three years. The site lies not far from Roman Watling Street and within the wider hinterlands of the small Roman towns of Towcester, Bannaventa and Duston. It is within this wider context that Stephen, a lecturer at University College in Northampton will present recent work on the villa. This promises to be a fascinating evening. 

Members and non-members are all welcome. Free entry to all.

Northamptonshire Archaeology
It is hoped to distribute copies of the new Northamptonshire Archaeology Journal, volume 30, at the AGM. Come along and collect your copy! Those unable to collect will receive their volume through the post in the usual way. Work is already well advanced on compiling Volume 31. It is now hoped that the Archaeology in Northamptonshire book will be published by the Society during 2004.  

Outstanding NAS Subscription?
All members are reminded that subscriptions for 2003/2004 were due on 1st September 2003. Subscription rates remain unchanged at £10 for individuals, £12 family, £8 student and £15 Local Association. We would encourage members to sign up to Gift Aid as this provides some valuable additional income to your Society.  Please send subscriptions and requests for a Gift Aid form to Martin Tingle, The Dial House, High St, Creaton, Northants NN6 8NA as soon as possible. Thank you.

‘Historic Environment Records: Benchmarks for Good Practice’ 
In the last NASNEWS note was made about two recent Department of Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) consultations. The deadline for comments on ‘Protecting Our Historic Environment: Making the System Work Better’ has now passed but members may be interested to know that deadline for responses on the consultation on the future of Sites and Monument’s Records (SMRs) entitled ‘Historic Environment Records: Benchmarks for Good Practice’, has been extended to 30th November. Further details are available on the DCMS website at http://www.culture.gov.uk and then go to the part of the site entitled historic environment and current consultations. Responses should be sent to Eve Truman at the Architecture & Historic Environment Division, DCMS, 2 Cockspur Street, London SW1 Y 5DH. 

Thornborough Henges
The Friends of Thornborough are a group working to preserve the historic setting of the three Neolithic henges at Thornborough, North Yorkshire.  The most important ancient monument in the north of England is under threat from gravel quarrying that threatens to remove all the surrounding archaeology, leaving behind a landscape of flooded marshland.

To learn more about how you can help support this campaign visit their website http://www.friendsofthornborough.org.uk/

Northamptonshire Stone
Northamptonshire Stone  by Diana Sutherland is a new book "for anyone interested in stone buildings, ... scholarly, readable often surprising and full of fascinating detail ‑ it provides a key to the pattern of building across the county". Written by a local geologist it illustrates the rich variety of building stone from across the county. Cost £12.95. Further details from the The Dovecote Press Ltd, Stanbridge, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 4LD  www.dovecotepress.com                               
Heritage Link Update
Heritage Link Update is a regular emailed digest of news and views aimed at sharing information amongst all those involved or interested in the historic environment. It is maintained by ‘Heritage Link’ whose mission is to ‘mainstream the heritage’ into public affairs and political life. It contains news of initiatives, successful campaigns and good practice along with details of current job vacancies in the heritage sector. If you would like your name added to the Update emailing list please send an email to:  mail@heritagelink.org.uk 

We welcome items to include in NASNEWS. Deadline for inclusion in the next issue is the end of January 2004.            
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This NASNEWS edited by                                    
Graham Cadman, c/o Historic Environment Team, Northants County Council, PO Box 163, County Hall, Northampton NN1 1AX. 	  email: gcadman@northamptonshire.gov.uk