I am keen amateur archaeologist, living in Thetford, Norfolk.  Five years ago, I found that I desperately needed a new distraction in life.

Then I saw an episode of Time Team on C4.  I remembered that as a kid, I had wanted to be an archaeologist.  I had grown up in Norwich during the 1960s/70s and witnessed the digs around the City centre.  So I then took up archaeology as a hobby.

I had always been fascinated by late prehistory, and had visited numerous monuments around Britain and Ireland.  I started searching for flint artefacts, soon developing an eye for flakes and started to build up a collection of scrapers and arrowheads.  But I knew that such private collection had little to do with archaeology.  So I studied field archaeology part-time with the University of East Anglia for two years. I launched the Thetford Forest SCS (surface-collection survey) with the permission of the Forestry Commission, and with the support of the archaeological services of Norfolk and Suffolk.

Since then, I have so far carried out 38  ‘forest-walk’ surveys.  I simply search the planting furrows of recently restocked forestry compartments for artefacts.  I take a sample of the finds, carefully recording every removal with an eight figure grid reference.  The finds are plotted against the size of the survey, and then compared with the results of the other forest-walks.  I am mapping out the densities and distributions of flint finds across the forest floor, and comparing that with landscape features – such as distance from rivers, soil-types etc.  Thetford Forest was planted in the Brecks, an area that is usually regarded as of marginal arable value.  I am also mapping out so called ‘manure scatter’ – abraded sherds of ceramics, to map out areas that have been cultivated and manured with domestic waste during the Roman and Medieval periods.  And finally, I am looking for ‘sites’.  My best so far include a 3 hectare Roman settlement, and a probable 12th century kiln site.  Oh yes, I have so far recorded over 2,000 individual finds onto the SMR.

I have launched a website to promote the project, and publish the results.  I am a member of the Norfolk & Norwich Archaeological Society, and the Suffolk Institute for Archaeology and Local History.

I was born in Bridlington, East Yorkshire and lived there all my life until February 2000 when I moved to the tiny village of Withernwick, which is approximately 15 miles north-east of Hull. This means that I’m much closer to my job as Administrator of Burton Constable Hall – quick plug for the website – http://www.burtonconstable.com – and incidentally, members of the Time Team Club get free admission! End of commercial break!

My fascination with archaeology dates back to my childhood. I can’t remember precisely what sparked it off, but by 1971, at the age of 12 (just given my age away!) I was attending night classes in Bridlington organised by the late Tony Brewster. Those of you who are familiar with the archaeology of East Yorkshire will no doubt recognise this name and will know all about the Garton Slack chariot burial, which I’m privileged to say was the first dig I ever attended. Mind you, my role was strictly limited to wheelbarrow-pusher and I had to spend my lunch breaks sharing a tent with a skelly! More than anything I wanted to be an archaeologist, but my parents were convinced I’d be better employed in an office, so instead I qualified as a secretary. I hate working in offices, but it has to be said, I’ve never been unemployed. In 1995 I studied Heritage Management and upon graduating from this course, I got the job of Administrator at Burton Constable in 1997. Currently I’m continuing my studies with a combined BA in Archaeology and History. I’m due to graduate in 2002.

As a member of the East Riding Archaeological Society, I get the opportunity to indulge my passion in archaeology and this year I particularly enjoyed helping out at the Hayton dig. In 1998 I was lucky enough to be picked out to attend the ‘Live’ at Bawsey, along with Lesley White, which was a truly memorable time. Then in 1999 I tagged along at the ‘Live’ in York (couldn’t resist, it being on my doorstep) and was made to feel very welcome, helping out where I could.

In my spare time (what spare time?) I write fiction, mostly short stories for women’s magazines – the only time I’ll use a pseudonym! When I’ve finished my degree I’m hoping to write a novel.

I first began posting to the TT Forum at Christmas 1997 and, apart from a gap after I moved house, I’ve been a regular ever since.

Special Interest Areas

The pre-history of East Yorkshire, up to and including the Roman period, but particularly the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages. All British history up to the end of the 18th century, with a current fascination in Jacobitism.

I’m a Television Production student HND. I have always been interested in television, making as well as watching, then I got into history and the middle ages. So as you can imagine Time Team is a very relevant and exciting programme for me. I love the Lives ’cause you can see behind the scenes more, which is just as exciting and interesting to me as the archaeology. My dream is to start up a small production company and make really good television if at all possible. I mostly would like to make a historically accurate programme set in the Middle Ages, unlike those polished Hollywood films. I cannot stand old things being desecrated and destroyed such as old buildings being demolished and vandalism. For instance in the Burrell Collection in Glasgow near me a 15th century £30,000 tapestry was stolen and found four months later dumped in a rubbish bin!

I also care about the environment and I feel that if we managed to work with nature through thousands of years why can’t we do it now? New technology is there and being used to help archaeology, the technology is also available to stop global warming and mass deforestation but it isn’t being used. Why? It’s crazy.

Anyway my ideal quest in life is to entertain and educate my television audiences then use the profits I myself make to pay for research into time travel then travel back to the Middle Ages to retire, live in the woods somewhere so as to not disrupt history. A way-out there target but it’s best to aim high.

Special Interest Areas

Middle and Dark Ages. I once got interested in the Victorian era while researching my local history which concerned my primary school, library and the site of a very large calico print works which was owned by the Crum family which supplied another factory in Manchester with various Calico things including dolls. Oh I love computers, hardware and software. Early music such as Medieval and Renaissance. I like Classical too!

I do not have any qualifications in archaeology or history and really have become hooked on it over the last few years, thanks to TT. I do love to go out round castles and places like that throughout kent and further when possible but only a novice at the moment.

I am interested in meeting up with fellow TTFF people to go on more visits etc and try new things, e.g. field walking etc.

Special Interest Areas

Medieval and Norman and castles and buildings of that period.

Website

www.mjoyce.kiad.ac.uk\mjoyce – descriptions of Rochester upon Medway and personal notes.

I am married to Terry and have two sons; Barry and Daley (21 and 19 ) I don’t work as I have M.E. Last year I was diagnosed with breast cancer and have had chemotherapy, a couple of operations and radiotherapy, and I can certainly say that it was an experience! I love history and geography; in fact I just love learning, anything will do, and I love being able to tell people things that they don’t know, especially kids, and seeing their faces when they realise they’ve learnt something new. I do cross-stitch, mostly samplers, and I like to paint and draw; in fact most crafts appeal to me and I’ll try anything. I like driving my car and I swim, (I can’t walk far) for fitness ( that’s a laugh) .

Special Interest Areas

Anything between 500BC and 1500AD, oh and Egyptian stuff.

I have been interested in History for as long as I care to remember. It must have started with my interest in WW2 when in primary school and gone on from there.

Archaeology has also been an interest of mine since reading a book on the subject in secondary school, can’t remember which one. When TT came along it was like manna from heaven. I joined the TTC on the first weekend. I became involved in the web chats with Lesley White, Paula Connelly and my worthy adversary Richard Hayton. It was the support given by these wonderful people that led me to return to full-time education at the University of Salford, reading Politics and Contemporary History. I am due to start my final year this September (2001) and graduate next July. I will be spending six months from January to June next year on placement in Parliament working for my MP.

I find it difficult to specify the history of special interest, however, with the current course I am undertaking means I am reading Contemporary History. This means my love of Social History has grown enormously. I enjoy any museums, exhibitions or country houses as it feeds the imagination.

I am currently working on my dissertation which will look at The Middle Classes in Bolton, my home town. This brings me up to date and hope to speak to some old friends really soon.

I’ve been visiting the Forum since December 1997 when my dad bought himself a modem for Christmas. I am a level three Archaeology at Queen’s University in Belfast (Northern Ireland) and I can’t remember how long I’ve been watching Time Team. I also read sci-fi, Fantasy and historical type books. I’ve been digging in England, Scotland and Ireland on Neolithic, Iron age, Saxon and Medieval sites.

I started an Archaeology club at Yahoo, basicly because there wasn’t one already there, and I thought it might be fun on the spur of the moment.

Photo is me getting drunk on my 21st birthday

Special Interest Areas

A little bit of everything really, mostly from the Iron age to early Historic, environmental stuff an dead things.

Website

Yahoo Archaeology Club http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/archaeology

Yahoo Archaeology Club Homepage http://www.geocities.com/archaeophiles

This website is maintained for Time Team Forum Friends by: Corinne Mills

Your comments on this site are welcome. Please email [email protected]

Copyright © Corinne Mills and contributors
Last updated February 13, 2005

We would like to thank Steve Platt, Website Editor for Channel Four Time Team, for continuing permission to use the copyright logo of Time Team.

I have had a lifelong interest in history and archaeology, thanks to parents who took me to a range of castles, abbeys etc. as a youngster. Am no longer a youngster but still have much the same range of interests! Now married with two daughters, I teach (yes, History!) at a school for 10-18yr olds and in my spare time (what’s that?) I am co-ordinator of the Battlefields Trust. Have been an avid TT viewer since the first series and applaud its good work in helping to make archaeology accessible, popular and interesting. Since January 2001 have become a regular on the TT forum and am in with the East Anglian TTFF bunch.

Special Interest Areas

British Archaeology, especially Roman to Medieval; anything military, especially battlefields – archaeology/history/wargaming

Website

http://www.battlefieldstrust.com the official website of the Battlefields Trust

I was born in Wigan, Lancashire and spent most of my formative years being dragged round museums, ruins, folk festivals and morris tours (I had a great time really!). I remember visiting Vindolanda when I was about 10 and deciding I wanted to be an archaeologist, but by the time it came to choosing careers I somehow had got onto pharmacy. I studied for my pharmacy degree at Bath, which I loved, especially as I was able to get into the Roman Baths and Museum of Costume for free by virtue of being a resident. After qualifying as a pharmacist in 1997, I came to Cardiff to start a PhD in clinical pharmacy. Now that I have got my PhD I have started work as a research associate here at Cardiff University (I’m a glutton for punishment!), but still work as a locum pharmacist. Thanks to my parents I have always had an interest in all things historical – I still love trekking round museums and ruins! I have watched TT since the beginning but only discovered the Forum after the York Live.

Although I’d love to go on a dig, I’ve not got the patience to spend days rooting round in trenches, finding nothing. My ambition is to find an amazing artefact whilst just strolling along a beach! A nice big Norse brooch or something would be good….

Special Interest Areas

Neolithic, Bronze Age and Viking