Copyright © Rutland Local History and Record Society Registered Charity No 700273

The group is a small band of amateur archaeologists who engage in practical fieldwork and historical research to discover and record Rutland's ancient past. Most of the projects we undertake focus on field-walking which involves systematically collecting and recording surface finds from plough soil. The first task is to negotiate access with the farm owner or manager. Fortunately, most farmers support the group’s activities and allow us on to the land when they are not working it. After gridding out the area into 20 metre squares, the team members collect all material in each square which shows evidence of human activity. Most of the finds are pottery sherds, worked flint and iron smelting slag. Building materials and metal objects such as coins and buckles are occasionally found. We have regular group sessions where we identify, record and plot the find locations on a map. A report is prepared, and a copy is lodged with the Sites & Monuments Record for Leicestershire and Rutland. A copy also given to the landowner. The material is usually held at Rutland County Museum, where it is accessible for other researchers. In the past the Group has been involved in a wide range of archaeological activities. These include fieldwalking on the Romano-British site at Thistleton, field-walking at Beaumont Chase which suggested Palaeolithic activity, excavation at Wymondham led by the University of Nottingham and geophysical surveys conducted by the University Leicester at Thistleton. More recently, members participated in an excavation on a prehistoric earthwork at Ridlington run by University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS). Group members have also been involved in events run by the LMAFG at Jewry Wall Museum and Donington-le-Heath Manor House and for the Council for British Archaeology (CBA) Festival of Archaeology. Since 2015, we have concentrated on field-walking in Ridlington and Preston. We found some evidence of Roman activity, and substantial amounts of Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic worked flint on the Ridlington ridge. Individual members have also published their work. The most recent being the ‘Oakham Parish Field-walking Survey’ by Elaine Jones in 2007, for which she was awarded the Miss Linford Award by the Leicestershire Museums Archaeological Fieldwork Group (LMAFG) for the best archaeological project in the two counties. New members are welcome, and membership is free to Society members. No experience is needed as training is provided. All you need is enthusiasm, a love of being outdoors, a willingness to get muddy and some good thermals as most of the field-walking is done in the Autumn and Winter months. See also Thistleton Secrets Revealed