Who are we?

The ‘Fen Edge Archaeology Group’ is a group of amateur archaeologists whose aim is to promote further understanding of the archaeology of the Fen Edge area covering the parishes of Willingham, Rampton, Cottenham, Landbeach and Waterbeach.  The group was formed in 2008 and currently has over 50 members. 

Honorary President of FEAG

In 2013 Dr Susan Ooshuizen FSA became the second Honorary President of FEAG. Susan is a University Senior Lecturer in the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education and Academic Director for Historic Environment in the University’s Department of Archaeology and Anthropology. More information about her work can be found here: http://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/who-we-are/institute-staff/susan-oosthuizen

Former Honorary President

In 2010 Carenza Lewis MA, ScD, FSA became the first Honorary President of FEAG. Carenza is a Senior Research Associate for the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge. More information about Carenza in archaeology can be found here

What do we do?

The group has undertaken a number of archaeological events to expand our knowledge of the villages in the area.  These include:

• Field walking which involves gridding out a field and systematically collecting and recording the surface finds from the plough soil.  This technique is used to locate or map the distribution and extent of archaeological sites.
• The digging of test pits. These are 1m square pits dug at different sites in a village.  Collecting and recording finds at the different sites can give a historical picture of the areas of habitation at different time points and changes in population and land use.
• Village walks.
• Talks on the many different techniques used in archaeology and their applications.

To find out more about upcoming activities visit the ‘events’ section.  The results of our ongoing and previous activities can be found under the ‘projects’ section.  If you are interested in finding out more or joining our group, then please contact us.

Cambridge Antiquarian Society Affiliation

Our affiliation gives the members of FEAG the right to attend meetings of the CAS and also the right to the reduced fee for attending the CAS Spring Conference. Members of FEAG may also, on production of the CAS membership card, use the Haddon Library, the University’s archaeology library. FEAG as an organisation will receive copies of the refereed journal, the Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society (PCAS).
Please contact FEAG’s secretary if you wish to use the library facilities or borrow the journal.

Jigsaw Cambridgeshire

 
Jigsaw is a Lottery funded initiative of Cambridgeshire County Council and Oxford Archaeology East to support and promote amateur and community archaeology in the county. FEAG has supported the initiative from the making of the bid for funds and is now an affiliated organisation. This affiliation entitles FEAG to borrow equipment and our members to apply for places on Jigsaw training courses. Further information can be found at http://www.jigsawcambs.org/.
Our affiliation also means that we are represented on the Jigsaw Advisory Group. The latest Minutes of the meetings of the Group can be seen at http://www.jigsawcambs.org/blog/160-advisory-group-minutes. ‘

Higher Education Field Academy

Since 2010 FEAG has supported the Higher Education Field Academy in finding locations for school students to excavate test pits in Fen Edge Community Association villages. Those events have been developed by the Access Cambridge Archaeology team in the McDonald Institute of Archaeological Research of the University of Cambridge. They provide a very valuable experience of undertaking a higher education level experience requiring the undertaking of a new activity, working in teams and completing the tasks in time and according to strict guidelines. The results feed into research work conducted in the Institute. Results of the excavations, including those in Cottenham, Willingham and Rampton can be seen at: http://www.access.arch.cam.ac.uk/reports/cambridgeshire .’