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Public archaeolgy in action (and me – my curiosity only just survived)

For most people in this area, those that don’t yet know about the marvels and wonders of the Prescot Street website, the white hoardings around the site could hide all manner of things… The rumblings and grindings and arrival and departure of plant give the impression that something huge and impressive is under construction behind the white boards, all to be revealed at a later date… Some local residents that grew up in the area, or those that study or work close by, can perhaps remember the previous incarnations of the site as housing, bomb-damaged site or car park.

But what about the archaeology? Would anyone consider that?

And doesn’t it make them curious? What else is going on?

Using information boards is one of the principal methods of communicating the past to the general public. The content of this type of communicative text is hugely significant – for most observers, this will be the only information they recieve about the history and archaeology of the Prescot Street site. A website is all well and good (very good I think), but your average internet attention span is low – and not everyone has internet access. So for all local residents, office workers, passers by, lorry drivers, rear view mirrorites, hotel visitors, lost folk looking for Tower Hill Tube Station, church goers, drinkers, curry aficionados and school-drop parents I give you….

The Prescot Street Dig information boards.

Design by Paula Carvalho

Text and images created by Guy and myself.

With the kind support of Grange Hotels

Feel free to drop by and have a nosy.

trench, 98 Photos

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Context [2008] possibly a ditch with an urn Zone 4, facing Prescot Street Zone 4 Far East end of site Far East end of site in Zone 4 of the excavation The FIRST bucket load Serious Contemplation Capping Beam Starting to dig Object of desire Watching the watcher Piling rig looking east Site looking north east Piling rig looking east Greg Crees Prescot Street Site March 3rd 2008 Prescot Street Site March 3rd 2008 Prescot Street Site March 3rd 2008 Prescot Street Site March 3rd 2008 Prescot Street Site March 3rd 2008 Guy and a Roman grave CIMG0580 CIMG0577 CIMG0565 CIMG0560 CIMG0593 CIMG0592 CIMG0591 CIMG0590 CIMG0589 CIMG0587 CIMG0586 CIMG0585 CIMG0584 CIMG0583 CIMG0582 CIMG0581 CIMG0579 CIMG0578 CIMG0576 CIMG0575 CIMG0574 South Tenter Street CIMG0572 CIMG0571 CIMG0570 CIMG0569 CIMG0568 CIMG0567 CIMG0566 CIMG0564 CIMG0563 CIMG0562 CIMG0561 CIMG0559 Disc mouthed flagons Disc mouthed flagons Disc mouthed flagons Disc mouthed flagons Disc mouthed flagons A Poulaine Shoe Leather offcuts Shoe sole and vamp Shoe sole and vamp Trench 3 Trench 2 Pits in Trench 2 Trench 2 After the Dig Shoe and Trowel Shoe and Trowel Shoe and Trowel Trench 3 Trench 3 Trench 3 Trench 3 Trench 3 Trench 1 Trench 1 Trench 2 Trench 1 Trench 1 Trench 1 Trench 2 Trench 2 Trench 2 facing south east Trench 2 Trench 2 Basement Trench 2 Basement Trench 1 Roman burials from 2006 evaluation Last remaining building on site - now demolished Last building Prescot Street Site Hut Medieval leather shoe sole and vamp Leather shoe Diggers at work CIMG0425.JPG