Getting involved

Why not send your contact details to the Project Officer and join our mailing list for advanced notice of activities and events?

2010 - New Season of Investigation at Cosmeston!
Come along and see the first excavation of 2010 in the Events Field at Cosmeston Medieval Village from Sat 27th Feb until Tues 2nd March. Cardiff University will be investigating an area close to the site of the medieval manor house which was the focus of excavations in 2009. Visitors will be very welcome to come and find out more about the project and there may also be opportunities to join in! For further information please contact the Project Officer.

Cosmeston Archaeology Friends Group
Why not join the CAF group and support an exciting programme of archaeological discovery in your local area?
Further details available in this document: Cosmeston Archaeology Friends Group (word 25kb)

Beacon for Wales Our Place in the Future: Reclaiming Our Past (2009-10)

Details of an exciting new project to involve young people in archaeology at Cosmeston

Further details available in this document: Our place in the Future (word 23kb)

Young volunteers working on the manor house site, 2009 (copyright CU)

Events archive

2009

• Fri 27th, Sat 28th February and Sunday 1st March. Come and see the University opening up a small excavation trench on the manor house site in preparation for larger investigations during June and July 2009.
• Saturday 27th June – Thursday 23rd July 2009 from 9 am – 4 pm (excluding Fridays). the University team and public volunteers will be working together to investigate the site of the medieval manor house known as Cosmeston Castle. They will be using archaeological techniques, including excavation and recording, to find out more about the structure and use of the building, and about the people who may have lived there. Archaeological finds will also be recorded, cleaned and labelled before they leave the site for further analysis. Free guided tours will be available twice daily and the excavation site will be clearly visible from public footpaths within the Park to the west of the Medieval Village.
• Mon 27th July – Friday 31st July from 10 am – 4 pm. Volunteers will be able to help the University team with important post excavation work after the main excavation. Activities may include cleaning and labelling finds, organising data and helping with recording.
• October Half Term 2009: Finds Processing Monday - Friday 11 am - 4 pm. Come and see the medieval pottery and other interesting artefacts (some of them over 700 years old!) from the summer dig being washed and packed ready for transport to Cardiff University.

2008

• Bank Holiday Events: Sunday 4th/Monday 5th and Sunday 25th/Monday 26th May - The Community Archaeologist was in the museum at the Medieval Village providing information about interesting finds from previous excavations, and details of the new exciting summer excavations starting in June 2008.
• From Wednesday 25th June - Sunday 20th July (not including Tuesdays) and including the Council for British Archaeology National Archaeology Week (Saturday 12th - Sunday 20th July), Cardiff University students were on site carrying out a number of investigations and visitors were encouraged to find out more about how these processes help us learn more about the archaeology of the site, and volunteers were able to join in!
• October 2008 – Post excavation finds processing in the museum. Community volunteers and visitors will get the opportunity to see, handle and find out about real archaeological artefacts from the exciting 2008 excavations!

2007

• 17/18th May – Postgraduate Early Medieval Conference reception held on site. Delegates will have the opportunity to learn more about this unique site and how it can contribute to studies of the Medieval period.
• Bank Holiday May 28th – Community Archaeologist on site to talk about the archaeology of the site and the new project. The public are warmly welcomed to come along to the museum to see some of the interesting finds from previous excavations and find out how they can become more involved.
• June 25th until July 20th (Mon-Fri) University students will be working on previously excavated finds and providing a temporary display of some interesting archaeological objects. Members of the public are invited to drop in and find out more about archaeology, and how they can become involved in the new project.
• Weekend 14/15th July - to launch National Archaeology Week, free family friendly archaeology activities such as ‘children’s mini excavation’ and colouring sheets, and project information in the main park car park.
• Bank Holiday August 27th – Community Archaeologist will be on site to talk about the results of the summer fieldwork and what likely future investigations may include. The public are encouraged to come along and see some of the interesting artefacts and hear about how they can become involved in the project.
• 12th September - International ‘Ruralia’ archaeological conference reception held on site and attended by the Welsh Assembly Heritage Minister for Wales, Vale of Glamorgan Council officials, representatives of CADW, National Museums & Galleries Wales, Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust and conference delegates. This successful event provided an opportunity for all to learn more about this unique site and the new partnership project between Cardiff University and the Vale of Glamorgan Council.
• Weekends 10/11th & 17/18th Nov (10 am -4 pm) – Staff and students from Cardiff University will be carrying out a geophysical landscape survey of the site to help inform future investigations, and warmly welcome members of the public to come along and learn about the process – you may even get a chance to have a go!

Opening Times
Opening times can be found on the Vale of Glamorgan Council website