Lincoln: Newport Arch and lorries

1971

The Newport Arch forms the northern gateway of the Roman colonia of Lincoln. It is one of the most important pieces of extant Roman architecture in Britain. However it does seem to be vulnerable to lorries. A feature on the excavations at Lincoln appeared in a special number of Current Archaeology (May 1971; Christina Colyer, ‘Lincoln, pp. 67=71), and the cover showed the damage in 1964. The gate has been struck again today.

Local authorities need to restrict access to these important parts of our heritage.

Assynt and the Northwest Highland Geopark

Assynt © David Gill

The crowdfunding support for the Northwest Highland Geopark continues. However with only two days to go, there is still 75% of the project amount to raise.

You can support the project here.

Zenobia and the trade in cheese

Zenobia figurehead © David Gill

One of the figureheads displayed at the Cutty Sark, Greenwich is from the Zenobia, wrecked off the Norfolk coast in 1882 (further details). The Zenobia was built to carry fruit, but was sold and then based in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk to carry cargoes of cheese to Holland.

The vessel was named after Zenobia of Palmyra (Syria).

Love the Northwest Highlands Geopark

Suilven from Lochinver © David Gill

The Northwest Highlands Geopark is crowdfunding to support its work and maintain its UNESCO recognition.

Please support its great work in one of the outstanding landscapes of the British Isles.

Thetford Priory Gatehouse

Thetford Priory Gatehouse © David Gill

The priory at Thetford, Norfolk was founded in 1103, and moved to the present location in 1107. The 14th century gatehouse lies to the north-west of the priory (in the grounds of private houses). The property is in the care of English Heritage.

Thetford Priory © David Gill

Thetford Priory © David Gill

 

North Elmham Chapel

North Elmham Chapel © David Gill

In the late Anglo-Saxon period North Elmham was a focal point for the Bishops of East Anglia. The bishopric was moved to Thetford in 1071.

Bishop Herbert de Losinga [ODNB] founded a church, after 1091, on the site of the earlier Anglo-Saxon cathedral. At some point after 1388 Bishop Henry le Despencer turned the former chapel into a castle. Part of the walls within the inner moat can be seen to the right of the chapel’s apse.

The chapel is now in the care of English Heritage.

The MPBW published a short paper guide by S.E. Rigold (1960) using the site’s then title of ‘North Elmham Saxon Cathedral’.

1960 (repr. 1966)

Crowdfunding and NW Highlands Geopark

New short video to raise awareness of our crowdfunding campaign help us keep telling geo-stories! https://t.co/G1QVFgyNAu #lovethegeopark pic.twitter.com/gkjmPSPMfZ

— NW Highlands Geopark (@NWHGeopark) April 24, 2017

The NW Highlands Geopark is one of the those special places with dramatic landscapes: mountains, lochs, bogs, coastline. There is a crowdfunding exercise to support the park.