Woking Palace Excavation 2015

Booking for the 2015 Woking Palace excavation is now open - see below.

In September 2015 the Friends of Woking Palace and archaeologists from the Surrey County Archaeological Unit will be returning to Woking Palace for a seventh season of excavations as part of the Woking Palace and its Park Project.

Woking Palace and its Park is a 3 year Heritage Lottery Funded community-based project, led by the Friends of Woking Palace, which aims to cast light on the development of Woking Palace and its surrounding 590 acre deer Park, from its earliest days right through to modern times, including its glorious Tudor heyday.

This year’s excavations will run from Wednesday 9th September until Friday 25th September, excluding Mondays and Tuesdays. A special open day will be held on Sunday 27th September from 11am when guided tours of the excavations will run until 4pm.

This year’s excavation will be running from Wednesday 9th September until Friday 25th September, with an open day on Sunday 27th September. The excavations will run all week, excluding Mondays and Tuesdays. There are a number of different ways you can be involved with the dig this year, all of which are free of charge. Please complete and return a booking form.

Dig for a Day

Always wanted to have a go at digging? Love Time Team? Dig for a Day offers those with less than 5 days excavation experience the chance to take part in an archaeological dig. You will be provided with all the equipment you need and taught the basic skills of excavating. Dig for a Day is available on all days apart from Friday 25th September.

To permit the widest possible chance for novices to get involved the opportunity to participate is restricted to a single day or two half days in the first instance, and is open to people aged 17 or above. Young people aged 15 to 16 may also take part but must be accompanied on site by a responsible adult.

Experienced Diggers

Those with 5 days or more digging experience are able to apply to be part of the excavation for as long as they want (depending on availability). Applications will be particularly welcomed from those who can dig for several days at a time or each weekend. We are also keen to hear from anyone who can help with the set up (8th and 9th September) and close of site this year (29th to 30th September).

Basic Skills in Archaeology Course

This 3 day course will offer participants the opportunity to learn about a range of archaeological techniques, including levelling, recording and drawing plans on site. Each participant will receive a certificate detailing the training undertaken. The courses will be available on the following dates, and you must be able to attend all 3 days: Friday 12th to Sunday 14th September, Wednesday 17th to Friday 19th September and Wednesday 24th to Friday 26th September. No previous experience is necessary.

Finds for a day

Finds for a Day offers those with less than 5-days experience of finds processing the opportunity to spend the day assisting the finds team. All equipment will be provided during your day on site, and no previous experience is necessary. Finds for a Day is available on all days apart from Friday 25th September.

Experienced Finds Processing

In order to apply to be on the experienced finds processing team, participants will need over 5-days excavating experience. Experienced finds processors are able to apply to be part of the excavation for as long as they want (depending on availability).

Post-Excavation work at the Surrey History Centre

Following the excavation, there will be a number of regular volunteering sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Surrey History Centre in Woking. These sessions will include washing, marking, sorting and recording the finds from the excavation. They will start in October and no previous experience is necessary. If you are interested in helping, you will be contacted in mid-October.

Other on-site opportunities

These include sessions for schools, home educated children, groups, and families, as well as work experience and corporate volunteer workdays. For more information on these and a booking form, please email education.scau@surreycc.gov.uk

For more information on the above opportunities and a booking form please contact Surrey County Council's Community Archaeology Team at education.scau@surreycc.gov.uk or by phone 01483 518737 or download a booking form her 2015excavform.doc (Word format) or 2015excavform.pdf (PDF format).

There are other exciting year-round activities planned as part of the Heritage Lottery Funded Woking Palace and its Park project, which will run until March 2016. The Friends of Woking Palace are actively looking for new volunteers and participants to be involved. For more information on the project and the Friends of Woking Palace, please contact Jean Follett, Treasurer of the Friends of Woking Palace on email info@woking-palace.org or by phone 01483 768685.