Last week the Ickleton Society met with a local group called Archaeology Rheesearch who have some geophys equipment and love doing surveys of what might be below the ground in South Cambridgeshire.  In particular they’d love to come to Ickleton as we’re noticeably missing from their long list of projects.  As it happens they have a ‘window’ as their current project is on hold due to fast growing crops.

With the kind permission of Lewis & Jenny Duke, the group will undertake a survey around Abbey Farmhouse this Sunday – 24 April.  This was the site of the Ickleton Priory but very little is known about the layout of the buildings that made up the Priory and its farm.  The Great Barn still stands and parts of the Priory may be incorporated into the present house.

You can see the group’s excellent website here http://www.rheesearch.org.uk/  which show the techniques they use – resistivity & magnetometry – and details of some of their past projects and findings.  Note they don’t have the hugely expensive ground penetrating radar and don’t do digs so this isn’t Time Team!  Nevertheless, it will be interesting & they and Lewis and Jenny are happy for anyone to come along and have a look at what is going on.  The initial setting up is fairly boring so any time between 11.30am and 3pm is probably best.  If you ask nicely a few people may even be able to have a go with the resistivity equipment.

We won’t get any results on the day as the group use all the time to collect as much data as they can but we should get some pictures very soon afterwards.  If the results are good, the group might also come back to do more detailed work or look at a wider area.  Here’s hoping we might discover more about the Ickleton Priory!