Healing Big Dig

It has been roughly 10 years since the last major dig at Healing Moated Manor site, or in Healing at all, and the Friends of Healing Moated Manor wants to fix this! There will be an open public meeting on June 6th, at 19:00 hours at the village hall to gauge public interest in this event: if you feel you can contribute, or just want to hear about what's going on, then please do turn up and show your support.
Please contact me for more details.

When: 7 o'clock in the evening, on June 6th
Where: Healing Village Hall

Archaeology: Artifacts Shown At Healing Heritage Weekend 2012

Many people enjoyed last year's article about the artifacts shown at the village fete, so I am beginning another about the articles shown at this year's village history event. The weather was fantastic, and this was a great opportunity to find out more about the village and its long and varied history.

The first find, pictured below, is of an animal's jawbone. This was probably killed and eaten as a meal. The shape and formation of the teeth suggests that this was a herbivore, and the size and shape of the jaw itself suggests that this was probably a pig. The site itself most probably kept farm animals, as would most self-sufficient farmsteads at this time.

Jawbone

The next find is a common one on the site - the remains of shellfish. During the medieval period, Healing would have been surrounded by marshes, each of which provided an abundance of shellfish, such as cockles and oysters. These would be carted back to the settlement, and wrenched open. The meat on the inside would be eaten, and the shells would remain. More often than not, these would be buried in the ground. During the 1995 excavation, archaeologists found a haul of these shells (near Trench One), which they compared to a 'medieval McDonald's'.

Shells

In total, the archaeologists dug six pits, spread out over where the New Estate is in Healing. In Trench One, near to where the original manor house would have been, they found this brick. Dating from the 14th century, bricks were a symbol of status, as only the very richest would be able to afford them.

Brick

As I mentioned in the introduction, Healing has a long history, even dating back to the Neolithic times. One of the main tools of the time would have been flint tools, examples of which were found on the site. In total, archaeologists found 19 pieces of worked flint - 13 flakes, 4 chunks, 1 core and a hammerstone. An example of this can been seen below.

Flint Tool

I hope you have enjoyed this look at the evidence of occupation in Healing. If you missed the Healing Heritage Weekend, you may want to visit next year - planning begins in January, and the event usually takes place in the first or second week of September. More information to follow. 

James

The Healing 'Chalice'

In 1985, there were plans to build an extension to Healing Church. Because of the historical significance of the site, an archaeological dig had to take place on the site. When they excavated it, they found an interesting 'chalice-like' object, now known as the Healing Chalice.

Firstly, I would like to say a big 'thank you' to Healing SS Peter & Paul Church, for organizing this wonderful event and allowing me to handle the chalice, and to the Friends of Healing Moated Site, for putting on a wonderful show, and several guided walks.

At the recent Healing Heritage Weekend, visitors had the opportunity to see this wonderful artifact. Shown in the New Outlook, the very place where the chalice was found. This was a wonderful opportunity for the local historian.

It was found, in the words of archaeologist Hal Bishop, in a, "small pit which had been dug into a bank of redeposited material, which contained a curious vessel". This was, of course, our chalice.

The word 'chalice' is placed in inverted commas, because that is actually not what this artifact actually is! Later investigations led the archaeologists to believe that this was probably a 'sanctuary lamp', which is a light that is placed or hung before the altar of the church. Below is an artist's representation of what the chalice would look like when it was being used (credit to the archaeologists who excavated the site)

When in use, the chalice would be hung by the loop at the top, and the cross would be at the bottom. The total weight of the lamp is approximately 2500g, and is made of a copper-zinc alloy. The whole object had been given a coat of gesso and then gilded. Archaeologists are unsure about the dating of the object; some suggest it could be early medieval, however, the amount of zinc (30%) suggests a more probable late medieval date.

Thank you once again to the organizers of the Healing Heritage Weekend for putting on  a really memorable event, and to everyone who attended, for their support.
James

Fossils in Healing

This is perhaps the farthest back in time Healing Village History will ever get...

Whilst walking in Healing, I came across an unusual stone at the edge of a field...

It's a fossil shell, or bivalve. Some of the original grey shell has flaked off over the millennia, but nonetheless remains in good enough condition to identify it accurately. 

I'm unsure how many fossils there are in Healing, but I do know that there's a lot of flint and chalk lying in the ground. If you happen to own a Healing fossil, please do leave a comment below.

Regards,

James

Archaeology: Excavating Healing Manor

I am greatly indebted to Mr D Stirk, formerly of On-Site Archaeology, for the use of these pictures.

For centuries Healing Manor has been the centre of village life in Healing. A once-grand building, the manor includes ridge & furrow among many other historical delights. In 2007, an archaeological dig took place there, and some of the photos taken are below.


The above picture shows medieval ditches and pits, which are very apparant because of the sandy soil.




Taken near the front of the manor. The unusual curved earthworks below the window is the medieval kitchen garden. Vegetables would have been grown there, and then taken to the kitchen and prepared, before being presented to the lord of the manor. Obviously with some kind of local meat.






A medieval post-hole. A wooden post would have been inserted into the above hole. It would have been responsible for keeping the whole of the medieval building standing.


I hope you find these images interesting,

James


Visit D Stirk's Flickr page here for more archaeological finds.

Archaeology: Artefacts Shown at Healing Fete 2011

The highlight of the year for a Healing resident is, undoubtedly, the village fete. Everyone gets together on the Healing Moated Manor site, and the main spectacle this year was the unveiling of the artefacts found on the site in 1995. The Friends of Healing Moated Site has been tracking the artefacts down, and, after languishing in crates in the council's storage, the artefacts were brought out for all to see. Scroll down for some images of what was found:

Above: Medieval pig bone toggle (like a button)

Above: Greenware pottery




Above: Anglo-Saxon pin beater, used to adjust threads whilst weaving.

Above: Rim of a Roman bowl, found near the medical centre.

Above: the spout from a Medieval pot.

Above: Medieval pottery with a green glaze.

Above: The inside of a cooking pot. Below: The outside, which shows evidence of burning.

Above: a piece of Medieval brick. This is evidence of a high-status manor, as brick was expensive. For most people's houses, mud and stud was used.


James

All photos were taken by E Lingard.