Welcome to the Dean Archaeology Website

Welcome to Dean Archaeological Group. Archaeological activities started in the Dean in 1984 when four G.C.S.E. students made contact with a professional archaeologist, the late Bryan Walters who had recently moved into the area. They originally were looking for help to understand archaeological sites and some additional tuition to ensure they passed their exams.  From these five grew the Archaeological Research Section of the Forest of Dean Local History Society. In September 1987, they formally became the Dean Archaeological Group, a registered charity. A newsletter was issued shortly after and this has continued through to today. Their first annual report Dean Archaeology No.1. was published in October 1988 and again has continued to be published annually.

The Group has won several awards for their activities in local archaeology including the Lloyds Bank Award which enabled them to fully equip theirselves with surveying equipment, and they were joint winners of the Pitt-Rivers Award (the best work by a voluntary group or individual) in 1990. Their members too have won a number of awards, some going on to gain B.A's and Doctorships in Archaeology. Many now working professionally still keep in contact with the Group and occasionally offer articles for the Dean Archaeology.

The Group has taken a stand on Metal Detecting. Rather than ignoring them it has welcomed them into membership and taken the opportunity to teach them about flint and pottery. Now when they go out, it is a full range of artifacts they bring in - metal, flint and pottery. The older members have not been forgotten - For years a Coffee-Time club was run, and members carried out research projects on themed subjects - Field Names, Vernacular Architecture, Moated sites, Country Houses, Castle sites, and many others.

So a warm welcome to Dean Archaeological Group. If you join us we can make full use of any qualifications or abilities you have, and you will enjoy yourselves.

Meetings are now held on the last Tuesday of the month

© Copyright Dean Archaeological Group 1999-2008      Updated 02 July, 2008