Isle Of Wight Big Dig 2010

Type: Participatory Event

As the UK hosts the Festival of British Archaeology (17th July to 1st August), an annual extravaganza of heritage events coordinated by the Council for British Archaeology, the Isle of Wight is offering visitors the chance to join leading Oxford University professor Sir Barry Cunliffe, and his team of archaeologists on the Big Dig 2010 from 1st - 21st August as they re-examine the Roman Villa discovered on the Isle of Wight in 2008.

Brading Roman Villa is already known as one of the finest Romano-British archaeological sites in the UK, but in 2008 the first in a new series of excavations unearthed one of the largest and best-preserved Roman villas yet discovered in Britain. Such was the excitement about this excavation that 30 archaeologists from America and Europe were involved.

Built 1,800 years ago, the building is as vast as an Olympic swimming pool and shaped like a church with a central nave and two side aisles. Visitors to the site currently get a guided tour with an explanation of how the excavation work is progressing, while a range of provisions are in place for visitors and students from Key Stage 1 to Postgraduate level.

Visitors can choose from a range of volunteering opportunities and while budding 'archaeologists' must commit to the entire two-week programme, shorter 3-hour sessions including washing, labelling and photographing the finds as well as escorting groups of visitors around the site (training provided) and even making the tea for the hard-working diggers are available.

The Isle of Wight, known to the Romans as Vectis, was thought to have been one of the Romans' preferred areas to live because of its mix of farming soils and building land. A further Roman villa in Newport has one of the best preserved domestic bath suites in the country and is also well worth a visit.

Venue

Brading Roman Villa, Sandown

Dates

Opening 01/08/2010 - 21/08/2010

Road Directions

From East Cowes ferry, second exit at roundabout onto Well Road, A3021, A3054 to Ryde (Esplanade), straight along the Esplanade to the boating lake, follow the road round to the
right onto A3055 to Brading/Sandown.
From Fishbourne ferry, B3339 (Fishbourne lane), A3054 to Ryde (Esplanade), straight along
the Esplanade to the boating lake, follow the road round to the right onto A3055 to Brading/Sandown.
From Yarmouth ferry, A3054 to Newport, A3020 to Sandown, A3056 to Sandown, A3055 to Brading.

Public Transport Directions

For West Cowes Red Jet Hi-Speed ferry: No.1 bus route to Newport and change to No. 10
From Ryde Catamarna/Hovertravel: No. 3
From Yarmouth ferry: No. 7 to Newport and change to No. 10
For further information please visit the Southern Vectis travel office at Ryde, bottom of pier or the Tourist Information Centre at West Cowes, opposite ferry terminal entrance and at Yarmouth, left of terminal.