- Historic England is launching a scheme to get young people involved with archaeology, in partnership with the Vindolanda Trust.
- Students from the William Howard School in Brampton can apply
- A £10,000 grant from Historic England will fund ten bursaries on an annual dig at Vindolanda, a Roman settlement near Hexham, Northumberland.
- The funding is part of Historic England’s support for the Hadrian’s Wall 1900 Festival, involving communities living alongside the iconic landmark.
Historic England is giving a £10,000 grant to fund ten bursary places on the 2022 and 2023 digs at the Vindolanda Roman settlement near Hexham, as part of the celebrations for the Hadrian’s Wall 1900 Festival.
This is the first time that Historic England has funded bursaries like this, opening opportunities to try archaeology and gain new skills to youngsters from all backgrounds.
This year the bursaries are open to students aged 16 -19 in full time education at three high schools close to Hadrian’s Wall – William Howard School in Brampton, Haydon Bridge High School and Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham.
Pupils who graduated from these schools in the summer 2021 are also eligible to apply.
The bursaries will cover a two-week placement at the popular annual excavation, working alongside experienced archaeologists, as well as an allowance for food and travel. The placements will take place in April and August.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border commented: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young folk with an interest in archaeology. We are very lucky in Penrith and The Border to have the historic Hadrian’s Wall right on our doorstep and I can’t think of anything better than the amazing Hadrian’s Wall to deliver the best in class archaeological training to the next generation of archaeologists. I visited the Birdoswald Roman Fort in my constituency during their exciting Summer dig and met staff and students working on that project. I see great parallels in this chance to take part in digs at the Vindolanda settlement- an opportunity for young budding archaeologists not to miss!
It is great to see that students at William Howard School in Brampton will get the chance to take part in this excavation. Having visited the school, I am in no doubt that the students are bright and engaging, qualities that will come in handy during this placement. My thanks go to Historic England and the Vindolanda Trust for showing their commitment to providing local people with opportunities to sample archaeology at the cutting-edge.”
Mike Collins, Historic England’s Lead on Hadrian’s Wall, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Vindolanda Trust on this project, which will give young people the chance to discover the archaeology on their doorstep. It’s a great opportunity to explore the local significance of Hadrian’s Wall and find connections with people who lived in the same place, thousands of year ago.”
Spaces on the annual digs at Vindolanda support ongoing research and conservation. They are extremely popular, selling out quickly, with the cost putting them beyond reach for most local teenagers.
Dr Andrew Birley, Vindolanda CEO, said: “We are delighted that Historic England are putting so much value into the future of youth participation in the archaeology of Hadrian’s Wall. In partnership with the Vindolanda Trust we can now offer this is an incredible opportunity for local young students to gain life experience and play their own part in unravelling the history of Hadrian’s Wall.”
Anyone who meets the eligibility criteria is encouraged to apply for a bursary by completing the application form on the Vindolanda website at www.vindolanda.com
The closing date is 18 February, 2022.
For more information please contact: Julia Haran, Historic England Public Engagement Manager, at [email protected] or call mobile 07776 160774.
