LASER SCANNING of the site took place in May - led by Charlotte from Northlight Heritage and students from the University of Glasgow. This has provided very detailed topographic images of the site (with over 300 million points recorded) This will help to inform the later walkover survey and excavation. To view a video of how laser scanning works, click here
SCRAN and WEB/SOCIAL MEDIA WORKSHOP -July
This day workshop at the Heritage Hub in Hawick will help volunteers get the best out of one of Scotland’s most useful online research sources – SCRAN. Participants will start to carry out research into the heritage of their local area using this award winning educational resource service. SCRAN hosts 370,000 images, movies and sounds from museums, galleries, archives and the media. As part of the workshop, volunteers will also gain skills in the basics of website design and social media. The aim of this is to best promote the project to a wider audience. There will also be the opportunity to see the results of the laser scanning survey of Selkirk Castle.
DESK-BASED STUDY WORKSHOP - August
This weekend workshop will help volunteers piece together the documentary evidence for the history of Selkirk Castle and its environs, using a range of desk-based study methods. Participants will learn to access and search online databases of archaeological sites, historic maps and documents, and will work through evidence for the history of the site and the wider landscape and townscape using these readily available sources. During the workshop, we’ll use the results to formulate questions that can be answered through further research, for example in the archives of the Selkirk Antiquarian Society, and also through excavation.
WALKOVER SURVEY - August
Over the course of the weekend, volunteers and archaeologists will conduct a systematic, visual survey of the site of Selkirk Castle, in order to identify and record manmade features. Participants will acquire skills in archaeological recording methods, and together we’ll build up a preliminary understanding of how the medieval castle functioned and how the designed landscape subsequently developed, based on the visible evidence. Our conclusions will help us formulate further questions to answer through excavation and desk-based research.
EXCAVATION - October VOLUNTEER SPACES NOW FULL
An archaeological excavation will take place over the course of eight days. Several small trenches will be excavated on top of the motte, in the area of the bailey (or outer enclosure) and at the location of the ditch to find out more about the preservation and character of archaeological deposits and assess the effects of the vegetation on them. Volunteers will work alongside professional archaeologists and learn techniques of archaeological excavation, recording and interpretation, as well as give site tours to visiting members of the public.
SCRAN and WEB/SOCIAL MEDIA WORKSHOP -July
This day workshop at the Heritage Hub in Hawick will help volunteers get the best out of one of Scotland’s most useful online research sources – SCRAN. Participants will start to carry out research into the heritage of their local area using this award winning educational resource service. SCRAN hosts 370,000 images, movies and sounds from museums, galleries, archives and the media. As part of the workshop, volunteers will also gain skills in the basics of website design and social media. The aim of this is to best promote the project to a wider audience. There will also be the opportunity to see the results of the laser scanning survey of Selkirk Castle.
DESK-BASED STUDY WORKSHOP - August
This weekend workshop will help volunteers piece together the documentary evidence for the history of Selkirk Castle and its environs, using a range of desk-based study methods. Participants will learn to access and search online databases of archaeological sites, historic maps and documents, and will work through evidence for the history of the site and the wider landscape and townscape using these readily available sources. During the workshop, we’ll use the results to formulate questions that can be answered through further research, for example in the archives of the Selkirk Antiquarian Society, and also through excavation.
WALKOVER SURVEY - August
Over the course of the weekend, volunteers and archaeologists will conduct a systematic, visual survey of the site of Selkirk Castle, in order to identify and record manmade features. Participants will acquire skills in archaeological recording methods, and together we’ll build up a preliminary understanding of how the medieval castle functioned and how the designed landscape subsequently developed, based on the visible evidence. Our conclusions will help us formulate further questions to answer through excavation and desk-based research.
EXCAVATION - October VOLUNTEER SPACES NOW FULL
An archaeological excavation will take place over the course of eight days. Several small trenches will be excavated on top of the motte, in the area of the bailey (or outer enclosure) and at the location of the ditch to find out more about the preservation and character of archaeological deposits and assess the effects of the vegetation on them. Volunteers will work alongside professional archaeologists and learn techniques of archaeological excavation, recording and interpretation, as well as give site tours to visiting members of the public.