Welcome to GlosArch
The website of Gloucestershire Archaeology
GlosArch (Gloucestershire Archaeology) is a local archaeology society with a mission to widen public knowledge of the fabulous archaeology and history of the county of Gloucestershire. Between September and April we hold an monthly series of public lectures by guest speakers on a range of archaeological and historical topics and in the summer we run a programme of visits to sites of interest. In addition, we have an active programme of archaeological fieldwork for members, both excavation and geophysical surveying, and run an osteoarchaeology recording group. No previous experience is needed to take part in these activities.
We publish a newsletter twice a year and our annual journal, Glevensis, which is in its 58th edition, carries reports on archaeological and historical topics by professional and amateur researchers.
If you share our passion for the past, why not join us?
Latest News
The website for this exciting event at Westonbirt Arboretum is now live. Besides the GlosArch stall there will be guided walks, talks and workshops. If you can help out on the GlosArch stall for a couple of hours, let me know, but otherwise why not just come along.
The Gloucester Festival of Archaeology also launches on Saturday 18th July. On the 18th there is a family day with events around Gloucester. Events during the two weeks of the festival include talks, guided and self-guided walks, tours of the King’s bastion, a quiz night at Llanthony Secunda priory and finishing on 1st August with a family picnic at St Oswald’s Priory. GlosArch will have a stall at The Folk of Gloucester museum on the Family Day (18th July) and at the picnic at St Oswald’s on 1st August. Please let me know if you can help out at either of these events or otherwise just come along and say hello.
There is an exciting programme of Summer visits coming up and you don’t need to be a GlosArch member to come along.
Saturday 4th July – Summer Coach Trip to Avebury and Marlborough
The all day coach trip and guided walk will take in Avebury henge, The Avenue, The Sanctuary, Silbury Hill and West Kennet Long barrow, followed by a visit to the old market town of Marlborough.
Saturday 5th September 14:00 – 16:00 – Corinium Revisited
This two-hour walking tour with Neil Holbrook will look at the echoes of Roman Corinium in the modern town.
Sept – date TBC – Guided Tour of the Museum of Gloucester
A tour of the museum to include the discovery centre and some rarely seen ancient artefacts.
For more details go to Summer Visits on the Activities page. If you wish to come on any of these visits, please email events@glosarch.org.uk to book a place.
I am excited to announce that a Young Archaeologists Club is starting soon at Gloucester Cathedral. It will be launching on Saturday 18th October with a session exploring artefacts, archaeological archives and the Gloucester Discovery Centre.
YAC Gloucestershire is open to anyone aged 8-16 and is free to attend. Sessions will be on Saturdays approximately 10am-1pm, once a month. If anything is different they will give at least one months’ notice, in person and via email. For safeguarding and safety purposes and their records, all members guardians’ will be required to fulfil an intake form before starting.
For more information and the intake form please contact education@gloucestercathedral.org.uk. Information about YAC and the group can be found at: Gloucestershire YAC – Young Archaeologists’ Club – Archaeology for you
There are also several exciting family days coming up at the Cathedral over the autumn term including on Tuesday 28th October 11-3pm – Remembrance Family Day
Explore War and Peace and Memory with activities designed for children to explore the recent past and remembrance. No booking required
The Cathedral is also hosting an evening of remembrance poetry which will take place on Wednesday 15thOctober, 18.30 – 21.00. Free to attend, no booking required. This will feature pieces by Ivor Gurney, the Dymock Poets and original pieces written and performed by: Stewart Carswell, Julie Wiltshire, TSantana, Richard Illingworth, JLM Morton, Merce Jade, Adam Horovitz, Lt Cdr Jonathan Aylett, ZZulu and Kathryn Southworth
Newsletter – Autumn 2025
Forthcoming Activities
Winter Lectures and Summer Visits
2026-27 LECTURE SERIES
The programme for the 2026-27 lecture series will be available soon. Keep checking the website for details.
2025-26 LECTURE SERIES
The 2025-26 lecture series, is now complete. The programme can be accessed here.
Lectures are free to members and non-members (non-members are invited to make a small donation towards the cost of running the talks – £5 is suggested). Payment can be made by bank transfer to Gloucestershire Archaeology; Sort code 08-92-99; A/c no. 67285787.
The venue for in-person attendance is St Andrews URC church hall, Montpellier St, Cheltenham, GL50 1SP. The lectures will also be broadcast on Zoom. GlosArch members will receive the Zoom link automatically a few days before the lecture. Non members can request the Zoom link by emailing: mailbox@glosarch.org.uk
To get a flavour of the range of topics covered in previous years click on Lectures below and follow the link.
Summer Visits 2026
The Summer visits programme for 2026 has been arranged by David Jones.
Full details of the remaining 2026 visits and short reports on those that have taken place can be found on the Activities>Summer visits page of the website
If you have a suggestion for a visit in 2025, please drop me an email at mailbox@glosarch.org.uk
Fieldwork
To take part, email fieldwork@glosarch.org.uk (members only).
Fieldwork Programme 2026
FORTHCOMING ACTIVITIES
If you wish to volunteer for any of these activities, please email fieldwork@glosarch.org.uk . Depending on the number of volunteers for any activity, it may be necessary to restrict the number of days individual participants can take part, to maximise the number of members that can be involved.
To take part in fieldwork activities, you need to be a member of GlosArch, but no previous experience is required. So why not join us?
A report on the fieldwork season for 2025 will appear in volume 57 of Glevensis, due to be published soon. Brief details are given below.
RECENT FIELDWORK
Excavations
Armscroft Park, Gloucester
On 22nd and 23rd September, GlosArch volunteers undertook a small excavation in Armscroft Park Gloucester, to investigate the remains of Roman Ermin Street on behalf of Andrew Armstrong, Gloucester City archaeologist. Over the two days we excavated three trenches and identified a surface, likely to relate to the road, along with a range of pottery, appearing to date from modern times, back to the Bronze Age.
Severn Bank, Minsterworth
After a year off, we returned to Severn Bank between 17th-20th August. After a very dry summer the conditions were very challenging as the clay was hard-baked. Despite this the volunteers located some interesting features including some foundation remains and a burnt post hole. For a short report see the the latest GlosArch Newsletter at https://glosarch.org.uk/newsletter-home/
Castlemeads – Test pitting
Following a series of geophysical surveys of earthworks on Castlemeads, Gloucester, as part of the Gloucester Festival of Archaeology, on Sunday 20th July, we undertook a one-day test pitting excavation over some of the most prominent features.
We found lots of evidence of Victorian activity on the site, but no structural remains. The mystery remains!
Honeycombe, Miserden
22nd, 23rd, 27th and 28th June 2025.
This activity is now complete. Thanks to everyone who took part and helped to make such great progress with the excavation. Most of the building has now been excavated and has been recorded. A short report will appear soon on the fieldwork page.
Cleeve Hill – The grandstand of Cheltenham’s first racecourse.
Sunday 18th, Monday 19th, Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th May.
This activity is now complete. See above for a brief summary of the dig.
We intend to return to the site in 2026 to complete the investigation of the layout of this interesting site, with the aim of producing an interactive 3D visualisation of the building which will be publicly available.
Geophysics
In October we continued the geophysical survey of West Hill, Uley, looking for evidence of archaeology in the field adjacent to the Roman temple. By the end we had surveyed over 2 ha using resistivity and have some exciting results. We will be returning to the site next spring to extend the survey still further and then to begin surveying the temple field.
August 2025
Between 9-11th August GlosArch volunteers undertook the first phase of a geophysical survey on West Hill Uley, adjacent to the site of the Uley Roman shrines, with the aim of identifying traces of buildings associated with the shrines.
Over the three days the amazing team of volunteers surveyed more than 56oom2 with magnetometry and resistivity. Despite the dry conditions the surveys appear to show evidence of structures beneath the ground. We aim to return in the next couple of months to extend the survey area. The results will help Historic England in their review of scheduled monuments.
Armscroft Park, Gloucester
On Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th July we undertook a small geophysical survey in Armscroft Park Gloucester, looking for traces of Roman Ermin Street, which runs through the park.
Our results confirm the position of the Roman road, but show it is likely to be heavily disturbed.
Resistivity and Magnetometry Survey in Leckhampton.
In December we undertook a small resistivity survey in the garden of a Georgian house in Leckhampton, Cheltenham. The results showed evidence of lost features including a formally laid out garden at the rear and evidence of a possible carriage circle relating to an earlier building. Further investigation is being planned.
Ground Penetrating Radar Survey at Castlemeads, Gloucester. 19th and 21st August, 2024
This activity is complete.
In collaboration with Exeter University we have undertaken a GPR survey of the features on Castlemeads, Gloucester in the area previously examined by resistivity and magnetometry. we have identified some shallow sub-surface solid structures as well as the electric cables and some other much deeper features. Further work is being considered.
Magnetometry Surveying at Castlemeads, Gloucester
This activity is now complete.
In rather wet conditions and after having to abandon the original survey due to flooding (it is on a flood plain after all) we managed to complete the magnetometry survey on a chilly, slightly damp December day.
The results show a number of underground electricity cables but also features which appear to correspond to the LIDAR images. The findings were presented at our members update meeting on 18th December.
Geophysics Training
If you are interested in receiving training on our geophysics equipment, please contact Phil Cox via: fieldwork@glosarch.org.uk as a further session can be arranged if there is demand.
Uncovering our Past Together
New Members Welcome
From students to seasoned experts, GlosArch welcomes people of all ages and experience to join us!
Benefits of becoming a member include...
Become a GlosArch Member
If you are interested in the archaeology or local history of Gloucestershire, join us, at GlosArch (Gloucestershire Archaeology), and help to discover the past.
Whatever your experience you can participate in excavations, fieldwalking, geophysical surveying, document research and historic building recording. There are lectures and site visits to attend and help and advice given on finds processing and pottery, coin and artefact identification and recording.
