Still putting history’s pieces together again
FOR more than 50 years, Nottingham Historical and Archaeological Society has explored the caves beneath Nottingham.
The cave networks under the city are undoubtedly of historical importance, and the society is continuing to piece together the past and catalogue its findings.
It is now holding open days on the third Saturday of each month from March to October, with the first day being this Saturday.
It could be a good trip out for families this half-term, and while entry costs £3 per adult, admission for children is free as the society wants to help educate the next generation about the city’s history.
Vice-chair Peter Godley said they had been excavating caves around Nottingham since the society started in 1968. He explained that since the first excavation of the Drury Hill Caves, the society has also looked at those beneath Middle Pavement, Bridle Street, Goose Gate and several others across the city.
The society has been based in its current Lace Market site since 1990, where most of its finds are housed. This is also the site where society members piece together broken parts of items, record their findings and work on their maps of the cave networks.
The open days are a way for the society to share its work with the public – and help raise funds to help with running costs.
Mr Godley, who has been a member for 45 years, said: “We are all volunteers and we need to keep funds going for when we do excavations in the caves.”
He added that the open days are great fun for everyone and the society has had some really positive feedback in the past.
“Some of the children come down and really talk to us about it, they try put findings together and say it’s like a jigsaw without all the pieces, and they have a go at drawing.
“They ask questions and like to look at all the artefacts and see what things were like in the past.”
Mr Godley added that whilst the society is currently unable to take on a new excavation they are working hard behind the scenes and are hoping to be back in the caves soon, most of which are understood to be privately owned.