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8th Sheppey Meet the TimeTeam from TV

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Program to be shown 12th march on channel 4,

See http://www.channel4.com/history/timeteam/thisseries.html for dates of programmes

Time Team from Channel 4 came to the Isle of Sheppey to investigate the remains of Queenborough castle on Well Bank.

The dig started Wednesday 31st August 2005 and finished Friday 2nd September 2005, the prgram should be on TV early - mid 2006, we look forward to seeing it so as we can hear the final outcome of what they discovered

As the site was close to my home I have been watching with interest the dig and chatting to some of the archeologists and crew, I found out before it was publicly announced there was public access to the site Friday for the locals to see what had been found out and recovered from the site,

This gave us a little time to get a number of cubs and scouts together to visit the dig, meet a few of the archeologists and find out what they had found.

When we rung a number of the cubs and scouts we were surprised at the number of them that were regular watchers of TimeTeam and jumped at the chance to see first hand for themselves the dig in progress and artifacts recovered.

As you will see from the photos below, after the main crowd had left we managed to have a word with a few people and get a few group photos and even a private chat with one of the archeologist (thanks Faye) so as to get a better idea of what they had found due to the problems hearing on the tour.

  Geophysics doing the resistivity survey of the site   Geophysics doing the resistivity survey of the site. many thanks to the member of the team who spoke to me about what they hoped to find  
         
  the end of day one and they find a wall   Just approaching the end of day one they find what they believe to be one of the outer walls  
         
  end of day one   The end of day one, they have 2 trenches and already found a possible outer wall, most of the geophysics work is complete so they can now plan where else to dig  

we all met up at just before 1pm Friday and went to the area ready to look over the dig, the only problem was instead of the 20-50 people time team were expecting between 200 and 300 turned up. This meant it was difficult to see or hear the archeologists explain what they had found, but as Scouter's you learn to overcome these little set backs and with a few polite requests for photos and information we got some good photos and information.

  One of the team explaining what they had found and the fact they had more questions than answers at that point  

One of the team explaining what they knew about the site, and that they still had a lot of questions and few answers.

from what they had found they were working on the theory that the castle was a retreat for royalty in case of plague that had broken out again, it was a quick ride by boat from London, had its own water supply, and was well designed and defended

  
         
  Phil Harding descending into one of the deeper trenches to continue work   Phil Harding, climbing down into one of the trenches to continue work  
         
  Faye, explaining the finds in the trench behind her   Faye, explaining the finds in the trench behind her and some of the layout of the castle as they understood it at that point  
         
  Geophysics restivity plot   One of the geophysics team explaining the resistivity plot, the red areas are high resistance(usually indicating stone) and the blue areas are lower resistance (usually indicating plain earth)  
         
  the stone and bone finds table   This was the stone and bone finds table, you were able to pick up and examine close up some of these finds under supervision of one of the team, they were happy to explain the finds in detail.

one find was a stone canon ball thought to have been made for a trebuchet (old style catapult) and another was a leg bone from an young cow or ox.

as well as the usual pottery etc

  
         
  Mick Aston with our group   Mick Aston with our group

A few of the cubs and scouts want a few pictures with some of the team, I approached Mick and asked if he would have a photo done with us and he very kindly agreed.

  
         
  Cubs, Scouts and leaders with Tony Robinson   Tony Robinson with our group

I then asked Tony Robinson if he would have a photo with our group, he also kindly agreed and had a laugh with us while having several photos taken

  
         
  Tony Robinson signing autographs for the Scouts   Tony Robinson signing autographs for the Scouts  
         
  Tony Robinson chatting with the Scouts   Tony Robinson chatting with the Scouts  
         
  Faye with our group after the talk she gave us about the site   This is Faye, I asked one of the team if someone could explain the site to our cubs and scouts as we had not been able to hear very well due to the crowds.

A few moments later Faye came over and gave us a very good talk about the site and what they had found and some of the questions still to be answered

  
         
  An illistration by time team artist Victor Ambrus of what the castle is thought to have looked like   An illustration by Victor Ambrus (the Time Team illustrator) of what the castle is thought to have looked like in the 16th century  

After the talk by Faye we were told by a crew member they would be filming a paper boat that had been built down on the water front.

Naturally we were intrigued and went to look.

it was a re-enactment of the end of a voyage by John Taylor and his companion roger Bird in 1619 when they rowed a paper boat from london to queenborough and wre met by the Mayor of Queen borough

The boat was indeed made of paper, but it was a very strong hemp paper covered in varnish so as to be water proof, with bamboo and fish for oars!!!

Taylor, John (1578 -1653)

Information

The population of London had doubled between 1580 and 1600 so there was plenty of work for the Thames watermen ferrying people across the river. One of these was John Taylor whose thirst for self-improvement resulted in the production of quantities of spirited verse. Because of his background, he quickly became a minor celebrity, coming to the attention of Ben Jonson and Samuel Rowlands. Styling himself ‘The King’s Water Poet’, he supplemented his income by undertaking whimsical journeys for sponsorship or wagers and later writing lively accounts of them. He undertook one such on 27th July 1619, when the sight of his half-capsized boat, constructed of brown paper, kept barely afloat with bullocks’ bladders and oars made of dried fish tied to canes, drew crowds of spectators and a flotilla of small craft as it made erratic passage down the Thames and bobbed uncertainly towards the shore at Queenborough. While Taylor rowed, his companion, Roger Bird, prayed. Received like heroes by the mayor of Queenborough, they were frustrated in their intention to present their derelict vessel to him as a momento, since the locals had torn it to pieces for souvenirs while they were being wined and dined.

Below are some photos of the boat

 
  A crew mamber taking footage from the boat   A crew member taking film footage from the boat  
         
  A brave crew member in the paper boat   A brave crew member in the paper boat,

I must add it had already spent about an hour in the water with little ill effect, but from what we saw it was very difficult to control and maneuver

  
         
  The boat close up on the back of a tug   The paper boat close up on the back of the tug  
         
  the oars were made of bamboo and dried fish   the oars were made of bamboo and dried fish  
         
  An illustration by Victor Ambrus (the Time Team illustration) of what the scene may have been when John Taylor and his companion roger Bird landed at Queenborough in 1619   An illustration by Victor Ambrus (the Time Team illustrator) of what the scene may have been when John Taylor and his companion Roger Bird landed at Queenborough in 1619  


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