Historic environment

Our rich historic environment makes a significant contribution to the natural beauty of the North Pennines.   

Our Historic Environment Officer, Paul Frodsham, remains the only such specialist officer within an AONB team and having this skill and knowledge enables us to develop and deliver new collaborative projects in association with a range of partners.  

Highlights:

• Altogether Archaeology, our community archaeology project for the North Pennines was launched and its first three fieldwork modules completed
• There is full public access to Shildon Engine House in Northumberland and Muggleswick Grange in County Durham for the first time following the completion of improvement work to the historic sites
• The Miner-Farmer survey project on Alston Moor continues to uncover exciting new information about communities at the heart of the North Pennines, from prehistory to the present

Some of our achievements this year:

• The launch of Altogether Archaeology in July 2010 was attended by 150 volunteers; by March 2011, the number of project volunteers had grown to more than 300
• Altogether Archaeology fieldwork modules were completed at Muggleswick Grange and Bollihope Common, and (despite lengthy delays due to the winter weather) a survey programme at Holwick (Teesdale) was largely completed
• More than 50 volunteers took part in a mole hill survey within Whitley Castle Roman Fort, discovering much Roman pottery and other artefacts to further our understanding of this iconic site
• In addition to the Altogether Archaeology fieldwork modules, 26 historic environment events for local people were held during the year, including walks, talks and workshops
• Preliminary plans have been drawn up for a larger scale Altogether Archaeology project to potentially start from January 2012
• We have continued to support the ongoing care and planned improvement of Westgate Primitive Methodist Chapel, a Grade II* listed building in Weardale now in the care of the Historic Chapels Trust
• Archaeological studies of the remains of Muggleswick Grange, Shildon Engine House and Ninebanks Tower have been completed