Fascinating live dig at Charterhouse this weekend

A fascinating live dig will explore the history of Charterhouse Heritage Park in Coventry as part of the national Festival of Archaeology this weekend.

Charterhouse was one of only nine Carthusian monasteries founded in England and is the only one remaining with intact interiors, including 15th and 16th century wall paintings of national importance.

The Beneath your Feet Festival has been commissioned by Historic Coventry Trust alongside Coventry City Council as part of the Festival of Archaeology to encourage people to come along to find out more about Charterhouse’s vibrant history and its surroundings with help from over 50 volunteers.

ULAS (University of Leicester Archaeological Services) will be based in a big tent at the city’s Grade I listed Charterhouse off London Road to pass on their expertise at the Beneath your Feet Festival between 10am and 4pm this Saturday and Sunday (July 29 and 30).

ULAS specialists will be running a number of engaging archaeological activities for people of all ages and it will be an opportunity to handle ‘the finds’ which have been dug up at the site.

There will be a family friendly Dig Box to hunt for artefacts from different eras throughout history without getting muddy, as well a digital self-guided archaeology trail accessed through scanning QR codes, watch with wonder the archaeology beneath your feet with interactive 3D models.

Volunteers from Historic Coventry Trust will hold guided tours at noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm on Saturday and Sunday which will end at the live dig site.

There will also be a wide range of family friendly nature activities in the big tent and an opportunity to find out more about The Sherbourne Valley Project, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and their wider plans for a new wetland at Charterhouse Heritage Park.

In addition to the large test pit looking for the lost chapel of St. Anne’s, six to eight smaller pits will be dug to test for any finds and archaeological features ahead of the National Trust’s ‘Blossom Together’ project in the October half-term holiday. This is when, thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, National Trust will be planting 20 Blossom trees and a new natural play area will be created near the current playground.

Sarah Allen, Education and Engagement Manager at Historic Coventry Trust, said the Beneath your Feet Festival was a great opportunity to watch archaeologists at work.

She said: “The aim of this year’s trench is to investigate geophysical survey results discovered recently which could be the ‘lost’ chapel of St Annes.

“The chapel is where the Carthusian monks from Beauvale Priory in Nottinghamshire in 1382 stayed while setting up Coventry Charterhouse. This chapel is the first part of the origin story of Coventry Charterhouse.

“The big questions we want to answer this year are: Is the geophysical survey showing the chapel? How well preserved are the remains? If it is, then what signs of later industrial activity may remain inside? We are excavating six-to-eight test pits and a trench over the possible chapel site in order to hopefully answer these questions.

“It promises to be a fascinating weekend and we hope history fans of all ages will come along and join in the fun.”

Matt Parker Wooding, Archaeological Adviser at Coventry City Council, said: “This is a great chance to look for the lost chapel of St Annes, which predates the founding of Charterhouse. We hope that the excavations will answer several research questions including how far back the chapel existed and what became of it once Charterhouse was built. The presence of an existing chapel may well have been a factor in the choice of this site to establish Charterhouse along the banks of the River Sherbourne, so we’re excited to see what’s found.

“More importantly, this represents an opportunity to involve the community in an archaeological excavation that is investigating a fascinating part of Coventry’s history. It will allow people to learn about how archaeologists go about their work and see them in action during the open days. Engagement is a key part of archaeological work and something I am very keen to promote across the city and this excavation is a great example of the public benefit that archaeology can deliver.”

Jordan Davies, of The Sherbourne Valley Project, led by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, added: “The River Sherbourne has always been closely associated with Charterhouse, with early descriptions suggesting that the chapel may have been surrounded by a moat fed by the river. Knowing about the lost chapel, we decided to use Ground Penetrating Radar to look for clues around the area that we are looking to create a new wetland, and we discovered some promising data.

“Whilst known for our efforts in natural heritage and river restoration, The Sherbourne Valley Project is also very enthusiastic about protecting and celebrating the cultural and built heritage of Coventry. This is why we are so hugely excited to be a majority funder for the test digging and potential discovery of the lost chapel of St. Anne’s, which is made possible through our funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.”

The Beneath your Feet Festival will be accessible as part of the usual entry to Charterhouse, and tickets can be booked at historiccoventrytrust.org.uk or on the door. Tickets give visitors re-admission for 12 months and there are discounts for Coventry residents who have GoCV passes. Essential carers and children aged four and under are free.