Welcome back to day two of the tour of Salisbury Plain. I have been an archaeologist for MOD on Salisbury Plain for over 15 years now. We’ll see some highlights but please do tweet your own photos, drawings, films, links and objects that this prompts #SPTAarchaeology
Today we are on the Centre of the Plain – Complete with Artillery impact area and World Heritage site (though the stones aren’t ours!). These were some of the 1st purchases thus on the 1906 map. There are Boer War trenches here and the maps also note archaeology #SPTAarchaeology
We Start from Westdown Camp again and will use the modern military map to guide us round. When you see a Number in brackets such as [1] this refers to a stop marked on the map. Lets go! #SPTAarchaeology 
Driving through Tilshead and a first stop [1]. There are many tree-carvings across the Plain: here is the finest – its amongst other American carvings dated Sept 12th 1944 – when the Americans were crossing into Germany. Always wonder if this guy made it though. #SPTAarchaeology
On a vain note - I love drawing and if you fancy you can see a sketch of this and other SPTA elements on my Instagram! Richardhosgoodarchaeologist #SPTAarchaeology
Ok let’s move on towards Halfmoon Copse. #SPTAarchaeology
Halfmoon Copse and our second carving. [2] This one left by an Australian of the Great War. Alexander Todd from Orbost in Victoria of the 38th Btn. He won the Military medal for destroying a German machine gun and artillery position on his own. #SPTAarchaeology
Australian records of WW1 are fabulous and we are lucky enough to be able to see the account of the gallantry award for Private Todd #bravery #SPTAarchaeology
Tragically, Todd was killed one month before the end of the war, attacking the Hindenburg Line. As such, this carving has outlived him for a century. It is a living memorial and one that we should record for future references. #SPTAarchaeology
@wessexarch Wessex Archaeology spent some time using laser scanners for these trees (and other archaeology) for a display at the Society of Antiquaries. Follow the link to see more.
vimeo.com/1896694?pg=emb… #SPTAarchaeology
vimeo.com/1896694?pg=emb… #SPTAarchaeology
The reason that Todd had carved his name was because he was killing time during a major training exercise getting his unit, the 3rd Australian Division, ready for the Battle of Messines in 1917. [3] Complete with crater! They even produced a map if the trenches #SPTAarchaeology
The aerial photo from the 1920s in the @HistoricEngland Archives shows that the map was accurate and that these were dug as intended. The fact that they were part filled was great for archaeologists as we could then explore a sealed horizon. #SPTAarchaeology
Along with a team from @BristolUni archaeologists examined a comms trench - ‘Queer Street’ & found duckboards, candles, wiring and evidence for great training. These trenches were given London names because they were based on Bois Grenier – used by London Troops. #SPTAarchaeology
There were finds associated with these trenches – cases (with WW1 date stamps), push plates from shrapnel shells, and various bottles including brown sauce and, magnificently, ‘Anzora’ a viola-scented hair tonic. #SPTAarchaeology
Anzora bottle - far removed from any ANZAC larrikin stereotypes #SPTAarchaeology
And here was the push plate and burster tube of the shrapnel shell #SPTAarchaeology #whywedontmetaldetectonspta
[4] The exercise detonated of a 5000lb mine to give a realistic view of what they could face in Belgium. The exercise, under Australian General Monash, was carefully calculated and well-planned - helping to explain why the battle went so well in June of 1917. #SPTAarchaeology
Previous tweet shows Australian officers outside the nearby Bustard Inn - perhaps relaxing after this phenomenal exercise drive.google.com/file/d/1CAXlyi… #SPTAarchaeology
Australian records of WW1 are fabulous and we are lucky enough to be able to see the account of the gallantry award for Private Todd #bravery #SPTAarchaeology
The work of WW1 archaeology emphasises that this is a valuable part of our heritage and that the Plain holds one of the largest resources of this history given the main use of the land for a century. The Bustard trenches and Messines work are featured in a book #SPTAarchaeology
[5] lets move towards the artillery impact area. Again, traces of military training dominate. At the ‘bombard’ you can see the wrecks of tanks that are now used for artillery target practice. #SPTAarchaeology
These also become heritage eventually and many of these have ultimately ended up at the @TankMuseum in Bovington #SPTAarchaeology
Not too far from this – an Op Nightingale team, that use archaeology to aid the recovery of military veterans, excavated the remains of a 15lb quick fire gun – one of only 108 brought from Germany to see why we were so badly outgunned in the Boer War. #SPTAarchaeology
The landscape here undulates giving spectacular views and still retaining traces of the pre-military days such as with this old milepost undergoing some restoration. #SPTAarchaeology
[6] The view looks out to the astonishing Roman settlement: Charlton Down, in the artillery impact area but with no targets: the site must be the best protected UKmonument! It is shaded on maps to emphasise its importance and had over 200 hut platforms &Roman dam #SPTAarchaeology
The photos by @HistoricEngland of this incredible rural site illustrate just how beautiful this monument is. #SPTAarchaeology
Over the years lots of finds have been made in this settlement, emphasising its rural and agricultural nature and many now reside in @WiltshireMuseum In Devizes. Queens, saws and more #SPTAarchaeology
Let’s move on #SPTAarchaeology
The Centre of the Plain holds about 1/9 of the Stonehenge World Heritage (WHS) site (south of the Packway road) and there are aspirations to enlarge it. One monument that would certainly be included is that at number [7] – Robin Hood’s Ball. #SPTAarchaeology
This is a Neolithic causewayed enclosure – a monument with numerous plausible uses – for feasting/exchange or excarnation of the dead; there are numerous long barrows near it. You tend not to find a henge without there being one nearby. Stonehenge is visible here #SPTAarchaeology
The 1st phase ditch construction at nearby Stonehenge is very similar to the shape of the monument at Robin Hood’s Ball. Oxford University recently carried out extensive survey of the site with @aerial_cam interesting to compare their results to Flinders Petrie! #SPTAarchaeology
Moving south of the packway and into the WHS [8] a team led by Julian Richards looked for traces of the old First Word War Horse hospital in ‘Digging War Horse’ working with local children, wounded veterans and young artillery trainees #SPTAarchaeology
The site yielded lots of finds – military badges (especially New Zealand and Australian), bottles, horseshoes and traces of the later military hospital on site. All within view of the henge. The project was documented by @beardysnapper photos.app.goo.gl/8PTII6FsyN6NGp… #SPTAarchaeology
Our veterans worked hard to catalogue the finds made by the team - brief was military finds only - no flint! #SPTAarchaeology
The local schools with many service personnel children followed this with studies of War Horse #SPTAarchaeology
On the centenary of the start of WW1 and by people who knew the family stresses of modern war - this HLF project ensured these people were remember #SPTAarchaeology
And the finds were fun! #SPTAarchaeology
Read the report of all this project here - report by Julian Richards drive.google.com/file/d/1k8ZY3q… #SPTAarchaeology
Across the WHS to the Cursus. [9] over the years the area was part of a sewage works. redundant for decades and has now been removed to enable @NatTrustArch to restore the open nature of this landscape. Such infrastructure would not be placed thus these days! #SPTAarchaeology
Back along the packway, past the listed Anglo-Zulu War 1879 (and Afghan war) memorial to the site of one of the most important pieces of archaeology fieldwork on the Plain in recent years – the work of Wessex Archaeology and the Army Basing Programme [10] - #SPTAarchaeology
So what ON EARTH to say about this colossal project? Perhaps best starting point is to link you to the @wessexarch project page wessexarch.co.uk/our-work/larkh… #SPTAarchaeology
This programme was a planning requirement for homes to Service personnel returning from Germany & infrastructure like schools. It uncovered a colossal amount of heritage from the weird to wonderful. Perhaps the former category was the remains of this 1930s MG car.#SPTAarchaeology
Have an explore of the car here - many urban myths were attached to this find! #SPTAarchaeology sketchfab.com/3d-models/1932…
Another major WW1 training landscape of galleries and tunnels (and ordnance) was discovered – with names of some of the veterans written on the chalk including VC winners. Any were again Australians. #SPTAarchaeology
Explore the trenches here #SPTAarchaeology sketchfab.com/3d-models/lark…
So many finds by @wessex archaeology
We have said how good the Australian records are and the team has researched the names drawn into the chalk sketchfab.com/3d-models/firs… #SPTAarchaeology
More traditional archaeology was also uncovered with a series of prehistoric burials. sketchfab.com/3d-models/lark… #SPTAarchaeology
And also the incredible discovery of another causewayed enclosure of huge significance. The location of the enclosure has been preserved. #SPTAarchaeology
At the far end of the road is Durrington Walls [11] – a huge henge & site of many Neolithic Houses. Although not on the MOD estate, we helped some of the logistics of the Stonehenge Riverside project & with some digs on our land. #SPTAarchaeology
The @HistoricEngland Air photo above shows the henge and you can also pick out WW1 army camps to the left (west). Excavated in part by Josh Pollard of @southamptonuniv with Survey by Kate Welham of @bournemouthuni #SPTAarchaeology
Lets now drive up the A345 all the way to stop number [12] #SPTAarchaeology
It was here that Sam Mendes filmed the trench sequences featured in his Oscar-winning film 1917 #SPTAarchaeology
As with real 1916 training we saw earlier the aim was to make this set as realistic as possible. It was preceded by extensive geophysics (locating and avoiding BA ring ditches) and the new design was evaluated to reveal a few prehistoric pits but little else. #SPTAarchaeology
There is an article in the latest @archaeologyuk British Archaeology magazine by Martin Brown on this set new.archaeologyuk.org/british-archae… #SPTAarchaeology
Further up the road we reach Casterley hillfort [13]. This large enclosure has substantial ditches and, on ploughing, reveals the presence of another structure within – something also picked up by Sir Richard Colt Hoare in his ‘Ancient Wiltshire’ #SPTAarchaeology
Fieldwalking has yielded flint, pottery and even bronze. The centre seems to be a possible ‘viereckschanze’ or Roman structure. Still showing that there is a great deal to investigate. As the site is still affected by ploughing, #SPTAarchaeology
As the site is ploughed it’s on the ‘At Risk’ list. 2morrow we will see how we resolved another such case – Barrow Clump. Many of the vets worked in the Centre with @SueGreaney & @cardiffuni on ready steady cook (Neolithic) so you are in good hands. Join me then! #SPTAarchaeology
