St Edwin's Chapel and Clipstone Peel, Community Archaeology research in Sherwood Forest

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC as part of the Sherwood Forest Archaeology and History Project has been undertaking fieldwork projects in October 2017 in the designed medieval landscape of Clipstone in Sherwood Forest.

The Iron Cross marking the location of St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

This fieldwork Included Topographic Survey and Geophysical Magnetometer Survey at Clipstone Peel, and Geophysical Magnetometer Survey and Field-walking Survey at St Edwin's Chapel.

Some amazing results have emerged that really increase our understanding of these fantastic important sites in Sherwood Forest...

Visit http://www.mercian-as.co.uk for more information and upcoming opportunities in November & December 2017, and January, February & March 2018...

Come and join us and help tell the story of our world famous Forest...

Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Topographic Survey, Community Archaeology at Clipstone Peel in Sherwood Forest

Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Topographic Survey, Community Archaeology at Clipstone Peel in Sherwood Forest

Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Field-walking Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Topographic Survey, Community Archaeology at Clipstone Peel in Sherwood Forest

Carved tree - photographed during Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

The ruins of Clipstone Peel in Sherwood Forest

Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Topographic Survey Community Archaeology at Clipstone Peel in Sherwood Forest

Field-walking Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Topographic Survey Community Archaeology at Clipstone Peel in Sherwood Forest

Topographic Survey Community Archaeology at Clipstone Peel in Sherwood Forest

Field-walking Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Geophysical Magnetometer Survey Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Field-walking Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Topographic Survey, Community Archaeology at Clipstone Peel in Sherwood Forest

Field-walking Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Field-walking Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Topographic Survey, Community Archaeology at Clipstone Peel in Sherwood Forest

Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

Topographic Survey, Community Archaeology at Clipstone Peel in Sherwood Forest

Community Archaeology at St Edwin's Chapel in Sherwood Forest

St Edwin's Chapel:

Survey the site of the legendary St Edwin’s Chapel… Resting place of a saint, or romantic medieval parkland chapel?

King Edwin, the first Christian King of Northumbria was killed in the year 633AD at the Battle of Hatfield somewhere in the area that later became Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.

Members of the community helped to investigate if this site commemorates the place where Edwin's body lay after his death, or if is a medieval chapel founded as part of the designed Arthurian parkland hunting landscape of the medieval palace of Clipstone, founded by King John. 

The research is designed to answer whether this is a Saint’s resting place or is part of a later cult of Edwin, set in a designed landscape.

Clipstone Peel:

Community members surveyed the site of King Edward II’s fortified stockade on the western edge of the former royal deer park at Clipstone, known as Clipstone Peel.

Clipstone Peel was a fortified timber stronghold built on the orders of King Edward II in 1316. It consisted of a gatehouse, hall, royal chamber, chapel, bakehouse, kitchen, grange and sheds, for cattle, oxen and sheep (Crook 1976).

The site  provided a fortified stronghold for Edward II while he stayed at Clipstone, and helped ensure the royal entourage had sufficient provisions. It offered a secure location during a time of strife following the loss of Scotland at the Battle of Bannockburn, and during Edward’s troubles with the Earl of Lancaster.

This was the first ever systematic survey this important royal medieval site in Sherwood Forest…

http://mercian-as.co.uk/intro_days.html