Oswestry Town Walls Report – 1980

Posted on 24th October 201827th March 2020 by Ben Hillidge

1980 Report Foreword by Carol James Between October 1979 and September 1980 members of the Border Counties Archaeological Group excavated a series of trial trenches in an attempt to establish the line of a section of the defensive wall that surrounded the medieval borough of Oswestry. Exploratory work has now ground to a temporary halt as the Group hopefully awaits the opportunity to investigate further potential sites as they are made available. It is, therefore, a suitable moment to take sto...

Rhyn Park Roman Military Site and the Birth of OBHAG

Posted on 30th October 201627th March 2020 by Ben Hillidge

Introduction to Rhyn Park In the exceptional summer of 1976 crop marks caused by the drought revealed previously unknown archaeology in fields overlooking the Ceiriog River near the Gledrid Roundabout. Professor Barri Jones of the University of Manchester who had extensive knowledge of Roman activity the Northern March, recognised the potential importance of the site and decided to excavate. Operations began in 1977. The dig attracted huge interest and the Border Counties Advertizer was v...

Oswestry Castle – Part of wall in plan

Posted on 26th February 20164th August 2016 by Ben Hillidge

Oswestry & Border History & Archaeology Group OBHAG Oswestry Castle Research Project Oswestry Castle - Part of wall in plan

Oswestry Castle Precis

Posted on 26th February 20164th August 2016 by Ben Hillidge

Oswestry & Border History & Archaeology Group OBHAG Oswestry Castle Research Project Oswestry Castle Precis In September 2015 Archaeologists spent two weeks excavating part of Oswestry castle. Not much appears to remain today but this was an important and early Norman castle. It was mentioned in the Domesday book and therefore must predate 1086. A previous small scale Archaeological excavation did suggest the possibility that much more remains under the present day turf surface than...

Morda Valley Research Project

Posted on 13th January 201631st October 2016 by Ben Hillidge

Morda Valley Research Project Three years of research produced a comprehensive report with topics which included local field and place names, details of Offa's Dyke within the area, the mills formerly operating in the Morda Valley, and the small 'Oswestry Coalfield' which was worked from about 1750 to 1891 together with its associated local transport system. Many of the sites associated with this once thriving coal mining industry in and around Trefonen and the Morda Valley were formally record...

Projects

Posted on 12th January 201625th August 2017 by Ben Hillidge

OBHAG Projects and Oswestry Castle Research Project Oswestry Castle Research Project With the aim of carrying out an extensive archaeology study of Oswestry’s castle this is exciting project is led by OBHAG member Roger Cooper, and is affiliated to OBHAG. The Rhyn Park Excavation Wroxeter Hinterland Project Working with others and the County Archaeology Service in further excavation of an Iron Age rampart on Llanymynech Hill. The Morda Valley Research Project Three years of ...

2021 Programme

Posted on 9th December 201518th November 2020 by Ben Hillidge

OBHAG Programme 2021 - Oswestry & Border History & Archaeology Group Meetings are normally held at the Methodist Church Hall, Castle Street on the second Friday of the month at 7.30pm unless otherwise stated Entry Fee: Members £2 Visitors £5 NEXT EVENT Next Event - Zoom presentation (unless we are able to meet physically by then) on 8th January 2021 8th January 7.30pm Virtual meeting by Zoom. Seeing where they went: Excursions on the Cambrian Railways in the ...

President

Posted on 13th January 201528th February 2020 by Ben Hillidge

President of Oswestry & Border History & Archaeology Group - OBHAG John Pryce-Jones Born and brought up in Oswestry, John Pryce-Jones has always had a keen interest in history, which he traces back to frequent visits to Old Oswestry and to the Castle Bank in his early years, and also to visits to the castles of north Wales, and to places such as Tintagel when on family holidays to Cornwall. His particular interest in Oswestry’s local history began in the late 1970...

Margaret Hill

Posted on 9th January 201512th March 2019 by Ben Hillidge

Past Vice-chairman of Oswestry & Border History & Archaeology Group – OBHAG Margaret Hill Archaeologist and Teacher. Interested in the Iron Age and Early Medieval periods. Working with Dr David Hill and our Manchester Extra-Mural Students carried out survey and excavations on Offa's and Wat's Dykes; Oswestry Castle, early medieval sites in Northern France and survey in Greece. Roger Cooper and I excavated for several seasons at Chirbury, once the site of a ...

Margaret Harrison

Posted on 9th January 20159th February 2016 by Ben Hillidge

Committee Member of Oswestry & Border History & Archaeology Group – OBHAG Margaret Harrison I am a very keen amateur historian, but by no means professional. However, as well as British history, particularly Industrial Heritage, I also have an interest in the wider British influence historically on a worldwide basis. I am very interested in North America, from the colonial East Coast to the subsequent exploration across the Great Plains, through the Rockies and onwards to the West ...