Mercian Excavation Weeks

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Discover King John's Palace free excavation

Sherwood Forest Excavation Week 2024

at King john’s Palace, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire.

Price £350 per Person

5 day event.


Dates: 19th - 23rd August 2024


Come and join us at The Sherwood Forest Excavation Week at the medieval hunting lodge and palatial enclosure of the King’s Houses, now known as King John’s Palace, and the designed landscape that surrounded it.

King John’s Palace was the Royal Heart of Sherwood Forest in the Medieval period.

The site was visited by all 8 kings from Henry II to Richard II, with King John possibly holding a proto-parliament there in the early 13th century and Edward I holding Parliament there in 1290.

We hope to see you there- please email for booking details.

(Please note accommodation and food are not included)



Archaeology Field School Sherwood Forest

Come and continue your archaeological journey with Mercian, and meet old friends and new, at the Mercian Excavation weeks!


Delegates who have successfully attended either The Sherwood Forest Archaeological Training Field School, Bainbridge Archaeological Training Excavation, and/or the Welby Training Excavation, are considered to have qualified to attend the excavation weeks which also run at these three sites



These weeks continue your development by enabling you to dig, survey and record archaeological remains, under the expert supervision of your dear friends at Mercian.

We really hope to see you again for these fantastic and fun weeks of digging in the year to come!


Please check the dates for the weeks at each of the three sites, and email us for booking details.


*Please Note - places are limited and there are lots of former field school delegates so please book quickly to avoid disappointment!





Join Mercian Archaeological Services CIC in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales for this week-long excavation, in Bainbridge.

The beautiful village of Bainbridge was formerly the administrative centre of the medieval Forest of Wensleydale, and the magnificent Bolton Castle near Leyburn dominates the valley to the east. A Roman fort looms large over the village on the eastern side.

The site of the excavation is overlooked by a Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age Slight Univallate Hillfort. This fort occupies the high ground at the top of a steep slope on the southern side of the site.


The area is famous not only for its beautiful landscape, but also it world famous cheese, and as the backdrop to the Television series ‘All Creatures Great and Small’.

(Please note accommodation and food are not included)

Bainbridge Excavation Week 2024

At Bainbridge, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire.

Price £350 per person

5 day event


23rd - 27th September 2024


Welby Excavation Week 2024

At Welby, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

Price £350 per person

5 day event

24th - 28th June 2024


Join Mercian Archaeological Services CIC in the beautiful Leicester countryside for this week-long excavation.

The Deserted Village of Welby is situated 3km to the north-west of Melton Mowbray town-centre, off the Nottingham Road (A606), in North Leciestershire.


The site “sits within a historically rich landscape with close proximity to prehistoric and Romano-British activity that could extend within the area of the site.”

The site sits a few miles north of the Historic market town of Melton Mowbray.

(Please note accommodation and food are not included)



Archaeological Skill Passport

Community Archaeology in Derbyshire

Community Archaeology in Leicestershire

Community Archaeology Nottinghamshire, Excavation, Research, Volunteering, Community Archaeology Derbyshire, Training, Social, Learning, Community Archaeology Leicestershire, Heritage, Involvement, Belonging, Knowledge sharing, Community Archaeology Lincolnshire, Topographic Survey, Talks and Presentations, Outreach, Archaeology Projects , Open Days, Schools, Finds Processing, Day Schools, Field Schools, Young People, Archaeology and History of Sherwood Forest, Pottery Research, Medieval, Roman, Prehistoric, Community Interest Company, Community Archaeology Nottinghamshire.



Community Archaeology in Nottinghamshire

Community Archaeology East Midlands

Community Archaeology in Lincolnshire

Community Archaeology in Yorkshire



Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

Specialists in Community Archaeology, Public Involvement, Research & Training



© Mercian Archaeological Services CIC 2021. Registered Business No. 08347842. All Rights Reserved.

Please Email info@mercian-as.co.uk for details and to book your place(s)