A little time-lapse video, colouring my live conference sketches from the weekend’s Medieval Settlement Research Group Spring conference in Lincoln. #medievalsky 🏺🏛️🗃️ #sketchbook #illustration #skystorians (🔈for commentary)
Don't forget to come and see us today between 12-4! We have #OSL and #Pollen data which gives us a tremendous record of #Medieval farming! Sheen village hall SK17 0ES ///soap.social.cosmic
Only so many cliches I could fit in!
A cartoon to illustrate Ellen Durbin's excellent Diggers' Forum article on the awkward disconnect, raised by @sarahmay1.bsky.social, between the impact of archaeology and the impact on archaeologists.
There'll be more from me in future issues of British Archaeology. 🏺
Thanks Dan, much appreciated! Been a hermit of late; trying to get back to posting more stuff.
Photograph of a sketchbook page with a pencil and ink sketch of a ruined medieval building.
Enjoying that ‘first page of a new sketchbook’ feeling.
Bishop’s Palace, St Davids, Pembrokeshire.
A windswept 3-legged dog on the beach watches the surf with a stick in her mouth
Photo: Two surfers in black wetsuit, hats, gloves and boots carry swallow-tail surfboards across the beach.
Goofy-footed Surfer on swallow-tail board making the most of mushy side-shore conditions, with rocks in the background
Goofy-footed surfer floats the lip of a mushy wave at Porth Mawr
Porth Mawr. 11/04/2026
North #Pembrokeshire #surfing 🌊🏄♂️
Photograph of a sunlit sea against dark cliffs
Photograph of Ynys-Fach, coastline near Porthgain with steep cliffs; with the hills of Strumble Head in background
Photograph of Carreg Samson, Neolithic burial chamber at Longhouse, Abercastell
Photograph of a scruffy wiry-haired dog on the beach at Solva.
Restorative Pembrokeshire Easter weekend with familiar faces. Not pictured (because they were too quick), the first swallows. One on Friday 3rd, then two pairs on Sunday 5th above Aberfelin, Trefin.
Photograph of a tired-looking man in purple sports kit standing next to a sign saying ‘Worcester Pitchcroft Parkrun PB Bell’, underneath which is a brass cowbell.
Not felt like there’s been much to celebrate of late, but today as the mist cleared and the sun appeared, I shaved 18 seconds off my #Parkrun PB.
I’ve a pair of Hoka Bondi 8s that went well over 1200km as a daily road shoe. Sole is well worn but the upper is still near perfect; and they’re still a serviceable backup shoe.
🏺🗃️ The #Historians of #Archaeology group website launches soon!
historiansofarchaeology.wordpress.com
We welcome submissions for the blog from everyone working on any aspect of the history of archaeology (excavations, object provenance, community, popular histories, histories of science...)
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Screenshot detail of a Gen-AI image showing what appears to be a blanket flowing out of a pile of rocks, standing on two bird-like legs clad in teeny shoes.
Yes, camels are cool, but I’m waiting for the palaeogenomics of the walking rock blanket…
Photograph of a sketchbook page showing an illustrated summary of sessions at the TAG DEVA conference 2018
Photograph of a comic strip in zine format telling the story produced by the author in 2025
I loved that comics workshop from John and Hannah, it was my first experience of dipping my toe into comics and archaeology! I was inspired to do a summary of TAG-as-comic on the train home… and 7+ years later I’m still dabbling!
Photograph of a 3-legged Irish terrier supervising work on an archaeological excavation.
Photograph of a 3-legged Irish terrier reclining on a dog bed in her favourite cafe
She looks as if butter wouldn’t melt, but she can be quite a demanding manager. Complains at me if I’m taking too long over breakfast, drags me out to the office, demands frequent hospitality at her local cafe, and simply *insists* on a shower and blow-dry after muddy walks…
Selfie of a man in a blue coat and glasses, crouching next to a scruffy dog, on a woodland path
#Parkrun at Worcester Woods this morning, with Millie’s customary post-run scamper through Nunnery Wood.
My journey up there probably follows the route once taken by medieval nuns of Worcester’s Whiston nunnery on the Tything, who farmed the land and after whom it’s named.
A nice surprise this morning: my article on prison reform from below is out!
I believe it’s open access but let me know if you can’t get a copy and would like one.
academic.oup.com/histres/adva...
Cheers Tess. I’ve been remiss of late in advertising, but some of my illustrations are available on sustainable clothing and gifts. And if you’d like a design in a different colour/garment, give me a shout.
Tomorrow is last day for 1st class Christmas postage 👍 incurablearchaeologist.teemill.com
It is - and there’s still time to nab yourself a sustainably-produced Cirencester Cockerel T-shirt in time for Christmas! 😉 🏺🏛️
incurablearchaeologist.teemill.com/search/?sear...
By strange coincidence, I’m wearing my Cirencester Roman Cockerel T-shirt today! I love Tess’s chocolate version. Any other representations out there? 🏺🏛️
Selfie of a bespectacled man in sports kit in a sports hall, next to a black banner that reads ‘Worcestershire Cricket Foundation #CricketForAll
Completed my ECB Level 2 Core Coach qualification yesterday! 🎉
A great course: participants from current 1st class / England U19 pros all the way down to parent volunteers.
Pride slightly tempered by aches in muscles I’d forgotten I even had, after yesterday’s pace bowling session. 🏏😬🤕 #cricket
I had a great time giving this talk yesterday! And it's already available to watch in YouTube! Huge thanks to @insuhi.bsky.social for having me!
Just sharing this again - a piece in @uk.theconversation.com that Alex Brown and I wrote about peasants and the surprising amount of 'sick leave' they were given in the middle ages #medievalsky #history #medieval
theconversation.com/medieval-pea...
📣Join us on 2 Dec, 5.30pm for our hybrid SBC lecture and reception with Neil Gregor @neilgregor.bsky.social on 'Writing Cultural Histories of Nazi Germany: Thoughts from the Concert Hall' - Please register for in-person or online attendance. Eventbrite links below
Photograph of a wiry-haired Irish terrier in a faded red harness, watching runners come up the hill at Worcester Woods Parkrun
Selfie of a sweaty bespectacled fair-haired man in a blue coat next to the face of a scruffy dog enjoying herself in the woods
Photograph of a path through woodland: the ground undulates slightly: the remains of medieval ridge and furrow ploughing, when Worcester Woods was open farmland owned by the nuns of the Whiteladies nunnery, Worcester.
Ventured over to Worcester Woods for #Parkrun. Millie likes to bark encouragement on the home straight.
The woods seem eternal, but the undulations underfoot are what remains of medieval ridge and furrow created by ploughing: once upon a time, all this was open fields… 🏺🗃️
I am currently reading 'Hild', a fabulous novel by @nicolaz.bsky.social that explores her early life, immersing the curious reader in the rhythms of 7th century life. Would heartily recommend it to anyone curious about Hild and her achievements.
nicolagriffith.com/2023/11/17/h...
More details of the proposals were released yesterday: in brief, closing Modern Languages and Film Studies. Redundancies in History. Merging Chemistry, Geography, Geology and Environment. Cuts to College Operations. Fate of Education still unclear. 163 posts at risk www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Spent the morning turning this into a tiny zine. Printing, cutting, folding - a tiny analogue act of resistance to the news we’ve had this week about cuts to History at Leicester.
I’ll bring them along to the @leicesterucu.bsky.social demo on Weds 12th November if you’d like your own copy.
Less than a month to go for submission of abstracts! Papers invited for the Life and Landscape Research Showcase at the University of Nottingham.
Someone described keeping as doing 300 squats while a succession of lunatics launch cannonballs at you with a dancing clown blocking your view. And then everyone gets mad when you miss one…
