Archaeology Conference 1998

Reports on recent work – followed by ‘Twenty-five years digging in the City of London’

Saturday 14 March 1998

When we look back to 1970, it seems extraordinary how little was known archaeologically about early London. It had been shown that the city walls were Roman in origin, and a number of Roman public buildings had been located, but the excavation of dozens of houses and shops, and of the amphitheatre, lay some way in the future. Similarly, although it was supposed that London’s prosperity had depended from the start on overseas trade, it was not until the 1970s and 1980s that excavation of the Roman and medieval port would take place – on a scale unprecedented or unsurpassed in the UK. But perhaps the thing that most puzzled historians then was why there was no archaeological evidence for 7th and 8th-century London – a city which Bede had described as ‘a trading centre for many nations’. We now know that Lundenwic lay outside the old walled city, to the west, around Covent Garden and the Strand.

Discussion of these and many other themes made for a fascinating afternoon. No less did it provide a foundation for building an archaeological research strategy for the next 25 years.

Conference Progamme

The 35th Conference of London Archaeologists (1998)

Reports on recent work – followed by ‘ Twenty-five years digging in the City of London’

Saturday 14 March 1998

Morning session: recent work

11.00
Chairman’s opening remarks and presentation of the Ralph Merrifield Award
Harvey Sheldon

11.10
The excavation of a prehistoric and Roman landscape at Imperial College Sports Field, Harlington
Wessex Archaeology

11.35
A prehistoric land surface at the Royal Docks Community School, E16
Nick Holder (Museum of London Archaeology Service)

11.55
The Thames Archaeological Survey 1997: recent work on the foreshore
Mike Webber (Thames Archaeological Survey Officer)

12.15
Recent excavations at Hopton Street, Southwark, and Westcroft Road, Carshalton
Pre-Construct Archaeology

12.35
The excavation of a medieval moated manor house at Low Hall, Walthamstow
Ian Blair (Museum of London Archaeology Service)

13.00 - 14.15
Lunch (with opportunity to view displays of recent work)

Afternoon session: 25 years of digging in the City of London

14.15
The Roman public buildings of Londinium
Nick Bateman (Museum of London Archaeology Service)

14.50
The Roman cemeteries
Bruno Barber (Museum of London Archaeology Service)

15.25
The London waterfront
Gustav Milne (University College, London)

16.05 - 16.40
Tea

16.40
Building in the City from the Saxons to the Great Fire
John Schofield (Museum of London Archaeology Service)

17.20
Digging in the City: the next 25 years
Simon Thurley (Director, Museum of London)