In the past week, following the very successful Excavation Training Day on 21 June, we have been very busy!
 Volunteers Ken Shaw and Susie Newton listen to Chris Cumberpatch explain the origin and use of some of the hundreds of pots shards found so far. |  Dr Chris Cumberpatch (right hand side with glasses) explains the origin of some findingfryston finds to volunteers and trainees |
Thursday (Day 6) was the first Finds Handling training course led by Chris Cumberpatch, which was followed by our first Open Day on Saturday (Day 7) and yesterday(Day 8) we hosted four groups of visitors including a party of local Rotarians with Dutch and German colleagues. Findingfryston has now gone international!
Earlier in the day, we had groups of local Brownies and Guides who helped by excavating, washing and identifying finds whilst the Rainbows enjoyed a metal detecting session. Around 100 people were on site from these groups and were fascinated by what they could do and see. Brownie leader and organiser, Marie Parkin commenting about the girls said “They all had a really enjoyable time and definitely learnt something new. We are really lucky to have this opportunity. Thank you.”
Earlier in the day, we had groups of local Brownies and Guides who helped by excavating, washing and identifying finds whilst the Rainbows enjoyed a metal detecting session. Around 100 people were on site from these groups and were fascinated by what they could do and see. Brownie leader and organiser, Marie Parkin commenting about the girls said “They all had a really enjoyable time and definitely learnt something new. We are really lucky to have this opportunity. Thank you.”
 | Remains of Fryston Common Lane (middle) dating from 1250 and buried to make way for a new Promenade Path constructed for the Hemsworth Family between 1850 and 1893 (top); we still have more work to do to date the walls. |
The Dutch and German visitors were very impressed that we were able to show them several sections of the original Fryston Common Lane and were astounded that we were able to tell them that its construction dated from between 1050 and 1250 and was used until the late 19th century. Afterwards they went across the lawn to Monk Fryston Hall for lunch whilst our volunteers had their sandwiches in the refreshment tent and later continued the work of discovering more of Monk Fryston’s Heritage.
A large part of the volunteers work has been to clean up and record Trenches 1 and 2 which both contain elements of a large building structure and the former Fryston Common Lane, along with lots of artefacts; some of them dating back to the early medieval period. The Brownies and Guides helped us in Trench 3 and started to uncover part of a building floor and late on Sunday in Trench 4 the team started to excavate further elements of the wall found last week by the excavation trainees.
A large part of the volunteers work has been to clean up and record Trenches 1 and 2 which both contain elements of a large building structure and the former Fryston Common Lane, along with lots of artefacts; some of them dating back to the early medieval period. The Brownies and Guides helped us in Trench 3 and started to uncover part of a building floor and late on Sunday in Trench 4 the team started to excavate further elements of the wall found last week by the excavation trainees.
It’s rest time now and work recommences next Thursday 2 July when the site will be transformed again as we expand and excavate Trenches 1 and 2 to try and locate the third building shown on the 1850 OS Map and move down towards the Monastic soil layer. So anyone who revisits on our next Open Day on July 18th will see quite a change in the excavation.
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