Council for British Archaeology South-East Site and Town Tours

Full-day tours to current research excavations and historic sites and towns across the south-east, led by local experts. Tours run between April and October, with sites ranging from Roman villas to Tudor Palaces!

Free to all CBA-SE members, or a small cost for non-members (additional entry fees may apply at some sites – see tours marked *)

Limited spaces, thus early booking is recommended. Directions and joining instructions are available upon signing-up.

April 2024:  we are currently seeking to run new tours this year.   Watch this space!

Past Tours (2019)

Tour 1

Reigate Caves and Heath Tour

Sunday April 28th (10:30-16:00)*

In the morning, we will be guided through both Baron’s Cave and the Tunnel Road West Complex. Baron’s Cave is one of the oldest caves in Britain. Tunnel Road West started as a sand mine and was reused during both World Wars.

After lunch Dr Judie English will lead a walk around Reigate Heath and discuss its Bronze Age barrow cemetery.

Tour is free for members / £5 for non-members – please note there is also a £5 entry charge for all into the caves

Tour 2

Otford Roman Villa and Archbishops Palace

Sunday June 9th (10:30-16:00)

In the morning, we will start with a tour of the DROP (Discovering Roman Otford Project) excavation at the Roman villa at Otford, a site which was at least twice the size of the villa at nearby Lullingstone.

After lunch in the picturesque village, the tour will continue with a special guided visit of the nationally important 16th century Archbishop’s Palace, which at its height rivaled Hampton Court and is currently being stored by the Palace Conservation Trust.

Tour is free for members / £5 for non-members

c

.

Past Tours (2018)

Tour 1

July 22nd – Priory Park excavation and Georgian Chichester

Guided by Steven Cleverley (CBA South East) and Alan Green (local historian)
This tour takes in the background and final stages of the excavation of a Roman bathhouse in Priory Park, Chichester – after lunch, the tour resumes with a look at the building of Georgian Chichester.

Tour 2

October 13th – Rocky Clump excavation and Stanmer tour

Guided by John Funnell (CBA South-East), this is a walk around Stanmer, nr Brighton, visiting archaeological and historical sites,with heritage dating to all periods from the Neolithic to the 18th century. After lunch, the tour resumes with the Brighton & Hove Archaeological Society excavations at Rocky Clump, a Late Iron Age enclosure.

Past Tours (2017)

Tour 1

May 20th – Bodiam Castle and Medieval Graffiti tour, East Sussex*

Tour guides: Nathalie Cohen/Lance Woodman (National Trust)

This tour takes in the 14th century moated castle of Bodiam, including a special tour of some of the newly surveyed medieval inscriptions carved on its walls – after lunch the tour will resume around the grounds

Tour 2

June 17th – Fishbourne Roman Palace and Chichester Harbour tour, West Sussex*

Tour guides: Lauren Tidbury/Alex Bellisario (CITiZAN) / Rob Symmons (Curator at Fishbourne)

This tour takes in a harbour walk along the foreshore between Fishbourne and Dell Quay with the CITiZAN team, who will be demonstrating their new app, followed by a special behind-the-scenes tour at the Palace

Tour 3

July 8th – Abinger Roman Villa and Felday Hillfort, Surrey

Tour guides: Emma Corke, Nikki Cowlard, Judie English (Surrey Archaeological Society)

This tour takes in the excavations at Abinger Roman villa, which have revealed evidence for late Iron Age and Roman activity, followed by a walk around the extensive univallate Iron Age hillfort at Felday in the afternoon

c

B

Past Tours (2016)

Tour 1

April 16th – ‘Secrets of the High Woods’ at Slindon Park / Chichester town walls, West Sussex

Tour guides: Alice Thorne, South Downs National Park / James Kenny, Chichester District Council

This tour incorporates a Lidar demonstration and exercise  at Slindon Park with the ‘Secrets of the High Woods’ project, which has been  working with volunteers to rediscover lost landscapes in the South Downs, followed by a short trip to Chichester, after lunch, where a talk and tour of the Roman sections of the town walls will take place

Tour 2

May 14th – Petersfield Barrows / Portchester castle and church, Hampshire *

Tour guides: George Anelay, West Sussex Archaeology Ltd / Martyn Allen, Uni of Reading

This tour begins with a visit to the Petersfield Heath Barrow Project which is currently investigating one of the largest and best preserved early Bronze Age cemetery monuments. After lunch, we will travel to Portchester and explore a mixture of periods, where the medieval castle and priory sit within the Roman walls.

*Entry fee (adult £5.80) for Portchester castle applies – English Heritage members enter for free

Tour 3

June 4th – Winchelsea town and cellar / Pett Level coastal tour, East Sussex

Tour guides: Nathalie Cohen/Andrew Dyer, National Trust / Oliver Hutchinson, CITiZAN

Explore the incredible medieval vaults underneath Winchelsea, as well as its historic townscape, before continuing with the tour’s second half, along the coast, where the low tide reveals the extraordinary remains of the sunken prehistoric forest at Pett Level.

(Note the later time of this tour, due to low tide)

 Tour 4

July 9th – Abinger Roman villa / Chilworth gunpowder works, Surrey

Tour guides: Emma Corke/David Bird, Surrey Archaeological Society / Andrew Norris, SyAS

This tour takes in the picturesque Tillingbourne valley, starting with the fascinating excavations at Abinger Roman villa by the Surrey Archaeological Society, which have revealed extensive evidence for late Iron Age and Roman activity. After lunch, this will be followed by a walk and talk around the extensive remains of the Gunpowder Works at Chilworth, which were first established by the East India Company in 1626 and only ceased manufacturing in 1920.

Tour 5

August 6th – Folkstone Roman villa / Dover town and castle, Kent *

Tour guides: Andrew Richardson / Keith Parfitt, Canterbury Archaeological Trust

This tour takes in the important cliff-top excavations at Folkestone Roman villa, which are gradually being lost to the sea, including a trip down to the beach. This will be followed after lunch by a walk around nearby Dover and its medieval townscape, with sites including St Mary’s, St James’ and St Edmund’s Chapel.

 Tour 6

September 17th – Ovingdean medieval settlement / Lewes town and castle, East Sussex

Tour guides: John Funnell, Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society / Simon Stevens, Archaeology South East

This tour takes in the substantial excavations at Ovingdean by Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society, which is producing exciting results of this 13thC earthwork complex and signs of earlier Neolithic, Iron Age, and Roman activity. The morning also includes a walk and talk around the stunning landscape. After lunch, we make the short trip up to Lewes for a tour of this picturesque medieval town and its castle.

Tour 7

October 15th – Colemore Romano-British site, Hampshire / Farnham town and castle, Surrey

Tour guides: Juliet Smith, Liss Archaeology / David Graham, Surrey Archaeological Society

The final tour of 2016 will visit the ongoing excavations at Colemore, where Liss Archaeology have been uncovering substantial remains of Romano-British date. After lunch, the day will continue walking around nearby Farnham, where the medieval town will be explored in great detail.

Past Tours (2015)

Tour 1

11th April – Teston Roman villa and Tonbridge Castle Tour, Kent*

Tour guides: Simon Elliott and Dr Paul Wilkinson (Kent Archaeological Field School) / Pat Mortlock (Tonbridge Historical Society)

This tour includes a visit to the site of an eloquent Roman villa settlement currently being excavated by Kent Archaeological Field School in the morning and, after lunch, a walk through the fabulous Tonbridge Castle nearby.

11am-4pm. *Maximum 20 people on the tour. Please either bring a packed lunch, or money for a local pub/cafe. Entry to the castle will be £7.00.

Tour 2

30th May – ‘Finding the Earls of Arundel’: Downley Medieval Deer Park and Arundel Town/Castle Tour, West Sussex

Tour guides: Mark Roberts (University College London) / Dr John Godfrey (National Trust/Sussex Heritage Trust)

A fascinating opportunity to visit the Institute of Archaeology, UCL excavations for the lost hunting lodge of the earls of Arundel at Downley Park, near Singleton in West Sussex, set in the picturesque backdrop of the South Downs. This will be followed by a 20 minute journey to the classic market town of Arundel, where we will lunch and partake in a leisurely afternoon tour of the town, cathedral and castle.

10am-4pm. *Maximum 20 people on the tour. Please either bring a packed lunch, or money for a local pub/cafe. Entry to the castle is optional.

Tour 3

20th June – Excavations at Petersfield Barrows and a Tour of Cowdray Ruins, Hampshire/West Sussex*

Tour guides: George Anelay (West Sussex Archaeology) / Dr Martyn Allen (University of Reading)

A mixture of periods are explored in this twin tour beginning with a visit to the Petersfield Heath Barrow Project which is currently investigating one of the largest and best preserved early Bronze Age cemetery monuments. After lunch, we will travel 20 minutes due east to Midhurst and a group visit of the eerie ruins at Cowdray House set in the atmospheric landscape of Cowdray Park.

11am-4pm. *Maximum 20 people on the tour. Please either bring a packed lunch, or money for a local pub/cafe in Midhurst. Entry to Cowdray will be £6.50.

Tour 4

25th July – ‘Romans, Roads, and Settlements’: Excavations at Plumpton Roman Villa and Bridge Farm (Culver) Roman Roadside Settlement, East Sussex

Tour guides: David Rudling (Sussex School of Archaeology) / Rob Wallace (Culver Archaeological Project)

Two separate archaeological projects in East Sussex are revealing stunning results about Roman life within the same landscape. We will visit the excavations at Plumpton Roman villa by the Sussex School of Archaeology, and the roadside settlement at Bridge Farm, Culver, by the Culver Archaeological Project. Please bring your own lunch for this excursion.

Tour 5

15th August – Excavations at Ovingdean Medieval Site and a Tour of Medieval Lewes town and castle, East Sussex

Tour guides: John Funnell (Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society) / Simon Stevens (Archaeology South-East)

This tour takes in the substantial excavations at Ovingdean by Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society, which is producing exciting results of this 13thC earthwork complex and signs of earlier Neolithic, Iron Age, and Roman activity. The morning also includes a walk and talk around the stunning landscape. After lunch, we make the short trip up to Lewes for a tour of this picturesque medieval town and its castle.

Tour 6

19th September – ‘Aristocrats of Medieval Surrey’: Woking Medieval and Tudor Palace and Guildford Castle and Town Tour, Surrey

Tour guides: Richard Savage (Surrey Archaeological Society) / Dr Mary Alexander (Surrey Archaeological Society)

Taking in the medieval splendours of aristocratic life in Surrey, this tour will lead late morning around the final season of SyAS and SCAU excavations at Woking Palace and, following a short drive and lunch to Guildford, we will be learning all about the history bound up in the walls of Guildford Castle and its relationship with its surrounding town.