Discover, Plan & Go!

The period after the Romans withdrew from the British Isles and left a political void, from the 5th through 7th centuries A.D., was a time of turmoil and transition in England. What happened in that void is largely unknown, particularly in Yorkshire, where Roman influence seems to have been slight and archaeological research spotty. One speculation is that an entire independent kingdom, called Craven, thrived in this area during that period. Fortunately, centuries of traditional sheep-grazing have left the soil unplowed, and hence 3,000 years of history buried here remain largely intact. Archaeologist and veteran Earthwatch principal investigator Dr. Roger Martlew has launched a project to explore the neglected archaeology of upland Yorkshire and remove the shroud of mystery from Craven.

You will help Martlew discover what lies beneath the Yorkshire Dales' scenic patchwork of stone walls, grazing sheep, and small towns. In rotating crews of three, your work will be divided between surveying and excavation tasks. You will document underground features and create maps, using topographic mapping techniques and geophysical measurements. Using a hand trowel, you will "take down the layers" and plot and record your finds. You will also help launch a survey of present-day plant species and pollen samples from peat cores to explore how the local environment has changed since the Roman period. The research site is in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, with steep-sided valleys cutting through high moorland, where the television series All Creatures Great and Small was filmed. At the research site and beyond, you'll feel transported to another time.

You'll stay at Dale House, a large stone house in the picturesque village of Kettlewell, near the river Wharfe, about a ten-minute drive from the field sites. Dale House offers a mixture of single and twin bedrooms, as well as a dining room and comfortable sitting room. Hot showers, conventional sanitation, and laundry facilities are available. You'll take packed lunches into the field and enjoy two-course evening meals, provided by the bistro next door, in Dale House's dining room. Food is basic but plentiful, and local pubs can be visited to augment your diet if desired.

As an Eons member, you'll get a free, 1 year membership to Earthwatch — a $35 value — when you sign up on any expedition. And members pay $100 less on their expedition contribution — so you save $135! Just put code EONS2007 in the comment field on the signup form, or, if you call, tell the Expedition Coordinator that you found us on Eons.

Earthwatch expedition-related costs may be tax-deductible in the US as volunteer expenses. Please check with your tax adviser.