PROMISE AUCTION & QUIZ NIGHT

Here at Epiacum we decided to hold a Promise Auction and Quiz at The Turk's Head in Alston to raise money for Children in Need.

A great night was had with a lot of laughs along the way.  The promises and auction items were very varied to say the least, ranging from 'lamb chops' to 'a day on a narrow boat'!  There was even a 'slave' to bid for.  Bidding was brisk and along with the money from the quiz, the total raised on the night was £278.00 which we were delighted with.

Auctioneer for the night was John McGough and our quizmaster was Paul Mercer who even donned a toga to get into the swing of things.

A hamper which was full of 'Christmassy' goodies was the prize for the winning team.

We would like to say a big thank you to Tom and his staff at The Turk's Head and everyone else who supported us by offering promise/auction items and also items for the hamper.

Thanks also to those who took part in the quiz and bid in the auction helping to make this a successful night by raising money for Children in Need.

Judith

Heritage Skill Workshops

With Christmas a mere 20 days away we say goodbye to our first round of Heritage Skills Workshops. Over the past five weeks I have witnessed the creation of beautiful baskets, fabulous felt hats, and nigh on perfect pottery. Before my eyes, novices have made really rather lovely proggy and hooked mats and whiled away hours on the peg loom to make gorgeous samplers. And then there was the dowsing- I watched a group of people put their trust in metal rods and hazel sticks to find water. I imagine that some of the creations that have been lovingly put together over 10hours in free taster workshops will be appearing wrapped and ribboned under the tree to be given as unique and cherished gifts.

Part of my role has been to document the success of our learners and this task has been a pleasure to execute. Not only have all our learners been enthusiastic and friendly, many of them keen to find out more about the Epiacum Heritage Project as well as their chosen heritage skill, they have worked hard to produce fantastic objects. Be sure to check out our photo albums on Facebook and videos of workshops on the Epiacum website www.epiacumheritage.org

It is rather shamefaced that I admit that over the course of the past few weeks my vocabulary and knowledge of techniques relating to heritage skills has improved vastly. The first class I observed was Rag Rug making. They worked with hessian, which my only prior experience was as sacks, as in a sack race. So this for one was new to me. They worked with the hessian stretched over the frame and then prodded bits of material through. With a prodder. This, I believe is its technical term. To the untrained eye it looks like an ancient bit of tat you’d find in that box in the garage containing miscellaneous nondescript items. Now my eyes have been trained I can see that this prodder has been specially designed. Likewise, the hook. Not, as I first thought a piece of the dentist display from Beamish, but a tool created for hooking. It all became much clearer once I was familiar with these objects. I’d got the gist of Rag Rug Making- making rugs from rags- easy, even my MTV addled brain can compute that. Hooky and proggy or proddy or whatever however, had been a rather perplexing concept until now. Rag Rug making is a traditional Northumbrian craft and was one of our most popular courses.

The ceramics workshop launched the same day and was also a huge success. Left to create pretty much whatever they wanted, the learners diligently cut up clay and, using the freedom they’d been given made all sorts of objects. This was especially impressive as they made something almost straight away. While next door the learners sat casually chatting, poking rags into sacks for hours before they were anywhere near close to finishing, these learners knocked up pots, vases and sculptures in almost no time at all. Well, at least they made them in no time at all, it would be a while until they were useable, after all, they all had to whacked in the kiln and stuff before they were finished. So not as much instant gratification as I’d first thought.

One workshop that did offer instant gratification was the basketry. Willow weaving means you can make something quickly. The learners made a basket in the first session alone. It was impressive stuff. It was also fairly dangerous. Those willow sticks are lethal in the hands of determined learners. I almost lost an eye more than once as I angled my camera to get a good shot of the action. The learners produced great stuff.

The next workshop I attended was the peg loom weaving. Already the concept of ‘peg’ and ‘loom’, and ‘weaving’ had me pretty much thrown. The concept was simple though. Weave material through a row of dowling until you had enough for a rug, or a wall hanging. The workshop was going well, all the learners using the wool or threads the tutor had brought along. It all changed when they started cutting up clothes. Cutting them up! Into tiny strips. This was unfamiliar territory for me, I can barely handle the grief that comes with donating clothes to the charity shop let alone partake in them being sliced and diced. As one learner pulled out a collection of clothes she’d brought from home I leapt up to the defence of a gorgeous bright orange skirt. Thinking I could perhaps prolong its life even further I reeled off a list of its qualities; “the colour, it’s so fresh”, “it’s fab, you’re really going to cut it up?” and as my outcry’s reached her ears she evidently felt sympathy and bestowed the garment on me, “you take it then” she reasoned, “if you’d rather wear it than see it shredded”. After much pleading (‘oh, I couldn’t, you keep it’) I realised that if I didn’t take it, the skirt would be made into a rug. So I took it. This is just one of the many positive outcomes from attending Heritage Skill Workshops.

I split my day between the peg loom weaving and the felting workshop. I left the peg loomers weaving steadily. It was at a fairly calm relaxed pace that their creations began to take shape. I was struck by a very different picture as I walked into Alston town hall where the felt making was taking place. Discarded clothing was strewn around the room, bodies rocking furiously as they worked up a sweat creating friction between the sheets of wool. With sleeves rolled up these women were really going for it, dowsing the wool with soapy water and scrubbing at it like their life depended on it. They produced felt out of wool (batting?), and then turned the felt into a hat. It came together within minutes. At the start you just have a pile of fluff. Then you have a soggy mess of fluff. Then you have a hat. I was more than impressed. And I felt useful, standing in the toilets advising learners on the angle of their brim, I was in my element. The pride on the faces of our learners was easy to see, as they walked away into the bitterly cold northern night wearing their handcrafted, totally unique hats. They looked great.

I won’t say much about dowsing here, but will refer you to my earlier blog on the subject. Needless to say, I am a convert. I profess profusely to people about the wonders of dowsing whenever I get the chance. I carry dowsing rods in my car. It’s amazing. I encourage everyone to give it a go, and if you’re not sure where to start keep an eye on Epiacum and the future of our very own dowsing society.

All in all the courses were a success. If you took part we would love to hear from you. If you didn’t take part, but think you would like to get involved, keep an eye on Facebook and our website for future events.

Dowsing for Water at Epiacum

“There are thousands of molecules in everything, all vibrating, all singing their own song. Really there’s a symphony going on around us”. This was the sort of conversation that started the day, and I thought I was entirely in the wrong place; all this talk of energies, and lay lines and molecules was a far cry from my usual Saturday morning spent shopping or baking. It wasn’t that I was cynical, in fact I was keen to find a piece of hazel and dowse for water, but the conversation seemed to be leaning towards the mumbo jumbo sort that goes straight over my head and has me reaching for my Topshop card. We spent the first few hours of our Dowsing Skills Workshop gathered around a farmhouse table, munching on scones, slurping tea and listening to our tutor, Deb Bell, explain how she turned following a stick around a field into a career. Deb was refreshingly (dare I say it?) normal. Incredibly down to earth and aware of how her ‘witchy’ powers of water deduction could be misinterpreted, she told stories of fellow dowsers who, much to her disbelief, asked questions out loud in order to find water.

After an introduction to Dowsing, we ventured into Diagon Alley (ok it was the kitchen, but the feeling was the same) to be united with our hazel. Mr Olivander would not have been out of place as we picked up V shaped pieces of hazel to see if we ‘connected’ with them. “It should be like an extension of you” said Deb to nine confused faces trying to find harmony between their fingers and a knobbly bit of wood. Ten minutes later resolute that we had found our personal dowsing rod (dragon tail not available), we confidently strode outside, sure in our belief that an underground maze of water was about to be revealed to us.

And it was. Kind of. For some of us.

 With tension in our rods, we spun a 360 and waited for our wand to react. The reaction came in the form of the rod falling forwards and pointing in the direction of the water. So we followed the line and found ‘centre’, or in other words, we found water. We sensed that beneath our feet, (probably hundreds of feet beneath) water was flowiing. Next with the help of several different reactions from our wands, and a good deal of tromping through a field, we calculated how deep the water was and in which direction it was flowing. All we needed now was a drilling rig to find out if we were correct. Armed with Deb’s perfect track record however, we figured we were onto a good thing.

The women were definitely doing better than the men. The blokes just were not sensing anything. Their rods were not reacting at all. That is until they decided to blame the tools, and discarded the hazel wands in favour of metal sticks. Being the industrious sort they scoured the area for wire, which they found, one of them produced pliers from the boot of his car and fashioned metal dowsing wands. Suddenly the chaps were responding all over the place, rods positively flailing in every direction.

Now everyone was pretty much on their way to dowsing success, and confident in the sense of the stick the group began to disperse in every direction through the fields in find of water. One look from a passerby, or even just a group member, momentarily detached would have observed a ridiculous sight: nine grown adults and a dog traipsing through a farm on the faith of a flinching hazel. Luckily I have it on video.

The day was a resolute success. Everybody (dog included) thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and are keenly looking forward to the next session when we will pinpoint the direct source of water for use in the Epiacum Visitor Centre.  

Working Party Tidy The Bastle House

This afternoon Laureen, Jude and Noel, all Friends of Epiacum, kindly joined Alastair and I to tidy up around the Bastle House.  We've spent a few hours each and what a difference it has made.  Nettles, grass, weeds, etc have all but disappeared and it generally looks much better.

                                 Laureen gets down on hands and knees!
                                       

                                 Alastair, Jude and Noel get stuck in!

                                 And, one area showing the finished result!

Don't worry if you missed today - there will be many more "working party" days in the future!

Thanks to everyone - Judith.
                                       

Fort First Aid

A group of us involved in the project: a director, some from the steering group and some of the Friends, have just been on a two day first Aid Course covering First Aid in Remote Locations. We had a very good time, learnt a lot about how to be good 'First Aiders' and had a laugh as well.

To end the two days Alistair, our instructor, took us outside and we 'role-played' a few scenarios - great fun.

The pictures here tell some of the story, but most importantly anyone visiting Epiacum can be confident that they will be safely looked after....in fact if you make a visit and stand still for too long you may find one of us bandaging and rescuing you, just for the practice!

The recovery position......looks like the farms plastic feed bags are going to come in useful as shelters to keep any casualties dry.

I wonder if the actors in the TV programme 'Casualty' have to practice this too?

Poor Elaine.....a head injury, a neck injury, a hand injury and stabbed in the leg with a marker pen...she's not having a good day.

Judging by the expressions there is not much we can do for this casualty....you can't win them all!

The course was run by Alistair Myers of North Pennines Training and Adventure (see http://www.np-ta.com/ ) and we based ourselves at the Cairns Community Centre near Slaggyford.
Alistair was a great course leader and we would all recommend his services.

Paul

Family Fun - Day 2

 Tom Feely of the Ermine Street Guard helped to bring Epiacum to life on Day 2 of the "Family Fun @ the Fort" event, with his realistic interpretation of life in the Roman Army at Epiacum. Visitors met him high up on Epiacum, where he stood on the Southern turret remains looking out to the landscape of the North Pennines, "on watch" for any foolhardy people who might attack the mighty Epiacum fort. Stories of life in the Roman Army kept visitors enthralled and lots of the younger visitors loved having their photos taken with our special guest.

 Working away in the marquee, under the watchful eye of Sue Sharp and Paul Mercer, visitors learned about old age industries such as coin making and learned about how the Romans made slingshot. Paul explained that the Romans used to make "thumb shaped" shot from lead as the biggest insult in Roman times was to point your thumb at someone, so they used to use thumb moulds to literally sling at their attackers. We used pewter, but it made very effective (and shiny) moulds. And with as bit of Science teaching thrown in, hopefully they remembered their school lessons during the school holidays!!

Sue showed visitors how to make celtic jewellery, using aluminium wire to shape into symbols representing "air" "water" and the "sun and moon". She explained some of the beliefs and customs of the celtic people who would have lived here before the Romans arrived.
The marquee was a very popular place to be and everyone gathered here for our final session of the event - a storytelling/ role play session with Paul entitled "The Life and Death of a Roman Soldier"

Using (willing) volunteers, Paul re-enacted a Roman burial, set, like all good stories, in the context of love!!! The audience were entertained with the story of a "love match" between a mighty Roman soldier and a Brigantian maiden - and their ultimate parting through death.

Paul explained how Romans buried thier loved ones with many significant items, such as food and drink, their weapons, money (to pay the ferryman to take them to their afterlife) and sentimental items .

Finally, he demonstrated how, in modern times, graves are excavated and together we debated what would have remained of this roman grave.

 

A great event, with lots of learning and plenty of fun!! Feedback was fantastic............we will be back with more fun @ the fort in the coming months!

Massive thanks to everyone who made the event possible - there was lots of work behind the scenes in planning and preparation as well as in delivering.

Family Fun @ the Fort - Aug 2012

What a FANTASTIC day of Family Fun  we had today, with 34 children and 20 adults on site who were all keen to explore the roman fort and learn more about this unique site.  We had visitors who were in the area on holiday, local people and people from the wider area.

Paul Mercer showed the children how the Romans would have made coins and even made some pewter "thumb moulds".  He explained that the biggest insult in Roman times was to put your thumb up at someone, so they used to make thumb moulds for their slingshot, (this also proved to be a good science lesson about liquids and solids!)  Sue Sharp made Celtic jewellery, explaining to the children about some of the mysticism around Celtic beliefs.

John Sadler of the Time Bandits came along suitably dressed as a medieval man and demonstrated some sword play to the visitors and kept adults and children alike engaged with stories of days gone by.

The Roman Ramble up on to Epiacum proved a popular activity.  The trail had been laid around the fort with questions to answer and key facts about Epiacum.  Prizes were distributed to everyone who found the "mystery word" from the clues!

The Journal newspaper were here to cover the day and to catch up with progress of the project and we look forward to reading about that later in the week.

Fun continues tomorrow (22 Aug) - more of the same plus some role play and story telling!! 

Great to meet new people today and to (yet again) hear the enthusaism for the site from people who were first time visitors!!  

Elaine

Epiacum Display at Alston Aspire

An information display about Epiacum is on view at Alston Aspire - South Court of St. Augustines Church in Alston until 30th September, 2012.  Why not pop along if you are in the area.

Judith.

Mrs Epiacum !!

This Roman Lady watched over proceedings at the official Epic Epiacum Launch on 22nd May, 2012.
Judith.

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