Clumber House Rediscover!

Built between 1760 and 1770 for the 2nd Duke of Newcastle, Clumber House was considered one of the finest non-royal houses in England.

Using parchmarks (areas of dry or discoloured grass that reveal buried structures), historic maps, and a resistivity survey (which measures soil resistance to locate underground features), we identified areas of interest. The trenches were placed over the locations of the kitchen and butler’s pantries, the Grand Hall, the South Corridor, and the internal partition between the Yellow Drawing Room and the Small Dining Room.

Over the six-day excavation, National Trust volunteers learned essential archaeological skills, including:

• excavating soil,
• sieve spoil to recover small objects,
• draw sections and plans
• photograph features and sections,
• taking levels for accurate records,
• reinstating trenches 
• processing finds of different ages and types.

The hands-on experience gave volunteers a better understanding of the site and a strong sense of achievement and ownership of the site. 

Throughout the dig, we provided site tours and interactive activities. At the end of the excavation, we delivered a presentation explaining the results, helping volunteers understand the discoveries they uncovered.