We DIG Wollaton Park (2021 - 2024)
We DIG Wollaton Park was an archaeological training project, delivered by York Archaeology in partnership with Nottingham City Council and the University of Nottingham. It ran between 2021 and 2024 and combined archaeological research with hands-on training and public engagement.
The project explored how Wollaton Park changed over time, from farmland to a designed landscape and later a public park. It also gave people the opportunity to take part in real archaeological fieldwork and learn new skills.
About the Project
Wollaton Park is home to Wollaton Hall, a Grade I listed building built between 1580 and 1588 for Sir Francis Willoughby.
The wider park was the focus of a long-running research programme developed with project partners. Together, we aimed to understand how the landscape was designed, used, and changed over time.
The project also helped people gain experience in archaeology through training, fieldwork, and public engagement.
How the project worked
We DIG Wollaton Park ran as a paid training programme offering hands-on archaeological experience. Participants joined one-day or week-long courses where they learned practical archaeological skills used in professional archaeology, including excavation, surveying, and recording.
Because of the technical nature of the work, participants were aged 16 and over. Some 14–15 year olds took part when accompanied by an adult. The project also supported students and early-career archaeologists looking for field experience.
What we did
Across the project, teams used a mix of archaeological survey and excavation to investigate the park. Non-invasive surveys identified buried features before excavation began. These techniques showed evidence of paths, garden layouts, and possible structures beneath the surface.
Targeted excavations then explored key areas in more detail, focusing on features identified in earlier surveys.
What we discovered
Work across the park revealed a long history of landscape change. Key discoveries included:
- remains of earlier garden paths and surfaces
- a rock-cut terrace linked to major 18th-century landscaping
- possible structural remains, including wall foundations
- garden features such as pits, ditches, and planting areas
- artefacts including pottery, clay pipes, brick, tile, and reused materials
These findings helped build a clearer picture of how Wollaton Park evolved over time and how different generations shaped the landscape.
Survey and excavation highlights
Geophysical survey work covered large areas of the park and identified a range of buried features without excavation.
Excavations then focused on selected areas, including former garden spaces and terraces. These revealed multiple phases of landscaping, showing how the park was redesigned and reused over centuries.
The results suggested that Wollaton Park contains well-preserved remains of historic garden layouts beneath the modern landscape.
Finds
The project provided hands-on archaeological training. Participants gained experience in:
- excavation and recording
- survey and mapping techniques
- finds processing and identification
- teamwork in field archaeology.
The project helped many people take their first steps into archaeology and explore future career paths.
Public engagement
The project included public engagement activities, including an open day attended by more than 150 visitors. Visitors were able to see excavation areas, explore survey results, and learn about discoveries from the project.
Later seasons
The project developed across multiple seasons, each building on earlier discoveries.
2022
Excavation continued at Wollaton Park, focusing on terraces, walls, and garden features first identified in 2021.
2023
Work focused on the origins of the formal gardens. Excavation revealed early garden features and a brick wall aligned with earlier structures. Archaeobotany was also introduced.
2024
A dedicated training programme was added, including geophysical survey techniques such as GPR and LiDAR. Participants continued to refine interpretations of the buried landscape.
Looking ahead
The results from We DIG Wollaton Park have shown that the park still holds significant archaeological potential.
Future work at Wollaton Park could build on these discoveries, opening up new opportunities for excavation, training, and public involvement.