Unlocking the Landscape - Archaeological Excavations at Ashford Prison, Middlesex: PCA Pre-Construct Archaeology Monograph No. 5 by Tim Carew, Frank Meddens, Barry Bishop and Victoria Ridgeway. Due April 2006
The site of Ashford Prison, in Middlesex, sits immediately north of the River Ash. The area is low -lying and was traversed by tributaries of the Ash. From early prehistory transient groups of hunter-gatherers visited the area, perhaps only stopping for long enough to repair a toolkit, or manufacture a handful of new blades. However, by the Neolithic, this small promontory of slightly elevated land, defined and enclosed by water, became the focus of deliberate visits. In time a ditched monument was constructed, initially perhaps a segmented or partially open circle, over time this became fully enclosed and surrounded by a continuous ditch, ultimately being marked by a series of pits, or arguably more probably upright posts; a further screen of posts was constructed towards its centre and ditches were created running towards it from the southwest and northeast. This monument and its ditches may thus have controlled the area of land to the east, contained by the watercourses. In the Bronze Age an extensive field system was constructed across the west London gravel terraces, and the excavations here revealed parts of that. Ditches were excavated representing land divisions, geared towards the control of livestock, perhaps brought to graze on the lush pastureland of the valleys during summer months. There appears to be a hiatus in activity, there is little evidence for exploitation of the area until the Middle Iron Age, then a few roundhouses were built, pits were dug, food stores constructed. The Neolithic monument apparently continued to be revered and towards the end of this settlement phase, one of the latest structures to be built was constructed close to the earlier ring-ditch but facing away from it, in direct contrast to the other buildings on site and established practices of the period. Following the Roman conquest further ditches were dug, again forming part of a wider exploitation of the terraces. Although a single building is noted which may date to the Saxon period, after this intensity of exploitation the area remained little utilized until the construction of buildings in the 19th Century; initially an orphans’ residential school, then a youth remand centre, and briefly a prison, before this was closed in 1988. The publication details the results of archaeological excavations, incorporating detailed reports on the artefacts recovered and environmental background to the area. A concluding chapter discusses the findings within the broader context of the prehistory of the West London Terraces.

Rocks of Aberconwy - A Beginner's Guide to the Geology of the Llandudno-Conwy area, including the Great Orme by Geoffrey David
Due May/June 2006
This is a “beginner’s guide” to the geology of the Aberconwy district of North Wales extending from Llandudno in the North to Llanroust in the South and from Penmaenmawr in the west to Colwyn Bay in the east. This area is exceptionally noted for different types of rocks and formation of geological processes. After the first chapter, which introduces and explains the local Geological Map, the remaining chapters cover Igneous Rocks, Folding and Faulting, Sedimentary Rocks, The Legacy of the Ice Age and Rocks and the Human story including the Neolithic axe factory near Penmaenmawr and the Bronze Age copper mine at Great Orme, all with detailed descriptions and explanations of local examples. There is also a short Epilogue to help encourage readers from others parts of Britain to take a similar interest in the geology of their local environment.

Almshouses in the West Riding of Yorkshire 1600-1900 by Helen Caffrey
Due June/July 2006
This investigation into almhouses, charities for the residential care of the elderly poor, is based on detailed evidence from the historic county of the West Riding. The three centuries covered, 1600-1900, show the changes and continuities of the period between the Reformation and the Welfare State. A broader historical chapter sets these changes in context, from medieval origins to current concerns. The buildings are considered architectually and functionally for their evidence into contemporary attitudes to the elderly poor and for the messages they conveyed to their local communities. Wherever available, documentry sources have been integrated to support the conclusions drawn. Aspects such as financial provision, selection criteria, the role of trusteees and, of course the residents themselves, complete the discussion of the almshouses package of care. The fully illustrated directory lists all the known almshouses for the county, with the location of those buildings still present. Entries are referenced and a bibliography indicated sources for those interested in reading more about a hitherto neglected, yet topical, subject.

Ruins Reused: Changing Attitudes to Ruins from the Late 18th Century - by Michael Thompson
Due Early April 2006
This book marks a return to an interest in ruins that the author had when he wrote on the subject in 1981. This time the interest is in the development of an active relationship between the public and ruins as to how they can be preserved and used.
It employs the surviving diaries of Richard Colt Hoare to show how his journeys in search of the picturesque he became interested in the story that ruins could reveal. Following the effect of the religious revival and outburst of “restoration” the reacti0on led by Ruskin and Morris is discussed and its influence on treatment of ruins. The intervention by Lubbock influenced by Darwin and the State became involved. The factors leading up to the 1913 Act and more particularly the part played by Lord Curzon who had made this his chief mission as Viceroy of India are discussed. The full-scale involvement of the state of ruins under the guidance of Sir Charles Peers concludes this part of the book with a chapter on Intelligibility with discussion of restoration in particular follows. The threads are drawn together in a concluding chapter. The very close relationship of “ruinology” to archaeology is evident, the first leading to the second.

Whitehall Roman Villa - The Romanisation of a Landscape by Steve Young
Due Late August 2006
This is an account of the preliminary fieldwork and subsequent excavation of the Romano-British Villa complex at Whitehall Farm, Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire. It outlines the chronology and layout of the site and provides a detailed description of the buildings and features of the settlement revealed during the first phase of excavation between the years 2000-2004. The discoveries made at Whitehall have enabled us to reconstruct the development of the villa complex from its origins as a native farmstead during the early to mid 2nd century AD to a sophisticated country estate with a substantial villa range and bath-house of the late 3rd to early 4th century AD. Whitehall typifies local settlement and is one of several latifundia that flourished and was dominant in the local landscape in the late Roman period. The material and structural evidence for continuity of occupation during the Post Roman period of late Antiquity in the 5th century will also be considered and its importance explained. All of the evidence from Whitehall in conjunction with some recent survey work carried out on neighbouring settlements will be used to place the findings in a wider regional context. Diligent fieldwork has shown that the Romanisation of this area has a distinctive profile that not only enables us to speculate on the economic and social aspects of a rural Roman landscape but also offers us the opportunity to explore innovative methodological approaches for future research of the area.

The Building of the Green Valley - The Reconstruction of a 17th Century Rural Landscape by Stuart Peachey
Due May 2006.
The 18 year story of the construction of the 17^th century historical landscape used in the BBC2 series Tales from the Green Valley. This is at one level the tale of a bizarre social project carried out by nearly 400 muscular historians, anarchist paramilitaries, international volunteers from 27 countries, cavers and mountain climbers of all ages. At another it is the detailed account of the achievement over a substantial timescale of a valuable experimental history project, with wide educational and research applications, on a minimal budget. It catalogues a unique restoration of a derelict historic farmed landscape from buildings and orchards to woodlands and weed patterns and its management on a social farming basis with livestock cooperatives and adopted orchards.

Price - To be Established

Medieval Life on Romney Marsh Kent: Archaeological Discoveries From Around Lydd by Luke Barber. University College London Field Archaeology & English Heritage. 48pp, lots of colour illustrations. Due February 2006.

Expected Price £4.95 - 15th February 2006

Sceatta's - An Illustrated Guide by Tony Abramson, one of the leading experts on this subject, 180pp, packed with lots of b/w illustrations and figures. Due February 2006

Expected Price £24.95 - 28th February 2006

The Nailsea Glassworks, Nailsea, North Somerset by Andrew Smith, Avon Archaeological Unit. 250 plus pages, colour & b/w illustrations. Due March 2006.

Expected Price £25.00

From Villa to Village - Proceedings of a Conference held by the Upper Nene Archaeological Society, April 2005 - edited by Roy & Liz Friendship-Taylor. Ten papers discussing the villa's, estates etc. towards the end of the Roman Period. Due Late Spring 2005.

It seeks to draw together new evidence for an enigmatic and much-debated period, the transition from Roman Britain to Anglo-Saxon Britain, looking at some of the wealth of current research, which is changing our perception of this period and exploding some of the myths which have long held sway. 
Professor William Bowden (University of Reading) and Professor Anthony King (University of Winchester) discuss their respective research in Italy, on the end of the villa and the birth of the village there, a valuable backdrop to the predominantly British picture that follows.   
Dr. David Neal looks at the evidence from late Roman mosaics.  Regional studies are represented by Dr. Mark Corney (University of Bristol), on “ Villa economy & landscape continuity: investigations around Bradford-on-Avon”; David Rudling (University of Sussex) discusses his extensive work on “Late Romano-British settlements in the Sussex Ouse Valley”; Michael Hawkes (University of Leicester): “Continuity & proximity in the villa landscape of the East Midlands in the transitional Romano-British & Anglo-Saxon period”; Professor Stephen Upex (University of Brunei): “Roman villas into medieval villages: the evidence from the Lower Nene Valley”; Rod Mackey discusses the evidence from East Yorkshire and Tony Wilmott (English Heritage), findings in the north-western extremity of the Roman Empire, in the Hadrian’s Wall area.  Individual sites, which offer evidence, are analysed by Bob Zeepvat (Archaeological Services & Consultancy Ltd): Bancroft Roman Villa, Milton Keynes and, Piddington Roman Villa, Northamptonshire, where the remains of a wealthy Roman villa became home to a number of distinctive ‘family groups’ in the 4^th and 5^th centuries - and where the concept of the conference was born - is described by Roy Friendship-Taylor.  The Proceedings are drawn together by Dr. Simon Esmonde Cleary into a cohesive re-assessment of this period.

Beaker Domestic Sites in the Fen Edge and East Anglia by Helen Bamford. East Anglian Archaeology No. 16, 1982 - reprint in association with East Anglian Archaeology. 162pp, b/w illustrations. Due March 2006.

Expected Price £22.50

Problems of Pagan and Christian Iconography in Early Medieval Scandinavian Art with Particular Reference to the Volsung Culture by The Late Dr. Sue Margeson, edited Dr. Tim Pestell. Due Late Spring 2006

West Stow - The Anglo-Saxon Village by Stanley West. East Anglian Archaeology No. 24, 1985 - reprint in association with East Anglian Archaeology. Two Volumes: Text - Figures and Plates. 186pp, 305 figs, b/w illustrations, some folding, we are pleased to be reprinting this hard to obtain report. Due late Spring 2006

Expected Price £45.00

Ritual Landscapes of Roman South-East England - edited by D. Rudling, Sussex University. Ten papers - Proceedings of the Council for British Archaeology - South East conference 2002. Due Late Spring 2006

The Achievements, Status and Future of Aggregate Extraction Related Archaeology in England by Dr. Tony Brown, Exeter University, School of Geography, Archaeology and Earth Resources. A Report Prepared for English Heritage Supported by the Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund. Due Summer 2006