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Helen J

@helgaj.bsky.social

Community arts, heritage and archaeology. Was on the Thames, now in Cumbria. She/her.

191 Posts529 Follower 1200 Folgt

Dr Katharine Jewitt (She/Her)@drkatharinejewitt.bsky.social · 5d ago

Incredible sight: Brioc, a replica high medieval leather boat, has sailed from Brittany all the way round England, Wales and now Scotland. The crew navigate, dress and cook exactly as their medieval counterparts would have⛵️ bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0n259yx7no

Pete Savin @petesavin.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Jan and Ollie recording the outer wall of the 3rd century AD Roman building at #Carlisle cricket club. You have three days left to visit for a tour before we finish for this excavation period and the site is reburied. #archaeology #Hadrianswall #Cumbria

London Archaeologist @londonarchaeo.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Join us at the London Archaeologist AGM and Annual Lecture, 21 May 2026, 7pm Institute of Archaeology, London or on Zoom. This year's Annual Lecture: Discoveries from 50 Fenchurch Street including Roman Pottery findings Jessica Bryan, Vincenzo Castaldo and Isabelle Diggle

Overhead view of the excavations at 50 Fenchurch Street, a trapezoid shaped city block filled with construction machines and tiny archaeologists in hi viz, clustered around a medieval church tower in on corner of the site. The site is overshadowed by tall buildings on all sides.

Dr Claire Millington ✍🏻🏺@clairemillington.bsky.social · 3mo ago

This is such a fabulous find. I love the focus on where it was made - frontiers were full of people who were not soldiers. I write a little about these bowls in my new book - published next week - in a chapter about the craftsmen and women at Hadrian's Wall www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/t...

This Souvenir Bowl May Have Commemorated an Ancient Roman Soldier's Service at Hadrian's Wall. It Was Discovered on a Spanish Farm 1,900 Years Later

The artifact is decorated with an illustration of the defensive fortification in northern England, but it was unearthed some 1,200 miles away. A new study suggests the design reflects a soldier’s achi...

smithsonianmag.com

Ed Henderson @dredhenderson.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Often after visiting Workington, I look at the work of Sheila Fell (1931-1979) who was from nearby Aspatria and painted scenes from this north western part of Cumbria. Sheila was helped by LS Lowry early in her career.

National Trust Archaeology @nattrustarch.bsky.social · 3mo ago

*NEWS* Over the past 2 years, a team of archaeologists has been exploring Bodiam in E Sussex. Last year, there were several notable finds, including the surviving ‘backside’ of a #Roman pipeclay Venus figurine, nicknamed the ‘Bodiam Bum’. #Bodiam100 #FindsFriday 📷Ellis Briley, Lucy Evans

Dr Claire Millington ✍🏻🏺@clairemillington.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Tfw you hear your book is now at the printers! Available from good bookshops and libraries (feel free to ask yours to order it). (Shameless promotion via #RomanFortThursday) www.amberley-books.com/roman-life-o...

Book cover. Image is a grassy landscape of a rocky promontory stretching to the horizon with a stone wall snaking up it to the right. The sky above is dramatic grey clouds. In the foreground to the right is superimposed a stone statue of a seated man wearing draped robes. The book title Roman Life on Hadrian's Wall and author's name Claire Millington are prominent.

Ed Henderson @dredhenderson.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Senhouse Museum at the site of Alauna Roman Fort, Maryport, Cumbria. The fort was established around AD 122, for the coastal defences of Hadrian's Wall at its western extremity. The museum building was originally constructed by the Admiralty in 1885 as a gunnery training centre. #RomanFortThursday

London Archaeologist @londonarchaeo.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Nominations are open for the London Archaeological Prize! If you’ve read – or written – a great piece of work about London's archaeology over the past two years, why not enter it for this prestigious award? Deadline: 20th May 2026 Nomination form here www.londonarchaeologist.org.uk/london-archa...

London Archaeology Prize information image. Text in image says "For the best digital or print publication about London's archaeology in 2024 and 2025. £300 cash prize and award nomination certificate. Download a nomination form from www.londonarchaeologist.org.uk/ Deadline for nominations Wednesdayt, 20th May 2026

Dr Eleri Cousins @elericousins.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Come work with me and the amazing Frances McIntosh on disentangling late Roman Corbridge! Applications welcome from different career stages and backgrounds - full details in the link below. #RomanBritain #Archaeology #PhD🏺

Durham Archaeology@arcdurham.bsky.social · 4mo ago

📣Applications now open for a fully-funded AHRC PhD studentship at Durham on ‘Corbridge Roman Town: Economy and Society on the Edges of Roman Britain’, in partnership with English Heritage! 📅Deadline for applications: 1st of June 2026. 👉Find out more: www.durham.ac.uk/departments/... #DUresearch

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Helen J @helgaj.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Here's Penrith before the motorway/bypass....

A black and white photo of the Narrows in Penrith with a very, very long and wide tank being carefully manoeuvred around the town clock. Crowds of pedestrians look on.

Mike@mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 4mo ago

The brochure for the Official Opening of the Penrith By-Pass Section of the M6 Motorway on 7 November 1968; an isolated section when completed awaiting the Shap section to the south & onwards to Carlisle in the North. @roads.org.uk @sabre-roads.org.uk @showmeasign.online ↘️ flic.kr/p/2s6B7m8

Birmingham - Preston - Penrith - Carlisle Motorway M6 : Penrith By-Pass Section : Official Opening : 7 November 1968. The brochure issued by the Agent Authority - Cumberland County Council - for the official opening of the Penrith By-Pass section of the M6 Motorway that took place on 7 November 1968. The even seems to have had a relatively low key official at the event; R.C. Brown MP, a Joint Parliamentary Secretary in the Mininstry of Transport. This section of motorway saw construction commence on 1 November 1966 with a Contract period of two years and three months and it appears that they achieved the works in just under two years.

The Contract included the section of the M6 from a temporary junction with a realigned A6 at Hackthorpe in Westmorland and running north to the west of Penrith to another temporary finishing point at Catterlen; from here the B5305 became the link east to the existing A6 at Stoneybeck. Later the northern section onwards to Carlisle and the Border would be completed along with the southern Shap section. The work included the two level junction seen on the cover where realigned sections of the A66 and A592 creating a southern by-pass to the town met the Motorway. Interestingly the brochure mentions that a bypass to Penrith was first mooted in 1930; a pre-war traffic figure of 4,000 through vehicles (per 16 hours) had risen to 25,000 per 24 hours by 1962 and, when the M6 opened, these figures had risen to 30,000 vehicles per 24 hours. All this traffic passed directly through Penrith's relatively small town centre where the main street was the A6 trunk road, the main West Coast road link between England and Scotland.

The brochure gives details of the construction work, including the various bridges that included two major crossings of the West Coast Main Line railway; one of the bridges mentioned here, at Clifton, has just been replaced in a major project to manage a now life expired structure.

Mike @mikeyashworth.bsky.social · 4mo ago

The Castle Studies Trust @castlestudies.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Everyone has heard of a dig diary, well how about a building survey diary as Tom Addyman gives an update of his and his team's first visit to survey the inner ward of Cockermouth Castle. They've already made intriguing discoveries. Read here to learn more: castlestudiestrust.org/blog/2026/04...

Lloyd's Register Foundation Heritage Centre @lrfheritage.bsky.social · 4mo ago

💫History of the Port of London, Race, Religion and Empire: Exhibition Launch 💫 📍 Lloyd's Register Building, 71 Fenchurch Street, London. EC3M 4BS. 🗓️ Friday, May 1st. 5:30pm - 7pm. Get your tickets: ticketpass.org/event/EBVOMP...

European Space Agency @esa.int · 4mo ago

😮 Awesome views from Day 2 of #Artemis II this morning. @exploration.esa.int @esaearth.esa.int

Spectacular high-resolution image of our home planet viewed through the Orion Crew Module window by the Artemis II astronauts as they continue their journey to the Moon on Flight Day 2, 3 April 2026 (pic: NASA)

A full disc image of Earth, as seen from the Orion Crew Module. The planet is a pale blue, swirling with white clouds and glowing slightly lighter blue in place from reflected light. At lower left, a large brown landmass is Africa, with Spain and Portugal with twinkling lights where the planet curves. At top right, auroras glow in a thin green glow, just barely separated from the planet's surface. Earth is set against the black of space (pic: NASA/R.Wiseman)

Helen J @helgaj.bsky.social · 5mo ago

A couple of talks I'm doing in the next few weeks... On Friday I'm talking about the Lost Pubs of Cockermouth at Cockermouth Library, 2pm (might be fully booked, but I'll be doing it again as a guided walk in the summer with Kirkgate Arts and Heritage)

Poorly colourised black and white photo of the Blue Bell Inn Cockermouth. Probably dating from the early 20th century, showing the pub, a traditional Cumbrian stone built town building. Outside there is a large number of beer barrels laid out on the pavement, with men in work wear standing next to them and sitting on them. There is also a small baby sitting on a barrel and a hound dog

Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick @mrcwarwick.bsky.social · 5mo ago

'Beer on Board' During the Second World War military minds turned to the problem of beer. The MRC's Rachel MacGregor @anoldhand.bsky.social writes on the Allies' plans to launch a floating brewery, as well as Anglo-American tensions over warm beer / chilled lager, at warwick.ac.uk/services/lib...

Brewers' Society advert, May 1940. It includes a cartoon of an army officer tasting the contents of a large cooking pot, whilst an army cook and other soldiers watch.
Caption: 'Very nice... very tasty... . It has often been repeated that the English take their pleasures sadly. On the other hand, it is quite certain that they take their troubles light-heartedly. More jokes and laughs have come from radio and music-hall in eight months of war than in eight years of peace. And it is in the English pub that you will find the headquarters of our light-hearted good fellowship. The pub is a cheerful place, and the war has shewn it to be so. Besides, in the pub there is beer - mild or bitter, ale or stout. The drink of our own land! Made only of good things - barley malt, hops, yeast, sugar and the clear waters of Britain's springs. For good health stick to beer. Beer is best.'

Josh Luke Davis 🏳️‍🌈@joshlukedavis.com · 5mo ago

'The length of the path isn't really the point. What makes it so special, says [Neil Constable, who led the project for Natural England], is that you can walk to the coast anywhere in England, turn left or right, and walk beside the sea for as long as you like.' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

World's longest coastal path opens in England to the public

The King Charles coastal path will allow walkers right of access to the entire coast for the first time.

bbc.co.uk

Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 5mo ago

#TraceryTuesday @carlislecathedral.bsky.social east window has some of finest, most complex, flowing decorated late Gothic tracery anywhere: named UK's fave stained glass window Feb 2026. Completed by c.1350 in Cathedral rebuilding after disastrous 1292 fire. 56' x 26' w medieval glass in top part.

Carlisle Cathedral’s East Window was named the Nation’s Favourite Stained Glass Window, in competition organised by the Association of English Cathedrals (AEC). Field was narrowed down from stained-glass window from each of the 42 English Cathedrals, with the top 12 going into the final. Public vote then settled on Carlisle in February 2026.
The view is through the choir to the east end, with light shining in on arches to the north. The altar stands before the east window.
It is thought to be the work of Ivo de Ragheton, who was also responsible for the west front of York Minster. Over 50 feet high it retains some of its original 14th-century glass in the tracery at the top of the window. In flowing decorated style, that section features the Last Judgement of Christ. In the main section below is the Life of Christ, designed by Hardman & Co and installed in 1861 in memory of Bishop Hugh Percy.

Elizabeth Tutty @tutty352.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Some nice details like the mass dials incorporated into an outside window.

Elizabeth Tutty @tutty352.bsky.social · 5mo ago

St Michael’s and All Angels, Isel near Cockermouth dates from 1130 and probably stands on an earlier foundation. A Norman chancel arch, windows and door remain and other additions were made in medieval times. A reordering took place in 1878 observing the Norman core of the building.

Helen J @helgaj.bsky.social · 5mo ago

You can watch the stream on YouTube if you aren't in London...

Royal Archaeological Institute@royalarchinst.bsky.social · 5mo ago

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐬, 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐚𝐭 𝟓 𝐩𝐦 Dr Tony Wilmott will be presenting our next lecture on 'A small town on Hadrian's Wall? - the extramural settlement and bathhouse at Birdoswald’. At Burlington House and on youtu.be/a87uR2-M3Go Non-members are welcome - just contact us to join the guest list.

Helen J @helgaj.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Still annoyed they didn't find the ring I lost in 1997...

Antiquity Journal@antiquity.ac.uk · 5mo ago

Enjoying a treat this #NationalSnackDay? Don't forget to dispose of your waste! Archaeological survey at the Iron Age hillfort of Castell Henllys found lots of plastic waste from modern visits, suggesting we now live in the 'Plastic Age'. 🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy... #HillfortsWednesday🏺#Archaeology

Pete Savin @petesavin.bsky.social · 5mo ago

So proud to be part of the Uncovering Roman Carlisle team as we won the award for research project of the year at @CurrentArchaeo live today #Carlisle #Archaeology

Andrew Locking @andrews-walks.bsky.social · 5mo ago

After 2 days of non-stop rain, water, water everywhere on today's walk around Buttermere

Helen J @helgaj.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Please, won't somebody think of this poor cat and how perilously empty his food bowls are? How will he survive the next 2 - 2.5 hours before he is fed again?

A large black cat sits next to a line of food bowls looking plaintively up at the camera person. For the sake of transparency, from left to right, the first bowl is a water bowl, the second is empty but has clear signs that it once contained breakfast which has been eaten. The next one has an admittedly small amount of biscuits in the bottom, as they have been mostly eaten. The final bowl has the leftover remains of about half a packet of wet food, it was turkey flavour, which is not the worst flavour (that would be tuna), but it's not his favourite.

Helen J @helgaj.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Been back looking for the Roman fort at Drumburgh on the Solway with Grampus Heritage. Did we find it? No! But it's definitely here somewhere, we found bits of the vicus settlement next to the fort. So many lovely finds despite the mud, ice and freezing east wind #archaeology #cumbria #hadrianswall

An open archaeology excavation of a large cobbled surface sitting over a series of ditches and wall slots.

Trays of Roman pottery and glass drying in a wooden hut

A very worn broken piece of a decorated Samian ware bowl, with what looks like a running hare

The broken base of a Samian ware vessel, with scratched marks that might be a name.

Helen J @helgaj.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Snowy fells from Latrigg today #cumbria #lakedistrict

View from a fell over looking Keswick and Derwent water. The sky is clear bright blue, and the distant fells have snow on their tops

Looking across a snowy fellside towards Skiddaw which has a line of snow on its top

Sheep grazing on a fellside with snow covered high fells in the distance

Looking across the fellside towards Great Dodd and Helvellyn in the distance, covered in deep snow.

Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Interesting map of ownership of enslaved people - currently dipping into involvement in slave trade in the Irish Sea in the 18th century, especially #Cumbria #blackhistory #history will do a few posts in coming days www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/maps/bri...