Nine pupils from Brecon High School have launched a new publication, ‘A Line Through Time’, during a special school assembly. The booklet is full of information about the archaeological discoveries made during the installation of the gas pipeline that goes through the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. The pupils were joined by Nigel Blackamore, Senior Curator at Brecknock Museum & Art Gallery who brought along a 4’000 year old halberd, one of the rarest finds recovered during the pipeline construction work at a ring ditch near Trecastle.
The Milford Haven to Brecon gas pipeline was installed across a section of the National Park in 2005-7 by the National Grid. The land has long since been returned to normal but what was found during archaeological excavations some 10 years ago can now being shared, revealing the history that was hidden beneath the surface. Cotswold Archaeology, who excavated most of the archaeological sites along the route, were commissioned by the National Grid to write up the discoveries, making them accessible to local communities and school children. The Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority’s Public Engagement Team who assisted Cotswold Archaeology in producing the booklet, approached Brecon High School to offer them an unique learning opportunity in being the first school to engage with the findings. Pupils from year’s seven and eight worked with Authority staff to research and put together an engaging presentation. This was brilliantly presented by Jenna Welch, Kelsey Bonnar, Jack Prytherch, Ryan Williams, Shauna Evans, Cerys Beckett, Dylan Rees, Gwenlian Kenchington and Charlie Harries to their fellow pupils at the school assembly.
Mr R Broadbridge, Headteacher at Brecon High School who attended the assembly said;
“Thank you to the National Park Authority for getting us involved in this exciting launch and to Brecknock Museum for bringing an important artefact for the pupils to see. Giving pupils the opportunity to learn about the history of the place in which they live and encouraging them to share those learnings has been a rewarding experience for all involved.”
Senior Curator at Brecknock Museum & Art Gallery, Nigel Blackamore, added;
“The halberd, which is an Early Bronze Age weapon was found during one of the discovery digs at Trecastle. This is its first public appearance and on behalf of the museum I would like to thank the pupils for their excellent presentation, I am very impressed by their level of research. We hope everyone will visit the Museum when it opens in 2018 to see more of the objects that will be displayed there.”
National Park Authority Historical & Cultural Heritage Member Champion, Mr Julian Stedman commented;
“I am pleased that the discoveries from the installation of the pipeline have now been published and are available to everyone in this illustrated booklet. A lot of communities within the National Park are curious about what was discovered during the works and it is important that this historical information is now accessible to them.”
Copies of the booklet ‘A Line Through Time: archaeological discoveries in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park during the installation of the Milford Haven to Brecon gas pipeline’, are freely available at the National Park Visitor Centre near Libanus, Craig y nos Country Park and the National Park Head Offices in Brecon whilst stocks last.
They are also free to view and download from Cotswold Archaeology’s website http://cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk/publication/a-line-through-time/ More detailed reports on the individual sites are also available via Cotswold Archaeology’s website http://reports.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk/ and will be summarised in a forthcoming monograph.
ENDS