CBA East Talk: Clare Castle: three seasons of archaeological community excavations.

As a result of a National Lottery Heritage Fund award, the trustees of Clare Castle Country Park, Suffolk, were able to carry out three seasons of excavations within the grounds of the park between 2018 and 2021. The excavations were carried out by a volunteer team drawn from the local community, and supervised by Cotswold Archaeology. The Park incorporates the visible remains of a Norman motte and bailey castle and an abandoned Victorian railway station. Jo Caruth, Post-Excavation Manager for Cotswold Archaeology Suffolk, presents the story of the excavations and will talk about what the community dig hoped to achieve, what pre-castle remains were found, and bring us up to date on the post-excavation analysis. Jo has enjoyed a long career in archaeology having been formerly Senior Project Officer at Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service. “I have loved pretty much every minute of my job and feel hugely privileged to have been able to do something I love and to spend my time with my clever, dedicated and funny colleagues. My time with Cotswold Archaeology has opened all sorts of new opportunities for me and I would recommend a career in archaeology to anyone.” Joanna Caruth, https://cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk/women-of-history/, 2023.