Finding Lost Norton Park: Digging Deeper for All
Project to further explore the history, heritage and archaeology of the historic Norton (now Graves) Park
Following the highly successful National Lottery Heritage Fund supported project “Finding Lost Norton Park” in 2019, the Friends of Graves Park have been awarded a £142,770 grant, from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to run the sequel “Digging Deeper for All”. We are working with Professor Ian Rotherham and South Yorkshire Biodiversity Research Group (SYBRG), focusing on Norton Park (now named Graves Park). We will be digging deeper into the history, heritage, ecology, archaeology and local memories of this historic park.
Running from January 2023 to July 2024, the project will involve landscape, history and wildlife heritage supported by historians (archivists), landscape archaeologists and wildlife experts in gathering and assessing the information.
The project is now well underway. The archaeologists have been surveying all over the park and have found some interesting features, which will be investigated further.
To find out more and get involved click on the link below. Some events have limited places so book in plenty of time –
https://www.ukeconet.org/lostnortonpark_2.html
Spring/Summer 2024 Events
** PLEASE PRE-BOOK these activities, places limited.
April 2024
Saturday 20th April, Meet the Project & Share your Memories – stall at the Norton Craft & Makers’ market, St James Church. 10 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.
Indoor evening talks (free to attend, no need to book)
Lees Hall Golf Club: 6.30 for 7 p.m. finishing at 8.45 p.m.
Monday 29th April, Creating & Managing Habitats with Ian Rotherham.
May 2024
Thursday 2nd May, 1.30pm to 3.30pm, Backyard Safari with Paul Richards. Please book -12 places**
Thursday 9th May, 10am to 12pm, Recording Spring Birds Walk led by Karon Mayor, meet next to the Rose Garden Café for a gentle stroll through the woodland to the ponds (no need to book)
Tuesday 14th May, 10am to 1pm, Recording Old Trees & Tree Stories with Chris Atkinson, meet at Charles Ashmore Road car park. This will be a practical session to record some of the older trees and arborglyphs in the Park. Please book – 12 places**
Saturday 18th May, ‘Digging Deeper’ Heritage walks with Chris Atkinson. This will be a chance to learn about what the volunteer woodland heritage survey teams have found. 10am to 12noon starting from Charles Ashmore car park entrance. (no need to book)
May to June: Date & venues TBC – Origami animals from Graves Park with Nick Robinson.
Indoor evening talks (free to attend, no need to book)
Lees Hall Golf Club: 6.30 for 7 p.m. finishing at 8.45 p.m.
Monday 20th May, Dr Kevin Spence, SHU, ‘Slowing the flow’ – water management & climate change.
June 2024
Thursday 6th June, 10am to 12pm, Recording Birds Walk led by Karon Mayor, meet next to the Rose Garden Café. This will be a practical session using our Graves Park birds’ checklist, beginners welcome. (no need to book).
Thursday 13th June, 1.30pm to 3.30pm, Backyard Safari with Paul Richards. Please book – 12 places**
Monday 17th June, 2.30pm to 4.30pm, Andy Gaunt, Mercian Archaeological Services CIC, guided walk ‘Looking Deeper’ – what the geophysical surveys have revealed. Please book – 15places**
Thursday 20th June, 11am to 1pm, What’s growing on the Walls? with Ian Rotherham and Paul Ardron, meet at Derbyshire Lane car park by the Sports Pavilion. We’ll be identifying & recording some of the rarer and more specialised plants including ferns, lichens & bryophtes which grow on the old walls nearby. Please book – 15 places**
Thursday 27th June, 2pm to 4pm, Meadow Walk with Ian Rotherham, meet at Derbyshire Lane entrance by the Sports Pavilion. We will be walking over to the different meadow areas that are developing across this part of the Park looking at the different species and talking about the value and management of these areas. Please book – 15 places**
Indoor evening talks (Free to attend, no need to book)
Lees Hall Golf Club: 6.30 for 7 p.m. finishing at 8.45 p.m.
Monday 17th June, Andy Gaunt, Mercian Archaeological Services CIC, ‘Looking Deeper’ – what the geophysical surveys have revealed.
July 2024
Celebration events
Dates & times TBC – Putting the People of the Past into the Park walk led by Gertie Whitfield
Saturday 6th July Project Exhibition – Mount View Methodist Chapel
Tuesday 16th July evening, A Walk in the Park followed by buffet. 30 places**
Other events to be added – guided walks and more.
History and Heritage
Woodland Heritage Surveys, Woodland Archaeology, Recording Heritage Trees and Tree Stories Walks and Workshop, Local History Reminiscences, Archaeology Walks, Digging Deeper into the Park’s History Workshop, Introduction to Place Names, Delving into the Archives, and Uncovering and Sharing Memories Events and Workshops.
Nature and Environment
Bat Watch, Introduction to Lichens Walk, Autumn Birds, Fungi and Slime Moulds, Woodland Heritage Surveys, Woodland Archaeology, Recording Heritage Trees and Tree Stories Walks and Workshop.
For information about any of the workshops or walks and to book places please go to
http://www.ukeconet.org/lostnortonpark 2.html
