Morecambe Bay Partnership – Headland to Headspace 2015-2018 – Heritage at Risk – Conservation at Birkrigg Common.
Since 2015, Morecambe Bay Partnership has been working with volunteers and local organisations through the Heritage Lottery Funded Headlands to Headspace Landscape Partnership to clear vegetation from three nationally important archaeological sites. Their hard work and dedication has resulted in the sites being more visible, better protected and being removed from the Historic England’s Heritage-at-Risk Register. The short film shows the work ‘in action’ and shows the progress made. This work has been made possible through the generous support of National Lottery players and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The film above acts as an overview of the whole project, using video footage and photographs from a number of different visits to the sites over the three years. Below are two earlier videos produced for Morecambe Bay Partnership showing the ongoing work. Below that are aerial photographs and a 3D computer model of the Bronze Age enclosure that was revealed under the bracken.
On Tuesday 27th September 2016, an army of dedicated volunteers braved the elements to help clear more bracken on Birkrigg Common from the site of a Bronze Age enclosure. Organised by Louise Martin, the Cultural Heritage Officer at Morecambe Bay Partnership, the hardworking participants were later deservedly rewarded with coffee and cake at the Coach House Cafe and Bistro at Ford Park in Ulverston. The weather was quite challenging in the morning, but everyone persevered, and I enjoyed putting this short video together of the fantastic achievements of everyone involved!
Another purpose of my involvement was to take aerial photographs of the sites before and after each stage of the clearances, to show the progress being made over time.
The final element of my employment was to take sequences of photographs of the sites, from which to create 3D computer models. This method can sometimes reveal archeological features not discernible from the ground. In this example below, you can clearly see in the foreground where the wall of the Bronze Age enclosure once stood, with the gateway in the bottom left.
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Colin has helped enormously with photographing the conservation work we are currently undertaking on Birkrigg Common, near Ulverston, to preserve, protect and better understand nationally important archaeological sites. The images captured have allowed us to see the site from a different perspective, whilst capturing progress and stunning views over Morecambe Bay. Colin is happy to discuss project requirements and progresses quickly with survey work, in a professional manner.