UNCOVERING ROMAN CARLISLE: Every pound helps them stay in the ground!
Uncovering Roman Carlisle
Every pound helps them stay in the ground!
by Danielle Murphy
Uncovering Roman Carlisle has some exciting news! They are now officially a registered charity, meaning they are now able to apply for funding, grants and accept public donations, all of which go toward supporting the continuation of excavations down at the cricket club site.
The excavations at Carlisle cricket ground began in 2017 when renovations to the ground were being made, leading to a huge Roman Bath House being discovered.
This then led to permission being granted for archeologists to assess and see what else came up and digs have commenced every year since.
Over the years there have been some fantastic finds unearthed after laying hidden away for nearly two thousand years. From precious stones believed to have once been worn in elaborate jewellery, hundreds of pieces of pottery, coins and in 2023 the discovery of not one but two carved heads of Roman figures were pulled up.
Each find acts as a tiny piece of the puzzle that is Carlisle’s Roman history. It’s well known that the Romans were here, we have all the evidence of that, but how they lived, the personal lives and events around that time are still quite illusive. These digs are allowing archeologists and local historians to delve further into lives and the history of the Roman people who once resided in the city.
Up until now, these digs have been funded by donations and coalitions and good will alone, now Uncovering Roman Carlisle can apply for various funding as a stand alone charity in their own right, there is now the potential for excavations to continue and we can learn, find and discover even more about how the Romans who lived in the area.
The most recent dig ended in early March however, there are big hopes for a summer dig to go ahead if URC can secure the funds. They were recently approached by an anonymous organisation who have agreed to match their funds if they can raise £50k.
Named ‘The Gladiator Challenge’, URC now have to raise a further £21,000 to hit their £50k target. They are trying desperately to raise this money via donations and every penny counts. If you would like to help you can donate via their website, by visiting the site or by purchasing some of Uncovering Roman Carlisle’s Merchandise either on site or in person.
Chloe Brownlee-Chapman said:
“Every penny counts toward our goal. We really want to secure this funding because it will allow us a five week excavation in the summer, which will entail recruiting 1500 volunteers which would just be fantastic! So far all the work has been done by volunteers who are supported by onsite archeologists.”
“It has been fantastic to be able to give local people the opportunity to get involved, learn about archeology and allow them to be part of something really exciting.”
If you would like to get involved, donate or learn more about Uncovering Roman Carlisle, visit their website: www.uncoveringromancarlisle.co.uk
To learn more about what’s happening, follow Cumbria Guide on our social media
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