Belton Families Archaeology Walk

Living where we do we are very fortunate to have access to a great National Trust property - Belton House.  There's always so much to do there from admiring the history to just running wild in the parkland.  It's one of those environments where you can't help but enjoy yourself.  We've been going there as a family for quite a few years now and made lots of good friends along the way.

This weekend the NT archaeologist Rachael Hall has been leading archaeology walks around the parkland.  (some may be aware of her through her Radio and TV appearances last week in connection with the coin hoard found in Derbyshire).  Without wishing to embarrass her, she's really good at communicating her passion for archaeology to kids and adults alike.  We joined her walk yesterday (19/7/14) and although the weather got the better of us all in the end (boy was it humid) we all hid a brilliant time.

Above is Rachael explaining the design of the grand avenue leading up from the mansion house to the Belmont Tower in the distance.  Although it is indeed a fair distance compared to the average back garden these days, back in the 17th century it may have been seen as a bit on the average side.  Hence the trees were arranged to create a perspective which leaves no one uncertain as the the fact that this is all yours and yes it does go on for miles.

Full size versions of some of the pics are on my Flickr site for anyone who is interested by the way.

You see a lot of these at Belton if you take time to stroll out into the parkland.  I love the way they come up to you as if to ask what's going on.  As a side note, the Belton parkland is fenced to keep these guys in situ (rather than munching on the formal gardens for cricket pitch) - don't let the fences deter you from venturing out into the park.  There's a large herd of deer also but they're a bit more illusive.

Above is the view back down the avenue from the top.  Back in the day it would have been a much grander affair.  The trees would of course have been slightly different 300 years ago.  The ground would also have been much more level and most likely mown to form a lawn.  The livestock certainly wouldn't have been allowed to roam along it I suspect.  Apart from creating perspective, the avenue served as the driveway for taking carriages up to the tower at the top.  The ladies would be able to sit in the relative comfort of the tower (with a nice picnic and a roaring fire in the winter) and survey the grounds as the men folk went about their business hunting deer.

This large expanse of grass land at the top of the estate is somewhere that many visitors never venture to.  Indeed, I suspect that many don't even know that it is there or don't know it's significance.  99 years ago this area well out of sight of the lords and ladies of the main house was home to tens of thousands of men.  In effect it was a small town with its own amenities and even a railway line.  This was the home of the Machine Gun Corps whilst being trained up before departing for the trenches of WWI.  The staggering statistics are that the Corps sustained 62,049 casualties and 12,498 were killed.  These weren't your usual cannon fodder they were men chosen for their weapons skills etc.  No wonder it was known as the 'Suicide Club'.

Another interesting fact is that this site was ultimately led to the inclusion of women in the police force.  The presence of such a large group of young mainly single men (with to be honest low expectation of surviving very long) next to the town of Grantham caused certain 'issues' in respect to the young ladies of the town.  Hence the first WPC post was created; Edith Smith had the task of policing the 'interactions' and looking after the interests of the lady folk.  She became the first woman in England with the power of arrest.

Time Team did a program on the MGC at Belton back in 2012 (available on 4OD).

Belton House will also be running a programme of events next year (2015) to mark the 100th anniversary.

On our way back.  The building on the left is one of the old well houses that fed water from the wells down to the house.  Some of this would probably have fed the fountain in the formal garden.  At one point the organ was hydraulic but I think that this was powered by a water wheel if I remember correctly.   We had hoped to investigate a few more sites (there's even a lost roman villa here somewhere) but were finally beaten by the heat.

Most important of all the children all had a brilliant time...