Review – Time Team’s Dig Village

1 min read

Tim Taylor
Time Team Digital, £34.95
ISBN 978-1916278806
Review Carly Hilts

If there was one thing that Time Team excelled at during its 25-year run, it was bringing communities together to share in the story of their local area. And it is community that lies at the heart of this new book by the popular archaeology TV programme’s creator and series producer, Tim Taylor. Beautifully illustrated, it offers a comprehensive how-to guide for learning more about the area where you live.

From analysing historical maps and carrying out building and graveyard surveys, to interpreting field boundaries, aerial photos, and street names, via tracing family histories and using resources such as the Historic Environment Record and the Portable Antiquities Scheme database, this is a treasure trove of information for the interested amateur.

Chapters offer advice on setting up an archaeology group; project goals, budgets, and fundraising; liaising with professional archaeologists; and outreach and report-writing. Others outline key historical periods and explore what can be learned from buildings like the local church, village hall – and, of course, the community pub. This is an absorbing read with much to enthuse and inspire.


This review appeared in CA 363. To find out more about subscribing to the magazine, click here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.