PCAP - News

The Prestongrange Community Archaeology Project has now been completed.

The PCAP has now finished but the results of the Second Phase of the project can be found in the final report which has been produced by CFA Archaeology. This report describes the background to the community archaeology project, the archaeological work that has been undertaken, the historical research and the results of the oral reminiscence work.

Historical Research and Oral Reminiscence projects

Behind the scenes of the project team members have been undertaking historical research and oral reminiscence work. The historical research was completed in the winter and much of the data has been incorporated into the final report and the Prestongrange booklet, on site interpretation and an academic publication. The oral reminiscence work has been made into a short film and is available as one of several films available on a DVD which accompanies the Prestongrange booklet. (see below).

Digging into the Past: 800 years at Prestongrange

This booklet marks the completion of the highly successful Prestongrange Community Archaeology Project. The project has always been very keen to leave behind some form of legacy and this booklet, together with on site interpretation material, hopes to have achieved that. Through the voices of different members of the project team, this booklet describes the history of Prestongrange since the 13th century; how the landscape has changed and evolved; the different industries that have taken place; the different people that have lived and worked at Prestongrange, and; what the archaeological fieldwork has discovered.

Accompanying the booklet is a DVD, which contains a number of short films. The films document the progress of the project; the stories of four local residents who used to live and work at Prestongrange, plus; takes a look behind the scenes of a community archaeology project to ask volunteers and professionals, alike, what it was like to be a part of the project. Packed full of photographs, illustrations and short quotes from team members, this is a fun, informative booklet and should be of interest to both young and old, alike.

Copies of the booklet can be found at the Prestongrange Visitor Centre, local libraries or by contacting heritage@eastlothian.gov.uk, 01620 827408 or writing to Cultural Services, 9-11 Lodge Street, Haddington, East Lothian, EH41 3HA referencing 'Prestongrange Archaeology Booklet'. Booklets are priced at £4.95. Cheques should be made out to East Lothian Council. If you would prefer to pay by card please include a daytime contact telephone number so a member of staff can contact you to organise this.

Interpretation Group

A series of interpretation boards have now been created and this can be found at the Glassworks/Pottery site and the Harbour. Inside the Visitor Centre there are also a series of new interpretation boards and an interactive, touchscreen computer which holds information about the findings of the project, sound bites from the oral reminiscence work and fun activities for young people.

Planting Group

The reinstated excavation area has now been re-created into a quiet wildflower meadow clearing, surrounded by native trees and shrubs and accessed by an all ability path which meanders through the woodland. The existing access to the site has to be blocked off with a wooden fence across the southern boundary of the excavation area and a new access has been created to the east. The location of the underground flue has been defined with sleepers and bricks from the excavation area.