DigVentures and Tony Robinson launched the world's first archaeology festival - in honour of Mick Aston!
When Tony Robinson first came to us with his idea to host an event to honour Mick Aston, we knew that many people around the world would be interested. But we had NO IDEA that so many of you would help to make it happen in so many ways. You lot are as crazy as we are (well, just about anyway…)
Thanks also for writing to us and sharing your stories about Mick, and the many ways he has inspired, amazed and taught so many people. It’s clear to us that Mick’s legacy is phenomenal, and we’ll do our absolute best to make sure that comes through over the festival weekend – whether you’re joining us online or in person.
Now it’s time to get planning! What’s on? When? Where do I need to be? What’s the deal with the party? When am I getting my login to the livestream? Can I watch the talks online after the festival? AND OMG WHAT ABOUT THE PUBS ON HOLY ISLAND?!? All your answers are right here.
Ready? There’s plenty of information on this page to help you, and you can always get in touch with our amazing DV squad if there’s something you still need to know.
(the rumours about an electroceilidh band and inflatable pub are true, btw…)
There’s so much going on at DigNation – talks in the lecture hall, fun family-friendly events in the Fringe area, livestreaming of the talks, and… a party! Here’s a brief reminder of what each ticket type includes (and doesn’t include).
Includes:
Does NOT include:
Please check the Schedule tab for details of when and where to arrive.
Includes:
Does NOT include:
Please check the Schedule tab for details of when and where to arrive.
Includes:
Does NOT include:
Please check the Schedule tab for details of when and where to arrive.
Includes:
Does NOT include:
Please check the Schedule tab for details of when and where to arrive.
Includes:
Does NOT include:
You will receive an email with your login details before 14th September
Includes:
Does NOT include:
You will receive an email with your login details before 14th September
Includes:
Does NOT include:
On arrival, EVERYONE who has bought a DigNation ticket will need to register at the main festival venue – the Crossman Hall at the centre of Holy Island Village. This includes people who have bought Full Festival tickets, Fringe tickets, and Dig or Finds Lab Experience tickets.
For Full Festival ticket holders, registration opens at 08:00 on Saturday 22nd September, with talks beginning at 09:15.
For all other events on Saturday and Sunday, and for safe crossing times over the causeway onto the island (and back again!), please check the registration and event timings below and remember… the schedule is slightly different on Saturday and Sunday due to the tides!
You can also check the Festival Map to see where you can park, where you can get food, and where the different Festival venues are located.
Please note, we will NOT be sending out:
Please remember that you DO need to:
04:35 –12:30 / 17:20 – 00:35 (Sun)
Please respect the tides! Don’t leave it too late, follow all instructions, and most of all, double check on the official tide timetable website – we DON’T want you getting stranded!
(‘Full Festival’ Ticket-holders only)
Registration opens: 08:00
Talks begin: 09:15 am
Talks end: 18:00
(Full Festival and Fringe ticket-holders only)
Registration opens: 09:00
Events begin: 10:00
Events end: 17:00
(pre-booked ticket-holders only)
If you are booked onto the morning session
Registration: 09:15
Begins: 10:00
Ends: 13:00
If you are booked onto the afternoon session
Registration: Anytime from 09:15
Begins: 14:00
Ends: 17:00
Please note: you’ll need to arrive promptly for the start of your experience at the Dig site or Finds Room as you’ll need to complete a briefing with the rest of your group.
(Full Festival, Fringe, and Dig/Finds Lab Experience ticket-holders)
Bar opens: 18:00
Band: 19:30
Party finishes: 23:00
05:40 – 12:55 / 18:15 – 01:00 (Mon)
Please respect the tides! Don’t leave it too late, follow all instructions, and most of all, double check on the official tide timetable website – we DON’T want you getting stranded!
(‘Full Festival’ Ticket-holders only)
Registration opens: You’ll already have done this on Saturday!
Talks begin: 09:45
Talks end: 17:30
(Full Festival and Fringe ticket-holders only)
Registration opens: 09:15 am
Events begin: 10:00
Events end: 17:00
If you are booked onto the morning session
Registration: 09:15
Begins: 10:00
Ends: 13:00
If you are booked onto the afternoon session
Registration: Anytime from 09:15
Begins: 14:00
Ends: 17:00
Please note: you’ll need to arrive promptly for the start of your experience at the Dig site or Finds Room as you’ll need to complete a briefing with the rest of your group.
Please do not park in the village unless absolutely necessary – spaces are incredibly limited and it can be a nuisance to residents.
Registration, talks and Fringe events are all located by the Main Festival Venue (Crossman Hall). Everything else will be clearly signposted!
Each session in the speaker programme is themed around one of Mick’s main research interests: Monastic Archaeology, Medieval Settlements, Landscape Archaeology, and Public Archaeology and Science.
Over the last few decades Tony Robinson has emerged as Britain’s foremost face of popular history, the creator of a worldwide comedy icon, and an award winning writer of children’s books and television.
Tony presented twenty seasons of Channel 4’s archaeology series ‘Time Team’, and played Baldrick in ‘Blackadder’. He has been involved in many other television series and documentaries as a writer, producer and presenter, most recently the recent Channel 4 series ‘Time Crashers’. He is currently working on ‘The Somme – The First Twenty-four Hours’ for Discovery.
Tony is an award-winning children’s writer with over thirty authored books, including his current series for Macmillan, Tony Robinson’s Weird World of Wonders. He has also written several books for adults including Tony Robinson’s History of Australia, and he has recently published his autobiography, No Cunning Plan.
From 1996 – 2000 he was Vice-President of British Actors Equity. Between 2000 and 2004 he was a member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party. In 2012 he was made a Fellow of Cardiff University, has been awarded Honorary Doctorates by Exeter University, Oxford Brookes, the Open University and the University of Chester, and has Honorary MAs from Bristol University and the University of East London. In 2008 he was presented with the ‘Outstanding Contribution by an Individual’ award by the Museums and Heritage Association, and the James Joyce award by University College, Dublin. He has been an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society since 2008, and received a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2013.
Julian Richards is an archaeologist, writer and TV broadcaster. He was a key figure in writing and broadcasting the popular BBC 4 series Meet the Ancestors. Julian has recently been back on TV with a new series called Stories From the Dark Earth: Meet the Ancestors Revisited. Much of Julian’s career has focused around British Prehistory, for a decade he ran the Stonehenge Environs Project with Wessex Archaeology, a detailed study of Stonehenge and its surrounding landscape. Julian went on to author Stonehenge – the story so far.
While at Wessex Archaeology, Julian taught as much as he could, mainly working with Bristol University Continuing Education, where he met Mick Aston. Mick and Julian taught summer schools for blind students dealing with a diverse range of subjects, from war and conflict archaeology, to the prehistory of Wessex. Julian is still involved in education projects such as What’s Under Your School?, a programme teaching children about archaeology. Outside of archaeology Julian’s interests lie in art and old fast cars but most importantly of all, he holds a Blue Peter badge!
Julian says he has never for a moment regretted his choice of career and continues to find the past a fascinating place to explore.
A senior lecturer at Durham University, David is an expert in the Archaeology of Northern England. His main research interests focus on the social archaeology of the 1st Millennia AD and the development of Christianity. Part of this entails carrying out fieldwork at the site of an Anglo-Saxon monastery on Holy Island, in collaboration with DigVentures. He also runs a number of other fieldwork projects including the major field school at the Roman Fort at Binchester Co. Durham. A key component of his work encompasses ensuring the local community groups are involved in the archaeology and helping them understand their heritage.
“There is still so much to find, in archaeology we continue to make new discoveries and develop fresh understandings about even the most well-trodden areas. I’ve come to realise that life is so much more than making money and live in a world where history is always with us.”
Dr. Janina Ramirez is a cultural historian, broadcaster and author based at the University of Oxford.
Janina’s career began with her Bachelors Degree at the University of Oxford in English Literature, she then went on to study an MA and PhD at the Centre for Medieval Studies at York. Her postgraduate studies focussed on the art, literature and culture of Anglo-Saxon England, and her interests have continued to branch out ever since and she can boast of detailed knowledge on everything from classical architecture to the symbolism of birds in Anglo-Saxon art.
Janina uses television, radio, publications and social media to share her knowledge to, in her words, ‘everyone who cares to listen’. Janina embraces the Digital Revolution and continues to welcome new methods of communication and ways of interacting with non-traditional audiences worldwide through digital media. She has presented numerous BBC Four documentaries including Treasures of the Anglo-Saxons and The Hundred Years’ War.
Professor Christopher Gerrard has a joint honours degree in Archaeology and Geology, and PhD from the University of Bristol under the supervision of Professor Mick Aston and Richard Harrison. Chris has worked in commercial archaeology in both Spain and the UK. He started lecturing in 1992 at Winchester University, and in 2000 he joined the archaeology department at Durham University.
At Durham, Chris leads the research team that worked on identifying and analysing the remains of the Scottish soldiers found under Palace Green Library Cafe (Durham Cathedral). Chris has directed fieldwork with the Mick Aston at Shapwick. He has also worked in North-East Spain for many years and has a particular interest in the transition from Islamic to Christian societies and their landscapes. Chris is regularly published in academic journals and books on all of his discoveries across Europe.
Helen Geake had originally trained to become a secretary, however, after reading about archaeology and attending lectures by Mick Aston her passion for the subject was ignited and she decided to study medieval archaeology at University College London. She was fortunate enough to join the excavation at Sutton Hoo as an undergraduate. Hands up if you’re jealous!
Helen’s love for archaeology inspired her to continue her studies at the University of York where she obtained a PhD researching Anglo-Saxon cemeteries. Helen’s first appeared in the public eye in 1998 when she joined Time Team. She was a main presenter for the show and was Time Team’s expert on anything Anglo-Saxon. Since Time Team Helen has also presented on ITV’s Britain’s Secret Treasures, and she has also played a key role at the Portable Antiquities Scheme’s base at the British Museum, training and supporting volunteer recorders.
Both her on screen and behind the scenes work connect archaeological research with public understanding of its importance, interest and value.
Teresa Hall is the long-term partner and co-worker of Mick Aston. Teresa is a landscape historian and has an interest in the early church.
She has continued the Winscombe Village Survey that was started by Mick, which includes the digging of test pits throughout the village to trace the varied fortunes of the surrounding villages. Mick’s work continues, and his legacy lives on through Teresa.
Professor Carenza Lewis is based at the University of Lincoln, and is a familiar face to many due to her television appearances, notably being regular presenter on Time Team from 1993 to 2005. She cleverly combines her research with teaching in archaeology, history and heritage with public engagement.
Carenza is committed to involving members of the public in the research process to the shared benefit of the individuals, community, society, heritage and academia. The discovery of an ichthyosaur vertebrae (a type of marine dinosaur) when she was 7 years old set her on the path to becoming an archaeologist. She tries to recreate this wonderful opportunity for young people by creating the Higher Education Field Academy, encouraging them to get their hands dirty and get a taste of academia through a hunt for history beneath their feet.
“Archaeology is just the best subject in the world, it never loses its ability to intrigue, surprise, puzzle and enthral me”
Dr. Mike Heyworth MBE discovered his love for archaeology aged 14 after taking part in an archaeological dig. He knew from then on that archaeology was the career for him. He joined a local archaeology group and would dig at weekends and during the summer.
Mike’s early start to his career paid off and he became Director of the Council for British Archaeology (CBA). The CBA is an independent charity that brings together members, supporters and partners to give archaeology a voice across the UK and safeguard it for future generations.
Mike is also involved with many other archaeological organisations; including the All Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group and Portable Antiquities Scheme Advisory Group. Mike is a vocal advocate for digital archaeology and has been directly involved with many of the technologies that make it possible, such as the Archaeology Data Service. Mike was awarded his MBE for services to heritage in 2007
Phil Harding is a British field archaeologist. He became a household name due to being a regular on Channel 4’s TV series Time Team from 1994 to 2013. As a young boy he became fascinated with the Stone Age, learning flint knapping from his uncle Fred. His first archaeological finds came from digging up his own backyard, much to his mother’s annoyance.
Phil’s relentless enthusiasm for archaeology has undeniably inspired countless others to enter the discipline. Bringing this enthusiasm, and his hat, to the public eye through Time Team he has secured a lasting legacy by cementing archaeology in the public consciousness He was voted Archaeologist of the Year in 2013 by the readers of Current Archaeology Magazine.
“Thank-you everyone for expressing an interest in archaeology. Sharing our love for the past is what it is all about and it helps keep archaeology alive”
Francis began his career by training as an archaeologist at Trinity College, Cambridge. He describes his student experience as “three wonderful years being a typical 60’s student”. He initially worked at a brewery before emigrating to Canada and landing a job at the Royal Ontario Museum. This led to his most well known discovery and excavation of Flag Fen. He made frequent appearances on Channel 4’s Time Team.
Francis has successfully brings archaeology to a wider audience through a number of wonderful books, radio and television programs. Now a retired archaeologist he has turned to a quieter life of sheep farming, writing and blogging. He has also recently embarked upon crowdfunding his own series of crime fiction novels through Unbound.
“Lighten up- archaeology is too important to be taken seriously”
Professor Stewart Ainsworth is currently based at the University of Chester, and was formerly a senior investigator and project officer for English Heritage. He originally trained as a surveyor, before he joined the archaeological section of the Ordnance Survey.
He made appearances on Time Team he was affectionately known as the ‘lumps and bumps’ man as he is a landscape archaeologist and specialises in surveying, recording and investigating archaeological sites.
He is president of the Friends of Epiacum, the Roman fort on the southern edge of Northumberland, which he has surveyed and studied in depth.
John Gater was a staple of Time Team for 20 years, earning him the nickname the “geophys wiz”. He once calculated that he and the Time Team crew had walked the equivalent distance from the earth to the moon with geophysics equipment.
As part of the team he played an important role in educating the British public on the role of science in archeology and made many of Time Team’s discoveries possible. In this role John was able to draw on a wealth of experience, as he completed his first geophysical survey a stunning 45 years ago.
After graduating from Bradford University in 1979 he entered commercial archeology and is still active in this field, holding the role of Director of Archeology at SUMO Geophysics, the largest company of this type in the UK. He has also written a book in on archaeological geophysics in cooperation with Chris Gaffney (Revealing the Buried Past). Despite all these remarkable professional achievements in the realm of archeology, it is rumoured that his true passion is Real Ale.
Ben Garrod is an evolutionary biologist, primatologist and broadcaster. He is currently a teaching fellow at Anglia Ruskin University and completed his PhD on the ‘Primates of the Caribbean’ at UCL. Over the past decade he has been prolific on British television, helping educate the public and presenting shows such as Secrets of the Bones on BBC Four and Attenborough and the Great Dinosaur.
He is also a successful author, having written the So You Think You Know About Dinosaurs series, aimed at ‘young dinosaur enthusiasts’. He has also published extensively in the academic world, primarily in the fields of primatology and osteoarchaeology. Ben’s work has taken him all across the globe, especially on projects to protect great apes. Outside of his work Ben is active in number of charitable organisations and is a trustee of the Jane Goodall society.
Dan is a historian who has researched, written and presented several documentaries on British and world history for the BBC, including the BAFTA award winning Battlefield Britain. Dan says he was immersed in the idea of presenting from a young age, starting with family video ‘documentaries’ and pieces to the camera outside the Pyramids, or on the Champs-Elysees, at age 5.
In an interview for HistoryNet.com he says “I consider myself someone who eats, sleeps and breathes history. I write it, read it, research it, tweet it, Facebook it, film it, record it, speak it”. Just as his twitter handle @TheHistoryGuy, asserts he aims to one day be the go-to guy for all things history. He believes that the digital medium is great for history as a discipline as it is so flexible and makes history so immediate.
“History is where the present and the future come from”
All of these events will be happening in and around the Crossman Hall across the DigNation weekend. More details about exact timings will be made available at Registration.
First and most important, you will see *LIVE* archaeology happening! DV has been digging on Lindisfarne for two years, and this season the archaeology is looking HOT. Our trenches will be open during the Festival, and you’ll be able to see our team in action – and who knows? There might be some familiar faces in the trenches who just can’t keep themselves away from the chance to have a wee scratch about…
The Finds Room will be in full swing with the artefacts recovered from DV’s excavations over the past two years, including our famous namestone. We’ll have a handling collection for everyone to touch, and experts on hand to answer your questions. Don’t be shy!
And that’s not all: experts from the Portable Antiquities Scheme will be on hand to identify artefacts (found something mysterious in your garden? Bring it!), there’s a a Street Food festival, the epic DigNation Saturday party, book signings, castle and museum tours, archaeological comedy, plenty of music, aerial landscape photogrammetry demonstrations, digital recording of artefacts, geophysics demonstrations and participation, and (hopefully!) a Young Archaeologist’s Club very special ‘Kids Trench’, and (possibly) some Vikings (shhhh!)
We know that many of you missed out on the Full Festival Ticket to see the lectures, and we’ve got FANTASTIC NEWS: some of our speakers will be joining is for special ‘Follow the Speaker’ sessions, where you’ll be able to meet them and ask questions.
And, you’re sure to see some of your favourite archaeologists wandering about – don’t hesitate to say hello!
Lindisfarne is a magical place, with a fascinating history and plenty of natural beauty. The island is full of secret nooks and wonderful walks, and makes a truly lovely day out for families. We’re adding more to the Fringe every day – STAY TUNED, and we hope you join us!
Some of the discoveries our team have made over the past two years of excavation on Lindisfarne are so significant that they have featured in the Guardian, The Times, The Daily Mail and on BBC4’s Digging For Britain programme – the very first time any crowdfunded discovery had been featured on the show. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
We’ve found several Anglo-Saxon burials, a namestone, a monumental wall, the outline of several early medieval buildings, plenty of pottery, and a silver coin minted during the reign of King Eadberht, as well as some curious bone artefacts which seem to be proof that some people continued to live on the island long after the monastery was supposedly abandoned.
We know there’s so much more to discover, and the archaeology we’re poised to unearth in 2018 has the potential to offer huge insight into the lives of those who lived through Lindisfarne’s golden age, endured the Viking attacks and witnessed this transformative period in English history.
As part of the DigNation Fringe, our trenches and Finds Lab will be open all weekend for you to visit and see the action *LIVE* as it happens. We’ll have all the star finds from previous years on display – and as everyone knows, the best stuff always happens in the last hour of the last day of the dig…
Monster Ceilidh Band seamlessly blend electronic dance music with traditional folk music and manage to encourage diverse audiences from all over the world to get up and party! Their pioneering mix of Drum ‘n Bass with Traditional Folk has been endorsed by outstanding live performances at award-winning festivals such as Bestival and Secret Garden Party, alongside more familiar folk offering such as Sidmouth and Cambridge Folk Festivals. “The Monsters” now do fully electronic ceilidhs as first showcased at Cambridge Folk Festival with the UK’s leading caller Gordon Potts.
Hooray! As part of the Fringe, several of our speakers will be doing book signings and participating in ‘Follow the Speaker’ sessions.
Tickets for the lectures theatre were extremely limited and we know that many of you missed out on the chance to grab one. The ‘Follow the Speaker’ sessions are our way of creating an opportunity for you to meet them, ask some questions, share stories, and have a laugh! We will be posting a schedule of the times for each speaker in the lobby of the Crossman Hall each morning, so that you can plan accordingly.
We are very honoured that two of Mick’s closest collaborators, Sir Tony Robinson and Professor Chris Gerrard, will both be doing book signings as part of the Fringe. Please feel free to bring along any of their titles you might already own, and we will also have a slection on sale at the festival for purchase and signing. There’s a couple of other speakers with fairly impressive back catalogs as well and we’re doing our best to twist their arm a little bit….stay tuned!
As part of the DigNation Fringe, special discounted tours will be offered to both locations at various times across the festival weekend. More information and instructions about how to sign up will be available at Registration.
Paul Duncan McGarrity
Paul began performing stand up in 2009 and since then has been combining his day-job as a Senior Archaeologist with Museum of London Archaeology with his growing popularity on the UK comedy circuit. He has supported Hal Cruttenden on tour, appeared on on Radio 4, he has been a main cast member in the hugely successful ‘Knightmare Live’ stage show.
‘The hour seemed to fly-by and I felt myself really wanting to stay and hear more.’
Broadwaybaby.com
But not all photogrammatisers (we know it’s not a real word but hey, you know what we mean!) are created equal, and luckily our team works with the very best: Adam Stanford of Aerial-Cam. Adam’s 30 years of experience combines traditional photography skills with cutting-edge digital technologies. He has photographed some of the world’s most iconic sites, including Orkney, Stonehenge and Easter Island, and is involved with many UK-based commercial and research archaeology projects. Adam’s portfolio is a thing of beauty!
DV has worked with Adam across all of our sites from Flag Fen to Victoria Cave, Barrowed Time, Lindisfarne and beyond. The aerial landscape images he captures are an essential part of our work, helpng us to understand each site in its wider context and pick up details impossible to see from the ground.
As part of the DigNation Fringe, Adam will be offering demonstrations, showcasing his work from sites around the world, and giving us all a sneak peek at what’s coming next for archaeolgical photography. Lucky us!
All kidding aside, Jimmy is one of the best geofizz whizzes in the business. After many years on John Gater’s Time Team geophysics squad, Jimmy has now moved on to working for an international company that designs and tests new technology for archaeological geophysics, so Jimmy spends his time road-testing (and field-testing, jungle-testing, snow-testing, etc etc) the hottest kit around.
As part of the DigNation Fringe, Jimmy will be surprising us with the latest in geofizz gear, and will be rolling it out across our excavation area so that we can compare how advances in tech are improving the resulst for archaeologists of these non-invasive techniques. You’ll be able to watch him in action and even join in if you fancy it!
The booths will be open for most of the day – through dinner as well – so if you haven’t arranged a table at one of the pubs, you will still have plenty of tasty morsels to sustain you through the weekend.
Remeber: there are NO ATMs on Lindisfarne! Please come prepared with all the cash you might need for food and beverages.
We’ve taken Tony’s challenge to heart and arranged an electrofolkmaggedon complete with a band, a bar in our new signature inflatable ‘Venture Inn’ pub, and a surprise archaeological DJ spinning end-of-the-night tunes.
And in the tradition of all DV parties, we probably won’t be *too* upset if you decide to bring a few items of fancy dress…
The bar opens at 6:00pm and the party will start at 7:30pm on Saturday, and everyone who has a ticket for the lectures or either day of the Fringe is welcome to join us – just be sure to wear your badge to gain entry!
Monster Ceilidh Band seamlessly blend electronic dance music with traditional folk music and manage to encourage diverse audiences from all over the world to get up and party! Their pioneering mix of Drum ‘n Bass with Traditional Folk has been endorsed by outstanding live performances at award-winning festivals such as Bestival and Secret Garden Party, alongside more familiar folk offering such as Sidmouth and Cambridge Folk Festivals. “The Monsters” now do fully electronic ceilidhs as first showcased at Cambridge Folk Festival with the UK’s leading caller Gordon Potts.
The joint project between DigVentures and Durham University has now located some of its remains.
Made famous by chroniclers like Bede and Alcuin (and more recently by the popular TV show Vikings), it’s where the Lindisfarne Gospels were illustrated, where the treasures that adorned the altars of early Medieval Europe were forged, and where thousands of miracle-seeking pilgrims came to seek healing. Lindisfarne’s power and influence reached deep into the heart of continental Europe, and was described by Alcuin as ‘the most venerable place in Britain’.
But then, an AD793, the monastery was attacked by the Vikings, an event that marked the beginning of the Viking Age. Following years of repeated attacks, the monastery was abandoned. The later Priory which still stands on Lindisfarne was built in the early 12th century after the threat of further raids was over. But what of the remains of the original monastery?
From early maps and other documentary evidence, we can assume that most of the early monastery is likely to lie underneath the modern Holy Island Village. But there are still some very big questions to answer: where exactly was it, and does any evidence still survive?
In 2014, Dr David Petts of Durham University carried out geophysical surveys which indicated substantial remains just beneath the field immediately in front of the Priory: could this be the evidence of the monastery? Our job was to ground-truth the geophysics and find conclusive, dateable evidence from the monastery of Oswald, Aidan and Cuthbert.
Over the last two years, hundreds of crowdfunders have helped us find some tantalising evidence, including several early Christian burials, Anglo-Saxon sculptures and monumental buildings very similar to those at other important early Medieval monastic sites like Hartlepool.
Some of the discoveries our team have made are so significant that they featured in the Guardian, The Times, The Daily Mail and on BBC4’s Digging For Britain programme – this was the very first time any crowdfunded discovery had been featured on the show. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
We’ve found several Anglo-Saxon burials, a namestone, a monumental wall, the outline of several early medieval buildings, plenty of pottery, and a silver coin minted during the reign of King Eadberht, as well as some curious bone artefacts which seem to be proof that some people continued to live on the island long after the monastery was supposedly abandoned.
We know there’s so much more to discover, and the archaeology we’re poised to unearth in 2018 has the potential to offer huge insight into the world of those who lived through Lindisfarne’s golden age, endured the Viking attacks and witnessed this transformative period in English history.
Going to miss some of the talks? Don’t worry – you’ll be able to re-watch the talks online once the festival is over.
Also, please remember that we are in a remote location IN THE NORTH SEA, and that extreme weather events and other issues can sometimes affect internet services on the island.
If something interrupts the livestream, we will upload copies of any talks that were missed as soon as the internet is back up and running. Fingers crossed we don’t get another Storm Ali!
There is no ATM on the island, however you can get cash over the counter at the Post Office. Please be aware that some places on the island are cash only, and the Post Office operates on regular business hours.
Like any festival, some of the events will be sheltered, but you will also be spending time outdoors and exposed to the elements. And remember: Lindisfarne is a tidal island in the North Sea, so the weather is likely to be changeable, if not blustery…
To login, just click here.
VERY IMPORTANT: We sent the emails to the email addresses you used to purchase your ticket. If this is not a current address or one that you check regularly, you MUST get in touch with our team prior to the event to provide updated information. We WILL NOT be able to answer emails or help you once the livestream begins on Saturday 22nd September.
To login, just click here.
VERY IMPORTANT: We sent the emails to the email addresses you used to purchase your ticket. If this is not a current address or one that you check regularly, you MUST get in touch with our team prior to the event to provide updated information. We WILL NOT be able to answer emails or help you once the livestream begins on Saturday 22nd September.
All conference talks will be available after the festival as downloadable, closed-captioned podcasts.
We will have every WiFi-signal-missile-launching-boosting-hear-us-in-space system on hand to be as prepared as humans can possibly be for the livestream to smoothly. Given its remote location IN THE NORTH SEA, however, extreme weather events and other issues can sometimes affect services on the island. In the event of unforseen circumstances that affect our ability to transmit the livestream, we will be in touch with everyone with updates, and we will make all the talks affected by the droppage available as podcasts ASAP.
If you have a ticket for the Fringe on Sunday and haven’t yet been through registration, be sure to come to the island early enough to stop by the Registration Desk to pick it up.
Pubs and hotels on the island offering meals: Crown & Anchor, the Ship, the Lindisfarne Hotel and the Manor House hotel
We have planned a Street Food Festival for the weekend, so there will be plenty of delicious, seasonal food for purchase from local vendor for both lunch and dinner.
If you can’t get a table for your evening meal, most of the pubs and restaurants will do take-away; additionally, you can shop on the mainland and bring food with you to the island.
No matter what you decide, please be respectful of the village and ensure you throw your rubbish away in the bins!
Our staff are on hand to advise you regarding travel through the end of day on Friday 21st September, but will not be able to answer queries during the festival. Here’s some basics to help you plan ahead:
Address: Holy Island, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, TD15 2SH
OS map ref: NU 13636 41752
By rail: The nearest mainline station is at Berwick-upon-Tweed on the London (Kings Cross) to Edinburgh GNER line. There is a public bus service to the island but the frequency varies. There are also several taxi services (telephone numbers provided below)
By road: Take the A1 to the crossroad at Beal approximately 8 miles south of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Follow the signposts to `Holy Island’, about five miles away. You’ll then have to drive over the causeway, which takes about 15 minutes.
By Bus: check here for seasonal timetables for the 477 bus
Taxis:
G.D, Taxis – Berwick-upon-Tweed – 01289 308842
Woody’s Taxis – Berwick-upon-Tweed – 07591 933223
Hunters Taxis – Seahouses – 01665 720400
Parks Hire – Seahouses – 01665 720542
Please do not park in the village unless absolutely necessary – spaces are incredibly limited and it can be a nuisance to residents.
You don’t need a ticket to visit Lindisfarne, or to see our team in action in the trenches. Come on over! The island is an absolutely stunning place to spend a wonderful day. You will be able to view the dig and Finds Lab, and take advantage of the delicious street food market as well as the local shops, pubs and walks.
Festival activities will be exclusively for people with tickets. Full tickets including the lectures have now sold out, however you can still get in on the action with a Fringe Ticket or with a Virtual Ticket.
One of our staff will be in touch as soon as you book to make sure you have all the info you need!
The main festival venue, the Crossman Hall, only permits registered assistance dogs, so please do bear this in mind if you decide to bring your canine friend to the island. Most other places on the island are dog friendly and there are plenty of outdoor spaces for walks and sniffs!
Holy Island is a very popular tourist destination and in the summer months, hotels and guest houses book up extremely quickly. We recommend that you book your accommodation as soon as possible.
There are many places to rent a room on Holy Island. There is a great website to help you start looking for a place to stay here.
On the mainland there are many places to choose from. The closest accommodation to the island is the Lindisfarne Inn, but a simple online search will turn up many options in the area.
There is strictly no camping allowed on Lindisfarne, but there are some great camp sites nearby on the mainland.
Some of the DigVentures team will be at the Barn at Beal
We also recommend Budle Bay Campsite
Holy Island is a close-knit community, and the NO CAMPING policy is something they are very clear about. We really don’t want to upset them. Please check the accommodation suggestions above for places where you can camp or stay nearby.
‘Full Festival’ Ticket: entry to all festival venues and party, access to downloadable podcasts of festival talk, but NOT entry to Dig or Finds Lab Experiences
Fringe Ticket: entry to all Fringe venues and party, access to Follow the Speaker sessions, access to downloadable podcasts of festival talks
Dig / Finds Lab Experiences: these must be pre-booked and bought separately from all other tickets
Virtual Ticket: entry to livestream event, access to downloadable podcasts of festival talks
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