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Masterclass: Desktop Digging (Patreon)

Published:
2021-01-29 09:42:59
Imported:
2026-06
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Videos

Content

In our second Masterclass, Tim and Dani talk through some of the key resources available online when initially investigating a potential site. Over the last 20 years or so, millions of individual records have been digitised and collated, giving easy access to a wealth of archaeological data – all from the comfort of your own home!

Have you always wondered about those 'lumps and bumps' in a field near you on the daily dog walk? The answers you seek might be only a few clicks away. As well as historic records going back hundreds of years, we now have access to the latest technologies, including LiDAR.

With many of us currently confined to our homes, what better time to have a go at desktop digging yourself? See what you can discover about a site that interests you!


Note: Of course, there's an almost limitless choice of websites and databases out there – some more reputable than others! – so we've focussed on just a few authoritative resources  for researching the British landscape. A quick search online should bring up localised equivalents, where available.

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Comments

Carole Cox

Thank you! Most of my ancestors came to the US between 1650 and 1750. They settled -for the most part- within fifteen miles of my home. I have often remarked how much better British record keeping at that time was than that in the US as I can discover so little of them and really anything prior to 1850.

sean stanley

Excellent information given. Will be following some of these leads for myself.

Stephen Herbert

This one does not have audio on the iPad either

Stephen Herbert

This is very interesting post. I'm sure I'll be looking at some of the websites mentioned.

David Boon

So wonderful to hear about all those resources. Now to find time to look at them. I have traced my Boon line to Somerset in the 1600s and my YDNA shows my direct male line has been in Britain since the last ice-age. My interest is now in what happened prior to the 1600s. Hopefully some of those other sites will help.

Jeff Lanam

I wonder if anyone has used orienteering maps to look for archaeology? These can be very detailed, at 1:10000 or 1:15000 scale. These days, they are usually done with LIDAR and they used to be done with stereo photogrammetry. Then someone does fieldwalking, looking for surface features like fences or walls. I would think archaeologists would find them useful.

Philip Stack

Thank you Dani and Tim. Very interesting and some sources there that I had not heard of, which are now bookmarked on my laptop.

Mr David J Cable

Thanks Dani & Tim. Some really useful resources and like the previous poster I'd not heard of most of them. Depending on what you're researching, there may also be industry-specific resources, such as the Northern Mines Research Society who hold a huge amount of information on coal mining: https://www.nmrs.org.uk/

Zoe Propper

Fabulous class. Thank you Tim and Dani

Robert Boudreau

The NLS maps site is brilliant, I've used it many times. What I love about the older maps is you can find places and place names that no longer exist on modern maps, invaluable when you're doing historical research. Great class, thanks Tim and Dani.