Archaeology project makes discoveries about history of Cambois with help from primary school pupils

Cambois Primary School students worked with community archaeologist Barry Mead to uncover artefacts from the site of the village’s Victorian schoolhouse.

The work was part of the Cambois Hidden Depths heritage project, a six month multidisciplinary programme celebrating the rich history and community of Cambois that will continue throughout the summer.

Barry said: “What we have been doing is excavating outside the school on what we believe was the site of Cambois’ first primary school, which was built here back in the 1860s.

“It has been absolutely brilliant and the kids have worked so hard, and we found loads of stuff related to what was the original building.

“We found bricks, we found bits of broken roof slate, we found mortar, we found window glass, we have found pottery, and even found sewer pipes, so we have proved they had running water here as well.

“The kids have been brilliant. Some of them did not even want to have their tea breaks, their lunch breaks.

“The excitement of digging soil, you never know what you are going to find. It has just been absolutely brilliant. The kids have been a credit to their school as well.”

Ryan Longstaff, deputy headteacher at Cambois Primary School, added: “It has been fantastic to welcome Barry into the school and encourage the children to get involved in the excavation.

“Cambois has such a rich unexplored history, and to be able to learn about our past has been phenomenal.”

Cambois Hidden Depths is led by Northumberland performing arts charity November Club in collaboration with village community group The Tute.

The dig was the first of a series of initiatives in Cambois that will help people explore the village’s heritage across disciplines including art, photography, dance and storytelling.

An event will be held on Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28 to showcase the results of the programme.

It is funded by The Heritage Fund and Arts Council England and supported by Northumberland County Council.