Medieval Settlement Research Group Spring Conference – April 2026.

The MSRG Spring Conference will take place on 18th-19th April at Deans Conference Centre, Lincoln College, Monks Road, Lincoln, LN2 5HQ and will explore new insights into medieval rural settlements in eastern England: the contribution of public and community archaeology.

Saturday 18th April.

• 09.30  Arrival and registration – tea and coffee.
• 10.00 David Start – Spirit of Sutterby The Spirit of Sutterby: excavation, palaeography, fieldwalking and fruit cake in the Lincolnshire Wolds.
• 10.30 Richard Parker – Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group Digging Disney: Test pit excavations by local volunteers exploring the development of Norton Disney in Lincolnshire.
• 11.00 Ellis Morgan – Southwell Community Archaeology Group The Burgage in Medieval Southwell, Nottinghamshire.
• 11.30 Break – tea and coffee.
• 12.00 Richard Pincott, Catherine Pincott-Allen– The Field Detectives New insights from historic landscape studies into monastic farming estates in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
• Owthorpe, Stathern, Hoveringham and Cropwell Butler.
• 12.30 Mathew Morris – University of Leicester Archaeology Services Bosworth Links – community test pit excavations contribute to wider knowledge of rural settlement development in the Sence Valley of Leicestershire.
• 13.00 David Budge – Mercian Archaeological Services Settlement, castle, church and battle: new insights from a collaboration community landscape project at Cuckney, Nottinghamshire.
• 13.30 Break – buffet lunch
• 14.15 Marcus Jecock – Historic England  Community excavations at Hanging Grimston, East Yorkshire
• 14.45 Eleanor Blakelock – Sedgeford History and Archaeology Research Project  30 Years of rural settlement and cemetery excavation in and around Sedgeford, Norfolk
• 15.15 Gil Burleigh – Pirton Landscape Archaeology Group New medieval discoveries from community archaeology in North Hertfordshire, 2016-2026.
• 15.45 Break – tea and coffee
• 16.15 John Castling – University of Durham The Bishop Big Dig – A community-engaged test pitting project in Bishop Aukland, Country Durham
• 16.45 Emily Abrehart – Oxford Archaeology From moated manor to wider knowledge: The impact of community archaeology at Wimpole, Cambridgeshire on social value and archaeological research.
• 17.15 Rob Hedge – University of Leicester  The value of community-generated research for advancing knowledge of rural settlement development.
• 17.45 Discussion – chaired by Carenza Lewis – University of Lincoln Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats: the future of community archaeology and medieval rural settlement studies.
• 18.00 End of day 1 (delegates to make own arrangements for dinner / accommodation)

Sunday 19th April.

• 09.30  Field trip to medieval settlements in Lincolnshire – Depart Lincoln College, Monks Road, Lincoln for visits to Gainsthorpe deserted medieval village, North & Middle Carlton shrunken / deserted villages, North Ingleby and South Ingleby DMV.
• Lunch Norton Disney village hall (LN6 9JU) Buffet lunch served in village hall on arrival at Norton Disney
• 14.15 Tour of Norton Disney  

Saturday conference: Members in-person fee £28; non-members in-person fee £38 (including parking, refreshments, buffet lunch). Online fee £15.
(delegates to make own arrangements for dinner / accommodation on Saturday evening)

Sunday field trip (minibus/car): Own transport £22 Transport provided £30 (including buffet lunch).