Changing Chalk: connecting nature, people and heritage
Working in partnership to connect nature, people and heritage for the future of the Downs
Changing Chalk is a partnership of organisations supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund working together for the future of the South Downs. Through this project, we are reversing the decline of the fragile chalk grassland, and connecting local communities to the nationally significant landscape on their doorstep. Led by the National Trust, the partnership connects nature, people and heritage. It is restoring lost landscapes and habitats, bringing history to life and offering new experiences in the outdoors. Find out more about the Changing Chalk partnership here
Take part in the Big Dig this summer!
Between 9th – 11th June 2023, we are asking people to dig archaeological test pits in their own gardens to give us a snapshot of how parts of Eastbourne developed as a Downland Settlement and to find out more about the daily lives of Eastbourne’s residents throughout history.
A Test Pit is a small archaeological excavation, consisting of a square trench measuring 1m by 1m and up to 1m deep that can dug be by hand, by anyone, in an open space in their garden.
The Test Pit is dug methodically, i.e. layer by layer, and carefully recorded, with the aim of identifying evidence of past human activity, usually by finding pieces of pottery and other material, or, if you’re lucky, archaeological features such as rubbish pits, building postholes or wall foundations. While we can learn a great deal about the history of our towns and villages through study of historical documents and maps, place names, aerial photographs and so on, archaeological excavation is often the best or only way to add to or confirm the results of such research.
'Flying Archaeologists' will be on hand to supervise and ensure all excavations and recording are done correctly while another team of finds specialists will be in our operations room in Motcombe Gardens to record and interpret the archaeology.
We will also have a number of test pits in public spaces in Eastbourne and visitors are welcome to pop by and see what we’ve uncovered!
Full training and resources will be provided.
If you’d like to sign up to take part in the Big Dig in Eastbourne, complete the form here
You will also need to agree to our Safe Digging Practice advice available here
The Big Dig – Defined by Nature
The Downs and Towns have a long, shared history. The rolling chalk grasslands have shaped the development of the urban areas at its fringes, with people through the centuries relying on the unique landscape for their existence and later for their wealth.
Yet many of today’s communities are unaware of the unique story lying under the land they walk on every day. Now, the Changing Chalk partnership is taking steps to unearth this hidden history with the launch of the Big Dig led by Eastbourne Borough Council's Heritage Eastbourne team.
Big Dig will show archaeology in action, with local volunteers digging small test pits in back gardens, allotments, school grounds and public spaces in carefully selected areas. With the support of a team of Flying Archaeologists and a live ‘Incident Room’, new discoveries made by the project will help map the story of Eastbourne and its surrounding areas.
They will also officially declare Heritage Eastbourne’s first archaeology amnesty, as part of a wider initiative to delve deeper into the town’s history and everyday life experience through time.
The project will engage Eastbourne residents with the origins of their town and how the Downland environment has moulded everyday life for centuries. The project will inspire and empower volunteers to help reveal the story through research and archaeology. The community-led activities in Eastbourne will become a platform for other locales to explore their place within the South Downs.
