General Information

This page will give you an idea of the accommodation and food along side important details of what you need to bring. It is important that this page is carefully read if you have decided to take part in the field school.

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The field project will be housed at the Hornby Laithe Bunk Barn, owned by the Caton family, who operate a small bed and breakfast in the converted Husband Barn nearby. The Bunk Barn is located in Stainforth, a small village 2km from the town of Settle. The bunk barn is a modernised stone structure that includes a large and modern dining room, an industrial style kitchen, comfortable common room for relaxation, classroom and laboratory space, compact bedrooms, showers and lavatories. These facilities will be for our use only. Students should bring a large towel and a sleeping bag or linen and a blanket. A pillow (with cover) and a blanket are provided. Laundry facilities are available in Settle, which we will visit regularly. All meals are included with exception of a weekend dinner.

Also see:
Hornby Laithe Bunkbarn

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Travelling from Leeds to Settle. Leeds is the heart of the north and from there you can go anywhere (including Bradford sometimes!); that includes the town of Settle which is just a few miles from the project location. Settle is on the Airedale Train Line that travels between Leeds and Lancaster via Skipton. Settle is approximately one hour from Leeds.

Settle is a very picturesque Yorkshire village that will be overwhelmed with tourists when you arrive. The project vehicle will make at least 2 or 3 trips to Settle in the afternoon of the first day of the program to pick up students. Wait for us at the train station. We will pick up students at about 2pm, 4pm, and if necessary 7pm. Try to be in Settle by 4pm. If you arrive early, then take a stroll around the village, if it is feasible. If there have been flight delays or other problems, we will make an evening/night trip, but it is strongly recommended that you telephone from Settle (or before) to let us know that you've been delayed. Remember, if you arrive and don't see us immediately, don't panic. We will be there.

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During the program, use this address:

(Your Name)
Archaeology Program
Hornby Laithe Bunk Barn
Stainforth, Nr. Settle
North Yorkshire, BD24 9PB
ENGLAND

This is a pay phone located in the building where we stay. It is best that this number should be used for emergency incoming calls only. I recommend to students that they make a quick phone call home at the beginning of the program to inform family of their safe arrival. There are no fax or email facilities available. The number for the pay phone is:

(01729) 825751

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Dr. R. E. Donahue
Department of Archaeological Sciences,
University of Bradford,
Bradford BD7 1DP,
United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 - (0)1274 - 23 3557, Fax: +44 - (0)1274 - 23 5190

Prof. W. Lovis
Department of Anthropology,
Michigan State University,
East Lansing,
Michigan,
United States of America.

CLIMATE: WHAT TO PLAN FOR
Northern England maintains a Maritime climate although you won't see the sea from here. Days are generally warm, but can be quite cool, and occasionally cold. Nights tend to be chilly. Heavy rains are infrequent, but on many days there will be some drizzle and a feeling of damp. It is often cloudy, but when the sun shines, and even when there are some clouds, it is possible to be severely sunburned. It can get cold and damp inside when it rains, and that extra sweater or jacket comes in handy.

On the high ground the climate is vastly different. This area has a climate of its own and varies vastly from day to day. Low cloud can mean that it is very foggy, heavy rain storms can occur and even on an average day the sun can burn.

CLOTHING

TRAVEL CLOTHES
Plan to dress in comfortable clothes, not high fashion or grubby. You should plan to wear something comfortable because it will probably be a good few hours before you change.

WORK CLOTHES
The emphasis is on comfort, durability, and protection. Wear things you can afford to let get stained or torn. If you discard ruined work clothes at season's end, it makes that much more room in your backpack or suitcase. Jeans are the standard for field and lab. Because the weather is highly unpredictable, a layered approach (such as t-shirt, warm shirt, wool sweater, rain/windproof jacket) is recommended. You can take off layers to get to the comfortable level. Because jeans and other cotton clothing will not keep you warm if they get wet, it is imperative to have "waterproofs," which consist of matching waterproof trousers and jacket with a hood. They will do an excellent job of keeping rain out. We don't dig in rain, but we usually keep going when it is drizzling. It is also possible you may get caught in the rain when heading back to the vehicles. A small knapsack to carry your rain gear, lunch and whatever else you may want in the field, is strongly recommended.

Hiking boots will be a valuable asset for fieldwork footgear. Trainers will be soaked through very rapidly, but are about the most useful type of footgear while indoor and touring. Headgear is also important. It will protect you from the sun and from the rain.

MEAL CLOTHES
For breakfast, you wear your field clothes. Lunch is eaten in the field. Dinner will be at the Bunk Barn where clean work clothes or casual clothes are appropriate. Bring several changes so you have clean things to change into while your just-washed things dry.

LAUNDRY
We are fortunate to be offered extended access to the laundry facilities at Settle. We arrange evening trips for laundry, and will rotate students if necessary. The arrangements will be organised when we arrive. Don't expect miracles with regard to work clothes. There is a tendency for these clothes to develop a beautiful shade of brown, no matter what colour they were originally or how many times they are washed! We also have a drying room at the bunk barn, so must things will be able to dry out overnight.

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A digging trowel: a 5" mason's pointing trowel. Get one with a solid shank rather than a blade spot-welded to the handle. Recommended brands include WHSA or Marshalltown. Most builders supply houses, lumber yards, and hardware stores carry them.

OPTIONAL

Archaeologists need special tools for their trade. All tools are provided by the project, but we have found that students often prefer to have their own hand tools to keep for future projects or as relics of their adventure. The following equipment will be of value for the project (get the cheapest supplies your resources allow):

• A container to carry things: a canvas book bag, an airline bag, a fishing tackle box, or a small gym bag can be used.
• A stiff-blade putty knife. We use it to dig in heavy clay.
• A tape measure, ruled in METRIC, and 3 meters long.
• A straight-edge ruler, ruled in metric as well as inches.
• A spirit line level. It is a little tube with a bubble level in it and hooks at each end so it can be hung from a string. Get it with your trowel.
• A small ice pick or awl.
• A small, cheap paint brush (1-2").
• A small, cheap whisk broom.
• A small, cheap pen knife or pocket knife.
• Several pencils and several ball point pens.
• A clipboard to hold your notes and notebook, and to write on in the field.
• A standard-size spiral notebook with at least 50 pages.

Archaeologists eventually end up with other things in their digging kits, including: Rubber, pencil sharpener, Rapidograph reservoir-style drawing pens, drawing compass, directional compass, plumb bob, dental picks, tooth brushes, chalk, tweezers, 10x hand loupe or lens, camera, 100 ft./30 meter tape. The field school will provide all this gear along with surveyor's transit, shovels, screens, and other materials.

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Shots
A tetanus booster is required if you have not had one recently, since we will be working in a rural area, where tetanus conceivably could exist.

Medical care
Good emergency medical care is close at hand.

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Food
For breakfast there is usually various cereals and toast. Lunch is a packed lunch of sandwiches which you will have to make yourself before you go out into the field. The fillings for the sandwiches are varied and include meats, lettuce, tomatoes and peanutbutter for example.

The evening meal is cooked by the supervisors, students are assigned to groups and take turns to wash up afterwards. The meals are varied. Past meals have included moussaka, shepards pie, lasagne, gulash, roast chicken and barbeques.

Dietary requirements
If you have special dietary requirements, eg. vegetarian and allergies, you need to make the cooks aware and you will be catered to.

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Drugs
If you use recreational pharmaceuticals, be aware of the risks. We do not permit them during the program. Neither the Program nor the University can provide legal aid in such cases.

Alcohol
No alcohol will be allowed during working hours, and never on site. No one will be allowed to work under the influence or effects of alcohol.

Smoking
In the bunk barn there is no smoking and there is also no smoking on site. The smokers will be told as to were they can smoke.

The complete risk assessment can be accessed here.

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