The Barcombe site was a joint venture between UCL and the Mid Sussex Field Archaeology Team, a local group to which Sue Birks, David Millum and Keith Butler belonged, all of whom are now key members of the Culver Team. While UCL’s involvement with the main villa site has since ended, the presence of UCL students is still very alive in Culver and it is to them that we owe thanks for our Finds Supervisor, Hannah.
Rob began his archaeological career back in 2002, studying for a BA in Egyptian Archaeology at University College London. He worked and supervised at the Barcombe Villa Excavations from his first year, and promptly relocated there in 2005 to study for an MA at the University of Sussex. Rob lives and works on Culver Farm for most of the year, and is due to begin a PHD later this year. He has worked commercially for Archaeology South-East, co-run an Egyptian study tour for students at UCL, supervised at Bishopstone Valley research project and worked a number of other projects including Sima de las Palomers and Cueva Negra in Spain.
Rosie is a commercial archaeologist by day, living and working in London but come the summer she grabs her trowel and heads for the Culver Project. She studied with Rob, Nick and Rhw at UCL for a BA in Archaeology and supervised excavation and finds on the Barcombe Villa Site. Rosie supervised at Bishopstone Valley in the final year of the project and also at Farthing Down for English Heritage, with a number of digging stints in between. She has worked commercially since graduating UCL for companies including Archaeology South-East, English Heritage, AOC Archaeology (London) and Compass Archaeology.
David is currently studying for an MA in Field Archaeology at Sussex University. His preceeding degree is a BA in Landscape Studies (Archaeology), also at University of Sussex, where he studied Vernacular Architecture, Archaeological Survey, GIS, Excavation and Industrial Archaeology. He specialises in site surveying, standing building assessment (esp Wealdens), historic landscape characterisation and 2D GIS work. David supervised on the Culver Project during the 2007 season and is a regular digger on the two-year Wheeler-style grid excavation of the Bronze Age Settlement on the downs at Black Patch, Alciston. He has worked on a number of sites with MSFAT and University of Sussex, such as Barcombe Villa, Pevensey Castle and the Long Man of Wilmington.
Sarah studied archaeology at Newcastle University and is currently researching for her masters in Anglo-Saxon settlement and landscape, also at Newcastle University. She has a wealth of fieldwork experience from Bishopstone 2004-5 (Sussex), Black Patch 2006 (Sussex), Buckfastleigh 2005 (Devon) and supervisory experience from College Valley 2007 (Northumberland) and took an honorary supervisory role at last years Culver excavations!
Hannah is queen of finds in Culver and has worked on the project for the last two years. She is currently in her final year at University College London, studying for her BA in archaeology and embroiled in dissertation fun! Hannah has worked on a number of sites throughout her degree, including the recent UCL training site at Westdean in Sussex.
Nick studied at UCL with Rob, Rhw and Rosie and went on to employment with AOC Archaeology (London) where he now works in Archaeological Consultancy. Despite the day-job he’s still one for getting his hands dirty – Nick worked at Barcombe Villa and Bishopstone Valley, and even made it to the sunnier climes of the Caribbean. Nick has his own research project in Suffolk looking at medieval settlement around a church and a potential Roman Villa site next door.
Rhw (pronounced Roo) is an Egyptian Archaeologist at heart but constantly finds himself drawn to the sunny climes of rural Sussex. He studied at UCL for both his BA and MA degrees in Eyptian Archaeology and co-ran the Egyptian study tour with Rob for undergraduate students. He supervised at the Barcombe Villa site and Bishopstone Valley and has worked on a number of other projects in the UK. He currently lives in London and works for the Egyptian Exploration Society, and is due on a project in Kent with Rosie this summer (so he might be a bit late to Culver too!).
Sue has been digging since 2003 on a range of sites with the Mid Sussex Field Archaeology Team including Barcombe Roman Villa and Heathfield Roman Iron Furnace, the Long Man of Wilmington, and Exceat Medieveal Chapel. She has dug for paleolithic flints with Matt Pope in upper Beeding and investigated a burnt flint mound in Kemsing with the Otford District Archaeology Group. She is currently studying for an MA in Field Archaeology at Sussex University and excavating a Bronze Age barrow in Peacehaven!
Keith started archaeology with the summer school in practical excavation techniques in July of 2001 at Barcombe Roman Villa, and where he has dug most weekends in the seasons since. He is a member of MSFAT and Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society and has worked on a large number of smaller digs such as Little Furnace wood, a Romano/British iron working site Ovingdean medieval Manor and Arlington Roman settlement site. Keith has worked with Rob since the first season of the Culver Mead project and as Barcombe Villa is coming to an end, hopes to spend much more time working with him in the future.
Ryszard is returning to the Culver Project this year, before finishing his final year at University College London, studying his BA in Egyptian Archaeology. He has not long completed six weeks supervising at the recent UCL training site at West Dean in Sussex and is gladly volunteering to come down and assist with the Culver Project again this season.
