20/07/2011

Issued by Fountains Abbey

An exciting archaeological project begins this summer at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, a National Trust owned World Heritage Site near Ripon.
If you're interested in archaeology, and would like to help the estate uncover secrets from its past, then the Treasured Islands project this summer is not to be missed.

Activities begin on Friday 22 July with a guided tour of Studley Royal's archaeological past and on Saturday 23 July there is the opportunity for visitors to examine old maps of the estate and get hands on with archaeological surveying. Families can enjoy using the information to guess the location of missing islands on the estate with the closest guess winning a prize. The activities are taking place to coincide with the ‘Festival of British Archaeology' which is taking place nationwide from Saturday 16 July to Sunday 31 July.

The estate is famous for its Georgian water garden, which exists relatively unchanged since its creation over 250 years ago. However one area of the garden is a notable exception. Known as ‘Quebec', it has changed quite dramatically from its eighteenth century design.

Lying between the Temple of Piety and the Half Moon Reservoir, the original design for Quebec, according to accounts from the period and nineteenth century maps, featured a large pond with three islands within it. The pond played an important role in the hydrological management of the garden; however, some time around 1900 the then owner of the estate, the Marquis of Ripon, decided to fill it in.

To the modern visitor Quebec is an overgrown area of the garden that is easily overlooked, offering no clue as to the designed landscape that was there before. In the estate's World Heritage Site Management Plan there is a commitment to reinstate the Quebec landscape. To do this the estate needs to fully understand what Quebec was like in the eighteenth century and discover if anything remains of the original garden features. This important information will help the team at Fountains Abbey decide how this important part of the garden will be brought back to life.

Visitors to the estate may well wonder why part of a garden in England is named after a province in Canada. As part of the Seven Year War (1757-1762) the Battle of Quebec was a notable clash between the French and the British from which the British, led by General Wolfe, emerged victorious. The battle became iconic, a symbol of British military triumph in North America. The battle was commemorated in a number of the gardens of Britain's rich and powerful, including at Studley (although the pond was probably in existence long before).

The project to bring Quebec back to life begins on Friday 22 July and Saturday 23 July and the estate is asking for help from visitors to assist in uncovering the location of the missing ‘Treasured Islands'. Archaeologists will be in Quebec on both days with their electronic distance measuring equipment, surveying the area to decide where to build their trenches. Everyone can get hands on with the equipment and guess where the islands would have been, using historic maps from the nineteenth century. All guesses will be recorded and the winner will receive a prize.

On Friday July 22 from 2.30pm - 4.30pm the National Trust's regional archaeological consultant Mark Newman will be leading a ‘Digging in the Garden' tour, explaining Studley Royal's archaeological digs past, present and future.

On Saturday 23 July, ‘Meet the Redcoats' with the re-enactment group Lace Wars, and chat with the brave British soldiers, back from their heroics in Quebec.

From Monday 1 August to Sunday 25 September, a unique exhibition ‘Rubbing shoulders with Georgians' will be in place in Quebec, explaining what the garden was, what happened to it and how we aim to rediscover it.

Once the archaeologists have a clearer understanding of the potential location of the islands they will begin to dig their trenches on Saturday 10 September and continue on selected days until Monday 25 September. Visitors can come and watch as they peel back the layers of history and discover the long lost Quebec garden. On the anniversary of the Battle of Quebec, Monday 12 September, join Mark Newman for his, ‘Remember Quebec' tour of Studley Royal, and the Aislabie's connections with the Americas.

Visitors can keep up to date with this exciting project by following Mark Newman's blog at http://thefountainsabbeyblog.blogspot.com/  and www.fountainsabbey.org.uk

ENDS