26th November 2020:
The latest episode of the Alconbury Weald Stories podcast focuses on the area’s fascinating heritage, from the Bronze Age to the Cold War, and includes an interview with OA’s Community Archaeology Manager.
The new Alconbury Weald development is situated in the historic county of Huntingdonshire, now part of Cambridgeshire. It is located on a former RAF airfield and this 1,400-acre area will provide 5,000 homes, business space, green spaces, new schools and more.
Urban&Civic, the master developer behind Alconbury Weald, has teamed up with archaeologist and Channel 5 broadcaster Raksha Dave, who hosts the second episode of their podcast series. The heritage podcast features insights from a RAF veteran who recently moved to Alconbury Weald and an interview with the landscape consultant about how heritage is being interpreted and presented in their strategy for the site.
Oxford Archaeology East has conducted a series of archaeological investigations in advance of the redevelopment of the airfield, dating back over twenty years. Clemency Cooper, Community Archaeology Manager for Oxford Archaeology talks in the podcast about the wider historic context and discoveries from the archaeological excavations undertaken so far, spanning the Bronze Age to post-medieval times.
Rebecca Britton, head of partnerships and communities at Urban&Civic, said: “The echoes of history provide depth and soul to the new community, and we hope the podcast will be part of connecting our new community to the footsteps which went before them, helping set down roots in this very special place.”
Raksha Dave, archaeologist and broadcaster, who hosts the podcast, said: “I love the fact that at Alconbury Weald you can see the physical remnants of historic moments: from ancient woodlands to a Medieval moated Manor House, runways used during the Second World War and Cold War structures peppering the landscape. This rich history is embedded in the community, and it’s this sense of time that gives people a deep connection to Alconbury Weald’s past.”
The 'Weald Origins' episode is now live and available to stream and download here: https://www.alconbury-weald.co.uk/podcast/
