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In late March 2006, a potter and keen fieldwalker, Richard Landy, reported his discovery of an almost complete ceramic Roman cheese press, used for making goat's cheese, to his local finds liaison officer (FLO) under the Portable Antiquities Scheme. What made it all the more special is where he found it – washing out of the side of a two-metre-deep ditch in Stilton, Cambridgeshire.
This cheese press is just one of hundreds of finds Richard has discovered from the area around the ditch. These include Samian ware, mica dusted ware, Nene valley ware, local Roman coarse wares, medieval green glazed pottery and other objects, including Neolithic polished axes, animal remains and Roman pottery-making tools. Coins have also been discovered by limited metal detecting.
Time Team had the usual three days to dig through the two metres of silt that has been deposited on top of the Roman layer over the past two millennia, to investigate the site and work out how it connected to the rest of the Roman Fens. And of course they couldn't resist trying their hand at making some Roman cheese as well.
Buried beneath the silt
Time Team came to Stilton as a result of the wide range of finds made by local potter and keen fieldwalker Richard Landy – and in particular his discovery of an almost complete Roman cheese press. The Peterborough city archaeologist, Ben Robinson, and the local finds liaison officer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme, Philippa Walton, examined the two specific sites from which Richard had recovered most of his finds.
The cheese press and other Roman pottery finds had come mainly from a layer near the foot of a two-metre-deep ditch. It appeared that some structural remains were also visible in the ditch cut where the cheese press was found, and that these were well preserved under about two metres of silt. Richard speculated that the site might be a wharf on an inland waterway, which is now silted up. Aerial photography plots examined by Ben Robinson seemed to bear this out.
There also appeared to be several other sites in the area – leading the archaeologists to speculate that there might be a preserved Roman settlement or industrial centre. It was thought that parts of it could be poking up through the silt on areas of raised ground, but that it had otherwise been covered with silt following the draining of the fens.
Kilns and a hermitage
Time Team put in trenches to investigate both the ditch and its associated Roman layer under the silt and some other targets nearer the modern-day surface. These were identified as a result of fieldwalking, which had turned up large quantities of mainly Roman pottery, and geophysics surveys. The results from the latter were so clear that John Gater confidently declared three target 'spikes' to be the sites of kilns even before any digging had begun.
This was indeed what they turned out to be – although they appeared to have been different kinds of kiln in each case, and had been cut through by later settlement activities. These included a number of burials; postholes from probably Anglo-Saxon structures; and – in the case of the biggest, and best preserved, kiln – an apsidal-shaped structure incorporating part of the original kiln walls. This last discovery, in combination with the burials and other finds, led to speculation that it might have been the site of an early Christian hermitage – which, if true, would be a very significant discovery as virtually all such structures have been lost, often destroyed by the monasteries and churches that were built on such sites.
Unexpected outcomes
Further geophysics surveys revealed various other features in the landscape, including an enclosure that may date from the Neolithic era. Time Team regular Francis Pryor, who has carried out extensive studies of prehistoric remains in this part of the world, is likely to return to the site to investigate it further.
So, what started with an expectation of a relatively straightforward Roman era dig had, by the end of the third day, turned into a complex tale of multi-period occupation spanning up to 5,000 years. The possible Roman wharf had not been definitely identified as such, but the excavations on the site and Stewart Ainsworth's investigation of the landscape as it would have been almost 2,000 years ago suggested that it was a definite possibility. And the tantalising suggestion of the existence of an early Saxon Christian hermitage here produced an unexpected outcome to Time Team's efforts.
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third-party sites.
Time Team was brought to Stilton as a result of the discovery of a Roman cheese press. So what better reconstruction cameo to attempt than a spot of Roman cheese making? Even if the excavations didn't find any further evidence of cheese making or cheese makers here, it still provided the opportunity for a cheesy ending as the Team enjoyed a spot of Roman cheese-tasting at the end of the third day.
Time Tarts
For this cameo, Time Team called in Karen and John Naylor from Time Tarts, who specialise in reconstructing aspects of the past for museums and television. John is skilled in replicating objects and period technology, while Karen focuses on textiles, costume and food.
Here's how they did it
'The main material to source was milk,' says John. 'Some research found us the prize-winning herd of goats in Nottinghamshire.' This was at Skylark Hill Goats, a small goat farm with its own cheese-making dairy.
Okay, it's not Stilton but it's still in the modern Stilton cheese-making area. We spent some time with the farmer, who also makes goats cheese, and finally sourced our unpasteurised milk straight from the goats.
Note that Roman writings clearly indicate they thought the milk from animals with two teats – goats and sheep – was far superior for cheese making than the milk from animals with four teats – cows.
Was the equipment used historically accurate?
Everything we used was a reconstruction of a well provenanced Roman object. We even heated the milk over charcoal on a replica of a cooker found at Pompeii. Of course, we had the replica of the cheese press that sparked this particular Time Team dig.
What were the steps in the reconstruction?
The Romans would probably have made their cheese with the milk still warm, straight from the goats – and this gives a better yield. We didn't have the luxury of goats on location so we had to warm the milk over the cooker. Once at blood heat we added red wine vinegar and as Tony stirred the pan it immediately began to curdle, creating the curds we wanted.
Once curdled, we strained the curds from the whey through a fine cloth in the cheese press. The curds form the cheese and it's simply a case of letting them drain and compressing them by stacking presses on top of each other (hence their shape). You can add herbs, salt etc at this stage.
What was the hardest part of the reconstruction?
This is something we have done before and in several contexts, including extended living history/experimental archaeology. The process is relatively easy and you can even try it at home. It is, of course, a little nerve wracking to make sure everything works perfectly, first time, in front of the cameras, and Time Team's schedule doesn't allow time for the cheese to fully mature. Still, the crew seemed to really enjoy it, especially served with olive relish on bread baked on our Pompeii cooker alongside the trench at the end of the dig.
Would you change anything if you did it again?
Doing it again, it would be great to have more presses and try and do a larger amount of cheese just as the Roman's would have done.
What is your next challenge after doing a reconstruction for Time Team?
Our work is always varied and interesting – currently we are working on 11th-century fireproof clothing based on the St Petersburg manuscript for another TV programme. Experimental archaeology and reconstructing the past is always challenging and interesting and we never know just what might be around the corner.
The Time Tarts website is at www.timetarts.co.uk
Watched the programme, browsed the web pages? Now try our lighthearted quiz to see how much you know about cheese, Roman or otherwise.
When it came to cheese making, which of the following did the Romans believe to be true?
Two teats bad, four teats good
Four teats bad, two teats good
Four teats good, two teats better
The eccentric, cheese-loving inventor Wallace and his canine sidekick Gromit have made film-maker Nick Park famous. What was the title of the first Wallace and Gromit film, in which the heroes set off for the moon in search of cheese?
Creature comforts
The wrong trousers
A grand day out
In a verse by Virgil, the poet describes a farmer's lunch of cheese paste. What ingredients did Virgil say were ground together to make up the paste?
Onions, wine, oil and fresh herbs
Potatoes, vinegar, oil and fresh herbs
Garlic, vinegar, oil and fresh herbs
What did Daniel Defoe say Stilton cheese was called in his Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain in the 1720s?
Maggot spread
English Parmesan
Blue blood
What is the most common source of rennet, used in cheese-making to curdle milk?
The fourth stomach of slaughtered cow calves
The Mucor miehei fungus
Tesco's
Who does Homer's Odyssey describe as having racks lined with cheese?
The Cyclops
Calypso
The Sirens
Answers here.
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third-party sites.
Revealing the Buried Past: Geophysics for archaeologists by Chris Gaffney and John Gater (Tempus 2003) paperback £17.99
Written by two of the foremost experts in the field, this book draws the reader into the world of geophysics. Written for the seasoned archaeologist, student, amateur and for those who have seen the 'geofizz' techniques used and want to learn a little more, the book is well-written, clearly presented and has lots of illustrations and explanatory diagrams. An introduction to the history of geophysics is followed by a lucid discussion of the different techniques available, the methods and equipment used, survey logistics and post-survey analysis. Drawing on their work with Time Team, Gaffney and Gater present a series of case studies from different periods. In conclusion, they consider the future for prospecting for the past and how this powerful surveying tool may be transformed in years to come. Foreword by Mick Aston.
Get this book
Pottery in Roman Britain by Guy de la Bédoyère (Shire Archaeology, 2000) £5.99
Time Team regular Guy de la Bédoyère provides an easy-to-follow guide to pottery in Roman Britain, allowing for quick identification of the common and not-so-common finds.
Get this book
Pottery in Britain 4000BC to AD1900: A guide to identifying potsherds by Lloyd Laing and Jennifer Laing (Greenlight Publishing, 2003) £20
An introductory guide to identifying some of the basic types of pottery that may be found by accident, in systematic fieldwalking and in archaeological excavation.
Get this book
The Landscape of Roman Britain by Ken and Petra Dark (Sutton, 1998) £18.99
The authors analyse and interpret archaeological evidence of rural life in Roman Britain and provide an overview of Romano-British agriculture, the impact of Roman towns and that of human and industrial activity on the landscape.
Get this book
The Anglo-Saxons edited by James Campbell, Eric John and Patrick Wormald (Penguin, 1991) paperback £16
Three experts have collaborated to produce this complete, illustrated guide to the Anglo-Saxons, from their arrival in England to their conversion to Christianity and defence of Britain against Viking attacks.
Get this book
The Archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England edited by Catherine E Karkov (Garland Publishing, 1999) hardback £80
This volume offers comprehensive coverage of the archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England, bringing together essays on specific fields, sites and objects, and offering the reader a representative range of both traditional and modern methodologies and interdisciplinary approaches to the subject. Individual sections deal with settlement archaeology, the archaeology of church and monastery, death and burial and women and the material record.
Get this book
Britain AD: A quest for Arthur, England and the Anglo-Saxons by Francis Pryor (Harper Collins, 2004) hardback £14
In this book, which accompanies and expands on his Channel 4 television series, Francis Pryor retells the story of King Arthur, legendary king of the Britons, tracing it back to its Bronze-Age origins and arguing that the legend's survival mirrors a flourishing, indigenous culture that endured through the Roman occupation of Britain and the subsequent invasions of the so-called Dark Ages.
Get this book
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third-party sites.
Time Tarts
www.timetarts.co.uk
Website of Time Tarts, who recreated Roman cheese-making techniques for the Stilton programme. Time Tarts specialise in recreating the past for film, TV and live performance.
Richard Landy
www.wedgeofstilton.com/index.html
Website of Richard Landy, potter and keen fieldwalker, whose discovery of a Roman cheese press brought Time Team to Stilton. Richard carried out an experimental pottery-firing reconstruction for the programme using Roman techniques.
Stilton village website
www.stilton.org/
about_photographs_time_team_2006_06.html
The Stilton village website has photos and other bits and pieces about Time Team's visit and archaeological finds locally.
Stilton cheese
www.stiltoncheese.com
Originating in the 18th century, the famous blue cheese got its name from its sale to travellers in a Stilton inn, but in fact it has never been made in Stilton itself. Only six dairies are licensed to produce Stilton cheese today. These operate exclusively in the counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, where they use the original recipe to make Stilton from local milk. This official Stilton cheese website includes a history of the cheese.
Portable Antiquities Scheme
www.finds.org.uk
The ceramic Roman cheese press found at Stilton came to the attention of archaeologists as a result of being reported by its finder under the Portable Antiquities Scheme. This is a voluntary recording scheme for archaeological objects found by members of the public. Every year many thousands of objects are discovered, many of them by metal-detector users, but also by people out walking, gardening or going about their daily work. Such discoveries offer an important source for understanding our past. This website provides background information on the Portable Antiquities Scheme, news and access to the PAS database of more than 60,000 finds and 18,000 images; from prehistoric flints to post-medieval buckles.
For details of other archaeology websites, organised by both period and subject, see Archaeology websites.
When it came to cheese making, which of the following did the Romans believe to be true?
Four teats bad, two teats good
The eccentric, cheese-loving inventor Wallace and his canine sidekick Gromit have made film-maker Nick Park famous. What was the title of the first Wallace and Gromit film, in which the heroes set off for the moon in search of cheese?
A grand day out
In a verse by Virgil, the poet describes a farmer's lunch of cheese paste. What ingredients did Virgil say were ground together to make up the paste?
Garlic, vinegar, oil and fresh herbs
What did Daniel Defoe say Stilton cheese was called in his Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain in the 1720s?
English Parmesan
What is the most common source of rennet, used in cheese-making to curdle milk?
The fourth stomach of slaughtered cow calves
Who does Homer's Odyssey describe as having racks lined with cheese?
The Cyclops