Getting a team of over 50 people to the Channel Islands was already going to be a big challenge. Add in camera equipment, geophysical survey kit and Phil Harding and the task becomes even more difficult.... At the invitation of the Jersey authorities Time Team had undertaken to excavate at the iconic site of Mont Orgueil castle, as well as a World War II site elsewhere on the island. These programmes would be filmed back to back meaning a lot of hard work for the production team.
On a UK mainland site our researchers and producers are quite used to dealing with the various agencies and official bodies who look after the archaeology and the wildlife in any area in which we might like to work. Jersey, as a Crown Dependency, is not part of the United Kingdom. This means that the island has its own government and laws quite separate from those we have been used to working with. Jersey, of course, had never experienced anything quite like Time Team! This meant a long process of discussion and Project Design drafting before all parties were happy with the work we proposed.
When considering the aims and objectives of work proposed at Mont Orguiel castle it became clear that, in order to pursue the 13th century phase of the structure, geophysical work and excavation would be needed high up the steep slopes of the castle perimeter, against its walls. To achieve this safely the only answer was to rope all our team members and equipment securely with the help of a team of professional climbers.
Once everyone was safely secured John and the geophys team got to work with a roped up radar array, dragging it up and down the slopes collecting data. Opening trenches in this environment was interesting to say the least. Of course many of our team members couldn't resist the opportunity to abseil from the castle battlements...
