I WRITE in response to a letter from Barb Drummond on July

26 (“Soapbox: Archaeological finds at Castle Park”, Open

Lines).

The archaeology in the park event held at Castle Park on

July 19 was part of a series of events that were organised by

the archaeological officers from North Somerset, Bath &

North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bristol City

Council as part of the Council For British Archaeology's

National Archaeology Week.

The events at Memorial Park, Keynsham, Grove Park,

Weston-super-Mare, Warmley Gardens and Castle Park were

intended to raise the profile of the history and archaeology of

our parks, much of which is hidden beneath our feet.

All the events were well attended and featured informative

guided walks, associated information and activities about the

history of the area.

The Bristol Castle finds and activity day held at Bristol

City Museum & Art Gallery was organised by museum staff as

part of National Archaeology Week. The finds on display were

carefully chosen to be both interesting and representative of

the site. They also had to be stable enough for display.

The 2006 archaeological work referred to was an evaluation

undertaken to assess the site rather than explore it thoroughly

as earlier excavations have done. The 2006 evaluation produced

relatively few finds, especially when compared to the large

scale excavations carried out in the 1970s, and so they weren't

used in this display.

The guided walks at Castle Park featured actors who took on

the role of historic characters who lived during some of the

significant periods of the castle area's past. We had: a castle

watchman from 1283; Thomas Harding, a builder from the post

Civil War redevelopment of the castle and Betsy from Joseph

Philips the Drapers at number 42 Castle Street in 1904. The

walks were well attended and encouraged participation and

contributions from anyone following the actors.

One aim of the day was to gather oral testimonies about the

Castle Street area from before, during and after the war and,

as a result, we've been able to record several memories that

will form part of a subsequent history trail for the park.

The views of the archaeologist about the proposed

enhancement works to the park were entirely in keeping with

aspirations of the Parks Service and the new Parks and Green

Space Strategy and are not the proposals of archaeological

officers.

These ideas are still at the development stage and nothing

has been agreed.

However, the intention would not be to lay out the entire

line of the former Castle Street, merely an area through the

current arena space roughly equivalent to that marked out for

the event. This would amount to the realignment of an existing

path to make it relate more to the historic street pattern as

opposed to the arbitrary route it follows at present – and

would not cause the loss of any green space.

The response from the majority of those who attended these

walks about this proposed new route was generally positive.

Many people explained that although they have memories of

the former street they had difficulty placing it in the

existing park layout and would welcome any new paths that

followed the historic street alignments.

This and many other objectives being expressed by the Parks

Service are welcomed by the Bristol City Council Archaeology

Officers because it's seen as a way of making the historic

environment of the park more legible.

As explained on the walks, at present the only path that

bears any similarity to the former historic features is the

path that approximately follows the line of the western

moat.

There will be full public consultation on any proposals for

park improvements, and any investment from planning agreements

would go towards achieving these improvements.

Assistance from the Record Office about improved

interpretation panels would be welcomed. However, any

enhancements to them would take place as part of a

comprehensive park improvement strategy following public

consultation.

Any new landscaping works would only be undertaken through

close liaison with the city council Archaeological Officers and

would likely involve further archaeological assessment before

any proposals were agreed.

Castle Park is an important city centre green space and an

equally important historic landscape.

This latter status has been somewhat neglected in the recent

past, but with investment the history of Bristol Castle and

Castle Street can once again be part of this public open space,

making it as much a visitor destination for the park's heritage

as it is a lunchtime destination for shoppers, residents and

workers.

Further information about previous archaeological work in

Castle Park or elsewhere in the city can be obtained by

contacting the Historic Environment Record by email

(archaeology@bristol.gov.uk) or telephoning 0117 922 3033.

Peter Insole, archaeological officer, Bristol City

Council.