Thursday evening (23rd February, 2023) saw Burnby Hall packed out with over 100 attendees eager to be the first members of the public to see the shield. The first talk was given by Dr Peter Halkon, local archaeologist and trustee of Pocklington and District Heritage Trust. His talk involved an overview of the local archaeology, enabling those interested to gain some context for the wider culture in which the shield is nestled. Peter talked on excavations he has led at sites such as Kiplingcotes Farm, highlighting the weird and wonderful archaeology present in the area.
Paula Ware (MAP Archaeological Practice) outlined her and her team’s work at Burnby Lane, the findspot for the shield. The audience remained captivated at her discussion surrounding the shield, swords, burials, and chariot all found in our local area.
All attendees will agree – it was a wonderful feeling to finally see the shield that has been the centre of our discussions around the museum and Pocklington’s heritage for years. The ornate metalwork and shocking shade of green were dazzling. This has only made it more clear that a museum in Pocklington is sorely needed so that our unique and spectacular archaeology can be shared with and given back to the people of Pocklington.
We want [these finds] in [a museum] and it is up to you” – Phil Gilbank, Chairman of PDHT.
(If you attended on Thursday and you have any comments or would like to get more involved, please head to our Facebook page linked here. You can contact either myself or Andrew through the Facebook page.)
