History and Mission Statement
The original Clifton Antiquarian Club was first launched on 23rd January 1884 at a meeting in Bristol museum library. They undertook considerable research, produced seven volumes of proceedings and enjoyed an active 28 years before dissolving in 1912. The society limited itself to 40 members who lived in the Clifton area of Bristol and was dedicated to the investigation of antiquities in the surrounding country. They joined forces with other clubs to conduct occasional excavations, such as at Heston Brake Neolithic chambered tomb and Roman Caerwent, both in Wales. They maintained a keen and wide interest which included heraldry, ecclesiastical architecture, early metalworking, a study of the origins to the naming of America, and prehistoric monuments. The club organised two excursions each year, to which every member was at liberty to introduce a lady! Eventually, the intimacy of the club was its chief undoing as a handful of gentlemen of the same generation grew old and the appendix of the later proceedings featured familiar entries in the margins
"...retired; died; retired..."
96 years passed before, in June 2006 during a field assessment study of the Heston Brake monument in Monmouthshire by members of the present committee, a reference to the club cropped up, which soon turned into a desire to resurrect the long forgotten association. It was decided to follow the principal objectives set out in the nineteenth century and so the new society is dedicated to its membership on a personal level. High quality field trips and lectures are augmented with formal research projects and members are encouraged to participate in all aspects of the club's activities. There are opportunities for publication of personal research in the biennial Proceedings of the Clifton Antiquarian Club and an editorial board has been appointed to ensure that all published material is of the very highest standard. The first proceedings of the revamped club, volume 8, were published in December 2007. It was a momentous occasion for the society and the book itself has been very well received. Work for the next proceedings is already underway and will focus on current studies into early medieval Britain; this will be published in December 2009.
The club holds two lectures annually, a summer and winter Lecture which tends to alternate between prehistory and medieval ages. These are popular events with wide ranging stimulating subjects, usually held at the Department of Archaeology, University of Bristol and are open to members and non-members alike.
We have an exciting research project which began in January 2007, a much needed survey of the eastern Rhossili Downs and Sweyne's Howe monuments on the Gower peninsula in Wales. The club published an interim report in volume 8 of the proceedings but the work is continuing with further investigations into the Palaeoenvironment of the down, taking soil samples by auger and completing the walkover survey of the entire eastern section (about 3 x 1 kms).
In keeping with the original club we organise two field trips each year. So far we have been to Brittany, Cornwall's Penwith area, Dartmoor, North Wales and the Dordogne. In November 2008 the club will embark on its next home based tour with a four day excursion around north east England.
The club's website is maintained on two levels; firstly as a point of contact for both members and anyone who wishes to keep abreast with the club's activities and general news. Secondly, it will act as a serious academic resource, part of the new Clifton Antiquarian Club's overall aims to promote education and undertake research in the archaeological field.
Compiled
by Laurie Waite, chairman, July 2008