What Archaeology Projects Does Berkshire Archaeology Research Group Run?

The Berkshire Archaeology Research Group (BARG) runs a set of named projects that members and visitors can explore through the project pages of its website. According to the group's own site, these include Berkshire Dovecotes, the Berkshire Hedgerow Survey, Devil's Highway, Peasemore Research, the Roman Boxford Project, and Spencer's Farm. The same site also lists related research activities such as Hedgerow Surveying and Test Pitting, plus a detailed study of Apollinaris bottles found at Barkham.

BARG describes itself as a voluntary group investigating the archaeology of Berkshire, covering human activity from prehistoric times through to the post-medieval and modern periods. Its project pages are the main place to find out what each piece of research involves.

The named projects

The site groups these under "Berkshire Projects" and also sets out "Research Aims" that include Hedgerow Surveying and Test Pitting. Test pitting is a small-scale excavation method often used by community archaeology groups, which fits BARG's description of itself as a voluntary group.

A worked example: the Apollinaris bottles study

One of the most fully documented pieces of work on the site is a study of Apollinaris bottles, presented as a numbered report. Its sections run from introduction and discovery through to recording the stoneware bottles, why so many were found at the site, how the bottles were made, marks and stamps, salt glazing, the history of the Apollinaris Spring and its importation into England, method of study, statistics, other German and English stoneware found in Barkham, and references.

That structure is useful if you want to see how BARG presents a project: a clear question (why so many bottles here?), a recording stage, background research into manufacture and trade, and a statistical summary. If you are considering a similar local study, this is a template worth reading before you start.

How to use the site to follow a project

1. Open the BARG website and go to the project pages. The site states that details of its research programme are found there.
2. Pick a project from the Berkshire Projects list, such as the Roman Boxford Project or Peasemore Research.
3. Check the Calendar pages for the group's programme of quarterly meetings and visits, which may relate to current work.
4. If you want to take part rather than just read, use the "Join Us" page, since the group says it welcomes anybody interested in archaeology.
5. For questions about a specific project or about how the group can help, the site provides a "Can we help?" and "Contact us" route.

Expected result: you should be able to identify which project matches your interest and whether BARG offers a meeting, visit, or participation route connected to it.

Common sticking points

• The site's project list is a set of page titles, not full summaries. You will need to open each project page to learn its scope, dates, and findings.
• Some material sits under different labels. Hedgerow work appears both as the Berkshire Hedgerow Survey and as Hedgerow Surveying under Research Aims, so check both.
• The site does not state fees, membership costs, or access restrictions on these pages. Do not assume a project is open to non-members or free to join without checking the Join Us and contact pages.
• News is archived by year back to 2002, so recent developments may be easier to trace through the news archive than through a project page.

Who this is for

This overview suits anyone asking what BARG actually does, students or local historians looking for a Berkshire fieldwork project to follow, and prospective members deciding whether the group's interests match their own. If your interest is a specific period or method, start with the project closest to it, then use the contact route to ask whether the group is currently active on that work.