History, University of Leicester
Thesis title:
This project will focus on post-Conquest (AD1066-1500) landscapes of dispersed settlement in the middle Severn valley (from Ombersley and Shrawley, Worcestershire to Morville and Claverley, Shropshire). This research will fill the geographical and intellectual gaps in our current understanding of rural settlement recently identified by the Medieval Settlement Research Group (MSRG).
Generally, medieval settlement studies have focused on areas of nucleated settlement (large villages, with houses clustered together), stretching in a band from the south-west to the north-east of England through the East Midlands. In the Midlands, therefore, settlement research is underpinned by a series of important projects focusing on large nucleated villages in the east and central Midlands.
Such settlements were not the norm in the west of the region. Here, isolated farmsteads and hamlets were more common — but the reasons for this remain unclear. Despite valuable studies of individual settlements and no shortage of data, there has been little investigation of patterns of rural settlement common in the middle Severn Valley. The interplay of physical and cultural factors is complex, and cannot be understood by historical, archaeological or toponomastic approaches in isolation. An interdisciplinary approach is required.
A more comprehensive list of over 200 publications, professional reports, lectures, and education resources can be downloaded from this page on my website.
Bradley, R, and Hedge, R, 2019 A Barrow Complex and high-status Anglo-Saxon finds: Investigations on a multi-phase site at Burley, Rutland. Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society 93, 25-48
Hedge, R, 2019 Worked flint, in R Bradley et al, An early Bronze Age urned burial from Crowmeole, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society 94, 77-96
Bradley, R, and Hedge, R, 2018 Neolithic and Iron Age activity at land off Haughton Road and Newport Road, Shifnal, 2015, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society, 93, 71-96
Hedge, R, 2018 Worked Flint, in L Hayes, An Early Beaker Burial at Aldington Lodge, Evesham, Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society 26, 11-25
Hedge, R, 2019 Juliana la Pottare, Explore the Past, https://www.explorethepast.co.uk/2019/03/juliana-la-pottare/ (accessed 06/11/2020)
Hedge, R, 2019 Ice Age Worcestershire. KS2 teaching resource
Hedge, R, 2018 The Giant Wombat in the Basement, The Incurable Archaeologist, https://incurablearchaeologist.wordpress.com/2018/12/02/the-giant-wombat-in-the-basement/ (accessed 14/10/2019)
Hedge, R, 2018 Origins of Us. Exhibition. The Hive, Worcester
Hedge, R, and Fairchild, I, 2018 The Story of Ice Age Worcestershire, Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service and Earth Heritage Trust
O'Hare, N and Hedge, R, 2018 Small Pits, Big Ideas: Community test-pitting at White Ladies Aston. Worcestershire Archaeology report 2570
Hedge, R, 2017 Project Proposal for an Archaeology Test-Pitting Work Experience Project, project design
Hedge, R, Nash, A, and Miles, D, 2017 Have you found anything yet? British Archaeology September/October 2017
Hedge, R, and Stanford, A, 2017 The Broad View: Broadway, Current Archaeology 'Context' Feature
Hedge, R, 2019 Palaeolithic research in Worcestershire: A Framework for Future Work, Research framework document
Fox, D, Hedge, R and Hurst, J D, 2017 Scoping the Rationalisation of Museum Archaeological Collections: Museums Worcestershire. Historic England, project report 7574
Hedge, R and Nash, A, 2016. Assessing the value of community-generated historic environment research. Historic England, project report 7178
Hedge, R, 2020 Assessment of pottery from evaluation, test-pitting, and archaeological recording at Milburn Grange, Warwickshire; for Wessex Archaeology. Worcestershire Archaeology report 2850
Hedge, R, 2019 Analysis of finds from archaeological works at Plough Hill Road, Nuneaton; for Wardell Armstrong. Worcestershire Archaeology report 2702
Hedge, R, 2019 Earthworks at Rodborough, Amberley, and Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire: assessment of the Elsie Clifford Archive. Worcestershire Archaeology, archive assessment
Hedge, R, 2019 Lechlade Skatepark: worked flint illustrations for forthcoming publication
Hedge, R, 2019 Analysis of finds from Excavations at Ruardean Castle. Unpublished internal report, publication forthcoming
Hedge, R, 2018 Assessment of artefacts from Phase 1, Earth Trust Visitor Centre, Little Wittenham, Oxfordshire, for DigVentures. Worcestershire Archaeology report 2648. OASIS reference digventu1-318751
Hedge, R, 2017 Worked flint, in A Mann et al Archaeological Investigations at Whitemoor Haye Quarry, Staffordshire, 2005-2012. A prehistoric and Roman landscape in the Tame Valley, Worcestershire Archaeology Report 2470, pp 79-83 OASIS id: Fieldsec1-285842
Hedge, R, 2016 Worked flint, in P Lovett, Archaeological investigations at Clifton Quarry, Kempsey, Worcestershire 2012-16. Worcestershire Archaeology report 2314
Hedge, R, Hurst, D, and Walsh, A, 2015 Medieval Abberley Revealed Community Archaeology Project 2014-15, Abberley, Worcestershire. Worcestershire Archaeology
Selected conference papers and sessions, invited lectures:
12.2019 Royal Society for Biology (North Wales)
Lecture: Christmas Lecture
11.2018 Worcestershire Archaeological Society Lectures
Lecture: The Giant Wombat in the Basement, and other stories
07.2018 Royal Society for Biology (West Midlands)
Lecture: Ice Age Worcestershire
12.2017 Theoretical Archaeology Group, Cardiff
Paper: Once, Twice, Three Times Forgotten: Material, myth, and memory in a Midlands city
04.2017 The 31st Bromsgrove Lecture, Bromsgrove Society
Lecture: Beneath Your Feet, Behind the Facade; Bromsgrove's Archaeological Heritage
04.2016 CIfA Annual Conference, Leicester
Session: The Future of Community Archaeology. Paper: The Value of Voluntary Research
03.2015 Council for British Archaeology WGM: British Academy
Paper and panel debate: Training community archaeologists
12.2014 Theoretical Archaeology Group, Manchester
Paper and panel debate: There is no archaeology without instrumentalised archaeology
04.2013 Institute for Archaeologists Annual Conference, Birmingham
Paper: The Unseen Past: Archaeology and Multi-Sensory Learning
12.2011 Theoretical Archaeology Group, Birmingham
Paper: Archaeology as Product: The implications for deep prehistory of a developer-led methodology
I am an experienced public archaeologist, at home in a range of broadcast media from local radio to national TV. I have written extensively on archaeology and local history for magazines, news outlets, and blogs. I can create and deliver teaching resources and workshops for all ages.
Other research interests include medieval pottery and settlement dynamics, worked flint in the West Midlands, Iron Age pottery in central England, the social history of 19th century museum collecting, and theoretical approaches to public archaeology.
MCIfA (Member, Chartered Institute for Archaeologists)
Member, Lithic Studies Society (2017 - present)
Member, CIfA Equality and Diversity Group (2016 - present)
Member, CIfA Finds Group (2015 - present)
Member, The Prehistoric Society (2021 - present)
Secretary, CIfA Voluntary and Community Archaeology Group (2016-18). Represented the group on CIfA’s Advisory Council. Organised training events, including a mental health first aid CPD course, and contributed to the development of a research agenda for community archaeology in the UK.