Heritage and environment news

10 Years of Excavations at Biddenham Loop

The building of a new housing estate south of Biddenham village gave archaeologists a chance to look for evidence of past human activity. Cropmarks visible on aerial photographs and the discovery of single finds showed the area could contain important archaeological remains. Amongst the discoveries were a Bronze Age ring ditch, an Iron Age farmstead and Romano-British cremation burials.  Further information about Biddenham Loop Excavations|.

March 2007 Achievements:

A summary of the Section's achievements during March 2007|.

Stewartby Brickworks features in new East of England heritage route

Stewartby Brickworks is one of 30 key sites featured in a new regional route of industrial heritage. Industrious East celebrates the working history of the East of England and its people. It is part of a European Route of Industrial Heritage which stretches across the continent. For more information see Discover the Industrious South East| (opens in new window) and European Route of Industrial Heritage| (opens in new window).

Final version of Bedford Borough and Mid Beds Landscape Character Assessments are published.

Following various stages of consultation the final versions of  Bedford Borough| (pdf document opens in new window) and  Mid Beds| (pdf document opens in new window) Landscape Character Assessments have now been published.  Work is underway on the South Beds final version.

Identification of important geological sites within County

The Bedfordshire and Luton Geology group has undertaken a geodiversity audit of the County and has been assessing the significance of individual sites. Bedfordshire now contains 5 geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 21 Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites (RIGS). Much government guidance on biodiversity also covers geodiversity. RIGS are at least as much about education and interpretation as about conservation and much of the focus at these new sites is on how the rocks and landforms of the County have come to be as they are now. It has been an ambition of the Biodiversity Forum to put geodiversity conservation on a stronger footing and the identification of these RIGS marks a major step forwards.