Irchester Field School

27/08/2026

25/07/2026

A fantastic first day of Roman Fest at The Chester House Estate And we are back again tomorrow!
Book your free ticket here👉https://chesterhouseestate.org/whats-on/roman-fest-2026/



School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre Archaeological Services, University of Leicester (ULAS) Discover Northamptonshire The Ermine Street Guard ArchaeologyUK

23/07/2026

We are looking forward to Roman Fest 2026 The Chester House Estate this Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th July. A brilliant free event showcasing and celebrating Roman archaeology and heritage in Northamptonshire and beyond. University of Leicester team will be in the Threshing Barn with our pop-up lab, and helping with tours of the excavation area in the Orchard area. We are also looking forward to learning about Roman board games with Archaeology at the University of Reading , and discovering a wealth of community-led research and creativity with the many local archaeology and history societies who are joining us. And always great to see The Ermine Street Guard in action!
Book your free ticket here👉 https://chesterhouseestate.digitickets.co.uk/event-tickets/66677?catID=63769&

Archaeological Services, University of Leicester (ULAS) School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre North Northamptonshire Council Operation Phoenix Discover Northamptonshire

13/07/2026

Families looking for things to do in Northamptonshire this summer are being encouraged to book now for Roman Fest 2026 at The Chester House Estate - one of the county's most popular free heritage events and a highlight of the summer holiday calendar.

Taking place over an action-packed weekend on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July, Roman Fest brings together archaeology, living history, family entertainment and hands-on activities in the unique surroundings of Northamptonshire's nationally significant Roman landscape at The Chester House Estate. Brought to you by the archaeological teams from Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre and the Archaeological Services, University of Leicester (ULAS).

For this special weekend, the Estate is transformed and taken back in time to the Roman period: https://ow.ly/1mbs50ZmOYI

Discover Northamptonshire

07/07/2026

Do you know a young person aged between 8 and 18 years old - who is passionate about history, archaeology, and uncovering the past? 🧐⛏️

If you do - and if you've enjoyed seeing some of our recent posts from the Irchester Field School on site this year - then this will be for you:

🔬 Come and join professional archaeologists from Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre and Archaeological Services, University of Leicester (ULAS) for a unique series of archaeology workshops for young people this summer ☀️

With 120 minutes of hands on time - excavating a genuine site guided by our professional archeological team - this is the perfect experience for young history buffs and aspiring archaeologists! 🪨❤️

These taster days provide a unique opportunity to experience real-life archaeological work, develop new skills, and explore potential career and volunteering options 🙌

Get set to dive deep into Northamptonshire’s rich archaeological heritage - when you book your tickets to this one-of-a-kind event! 🎟️

https://chesterhouseestate.org/whats-on/young-person-archaeology-experience-day/

03/07/2026

We have had a brilliant three weeks with our School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester students, Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre volunteers and our international students exploring the Roman town of Irchester. Thank you so much for joining us. We wish you a safe journey home and hope to see you again next year. A huge thanks to The Chester House Estate and University of Leicester staff and volunteers for amazing teamwork and support throughout. And it was great to showcase our award-winning partnership for North Northamptonshire Council visitors on our final day on site!
Archaeological Services, University of Leicester (ULAS) Discover Northamptonshire Operation Phoenix



Photos: Sarah Scott / University of Leicester

02/07/2026

We welcomed Operation Phoenix to Irchester Field School at The Chester House Estate this week. It has been fantastic working with their team, which includes current and former members of Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service. They have been busy working on the wall of Roman Irchester, helping us to understand how it was constructed and its relationship to other structures and features.
We have also enjoyed talking to visitors and tour groups. It was great to see Northamptonshire Archaeological Society today. We also had the opportunity to talk to NLive Radio!


North Northamptonshire Council University of Leicester Archaeological Services, University of Leicester (ULAS) School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre

Photos: Sarah Scott / University of Leicester

01/07/2026

Archaeology is not just digging! Our dedicated finds washers are busy throughout the day. All of our finds are carefully examined, cleaned, bagged and transported to the Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre where they will be studied by teams of volunteers, students and finds specialists. Our finds washers also support our public events and school programme. Thank you to everyone involved! And a special thanks to Georgina, Assistant Curator at the ARC, for coordinating this work and transporting kit back and forth each day 🛻🛻👏

To find out more about what happens to our finds, why not join us for and take a tour of the amazing Archaeological Resource Centre at The Chester House Estate https://chesterhouseestate.org/whats-on/roman-fest-2026/

North Northamptonshire Council University of Leicester School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester Archaeological Services, University of Leicester (ULAS)

Photos: Sarah Scott / University of Leicester

29/06/2026

Our Irchester Field School learning programme combines School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester Archaeological Services, University of Leicester (ULAS) Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre experience and expertise, including the award-winning University of Leicester To***co, Health and History team, The Chester House Estate osteology and archives volunteers, ULAS field archaeologists, the Chester House Estate Learning Team, University of Leicester Heritage Hub Ambassadors, with support from Chester House Estates Team. On Friday we were delighted to welcome Nene Education Trust. Today and tomorrow Meridian Trust. By the end of this week more than 1200 young people from schools across the region will have had the opportunity to engage with cutting-edge archaeological research and our excavations within the Roman town of Irchester! Brilliant collective effort and impact 👏 👏
North Northamptonshire Council Discover Northamptonshire


Photos: Sarah Scott / University of Leicester

26/06/2026

Some highlights from the final day of week 2 at Irchester Field School. Today we were very sad to say goodbye to our School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester students and some of our international team members. You have all been brilliant 👏 👏 We look forward to welcoming new students, The Chester House Estate Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre volunteers and Operation Phoenix on Monday. Thankfully it will be much cooler next week!

University of Leicester North Northamptonshire Council Archaeological Services, University of Leicester (ULAS) Discover Northamptonshire



Photos: Sarah Scott / University of Leicester