Dr Joanne (Jo) Kirton
Completed Doctoral Research
Sculpture and Place: a Biographical Approach to Early Medieval Stone Sculpture in Cheshire
Researching early medieval stone sculpture has long been enabled and constrained by approaches devised and subsequently honed over the last century focusing on form and ornamentation. These approaches largely prioritise the physical appearance of sculptural fragments, often distancing them from their physical and cognitive contexts in which they operated from their creation to the present.
This thesis brings together popular strands of research from other areas of archaeology - landscape, biography, materiality and monumentality - to explore how early medieval stone sculpture operated in place and time, from their construction through processes of use and reuse. The study recognises that sculpture did not function independent of physical location or the socio-political context with which it was connected and that many sculptures have life-histories which can be charted through individual monuments, assemblages of sculpture, and regional patterns.
Using a tenth-/eleventh-century assemblage from Cheshire, the biographies of the county’s early medieval monuments and architectural fragments are explored in relation to their physical location and the local historical frameworks with which they are connected. Through this original and distinctive approach, Cheshire's corpus of early medieval stone sculpture is both revisited and reinterpreted to emphasis the power of place and the biographies of stone sculpture.
Current Fieldwork
I am currently co-director of the Bamburgh Research Project - please follow the link to learn more about the project http://bamburghresearchproject.co.uk/
Employment
I work for the Council for British Archaeology as their Youth Engagement Manager. The CBA is an educational charity working throughout the UK to involve people in archaeology and to promote the appreciation and care of the historic environment for the benefit of present and future generations.
The role involves co-ordinating the Young Archaeologist Club (YAC), developing, managing and/or participating in national projects that involve 8-25 year olds, and contributing to national strategies with a youth focus, such as Heritage2020.
Previously, I worked as a Project Manager. I was responsible for acquiring funding, planning, implementation and reporting of multiple archaeological and heritage projects. The types of projects varied from commercial undertakings to community focused research ventures and the curation of temporary museum exhibitions. Daily, I had a number of varied responsibilities, including working with stakeholders and volunteers, costing, organising, managing and delivering projects.
Affiliations
• Research Associate at the University of Chester, History and Archaeology Department
• Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Field Archaeology
• Member of the Runes, Monuments and Memorial Carvings Network
Sculpture and Place: a Biographical Approach to Early Medieval Stone Sculpture in Cheshire
Researching early medieval stone sculpture has long been enabled and constrained by approaches devised and subsequently honed over the last century focusing on form and ornamentation. These approaches largely prioritise the physical appearance of sculptural fragments, often distancing them from their physical and cognitive contexts in which they operated from their creation to the present.
This thesis brings together popular strands of research from other areas of archaeology - landscape, biography, materiality and monumentality - to explore how early medieval stone sculpture operated in place and time, from their construction through processes of use and reuse. The study recognises that sculpture did not function independent of physical location or the socio-political context with which it was connected and that many sculptures have life-histories which can be charted through individual monuments, assemblages of sculpture, and regional patterns.
Using a tenth-/eleventh-century assemblage from Cheshire, the biographies of the county’s early medieval monuments and architectural fragments are explored in relation to their physical location and the local historical frameworks with which they are connected. Through this original and distinctive approach, Cheshire's corpus of early medieval stone sculpture is both revisited and reinterpreted to emphasis the power of place and the biographies of stone sculpture.
Current Fieldwork
I am currently co-director of the Bamburgh Research Project - please follow the link to learn more about the project http://bamburghresearchproject.co.uk/
Employment
I work for the Council for British Archaeology as their Youth Engagement Manager. The CBA is an educational charity working throughout the UK to involve people in archaeology and to promote the appreciation and care of the historic environment for the benefit of present and future generations.
The role involves co-ordinating the Young Archaeologist Club (YAC), developing, managing and/or participating in national projects that involve 8-25 year olds, and contributing to national strategies with a youth focus, such as Heritage2020.
Previously, I worked as a Project Manager. I was responsible for acquiring funding, planning, implementation and reporting of multiple archaeological and heritage projects. The types of projects varied from commercial undertakings to community focused research ventures and the curation of temporary museum exhibitions. Daily, I had a number of varied responsibilities, including working with stakeholders and volunteers, costing, organising, managing and delivering projects.
Affiliations
• Research Associate at the University of Chester, History and Archaeology Department
• Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Field Archaeology
• Member of the Runes, Monuments and Memorial Carvings Network
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Books by Dr Joanne (Jo) Kirton
Papers by Dr Joanne (Jo) Kirton
The project demonstrated that geophysical survey can be successfully implemented in the area. However, due to significant re-landscaping of the open areas little survives of notable archaeological interest. The test pitting was more successful in detecting earlier activity at the core of the village. Ceramic material was recovered, dating from the 13th century onward, which is comparable with the date of the upstanding Holy Cross Church at the centre of the study area. Activity appears to increase during the 15th-17th centuries, with a surge in activity noted from the 19th century onward.
This report documents the results of the 2016 excavation season.
may represent part of the church of St Peter, mentioned by Bede.
S00131391). The excavation was monitored by Andrew Davison of Historic England.
1.2. This work was undertaken in partnership with the Land Trust to assess the potential for survival of archaeological remains in areas of the site not previously investigated and to determine the nature and date of any features or finds recovered. This information will be used to inform future management strategies for the site and potential archaeological research projects.
The 2013 project demonstrated that the core of Bromborough village was seemingly lightly occupied until at least the 10th century. It recovered the first evidence of Roman ceramics found in the village but only in small quantities. It also unearthed the first piece of early medieval ceramic evidence in the form of a sherd of 10th-11th century Stamford Ware. Numerous ceramic sherds dating from the 13th-16th centuries demonstrate that the village reached its peak in the 15th century before an apparent decline. Revival did not take place until the 18th century, where numerous evidence was found for habitation within the village’s core. In 2014, our results confirmed this interpretation whilst expanding the distribution of the test pits to better understand the extent of the village development.
This report documents the results of the 2013 and 2014 excavation season.
2010, using resistivity, ground penetrating radar survey, and limited excavation. Throughout the course of the investigation around the ruins of the medieval chapel, material evidence was found of Romano-British activity. Furthermore, stone structures of pre-twelfth-century date were revealed. Two phases of a possible early medieval defensive wall were identified beneath the north wall of the current chapel structure, and a stone building was found beneath the main body of the church which
may represent part of the church of St Peter, mentioned by Bede.
Book Reviews by Dr Joanne (Jo) Kirton
The project demonstrated that geophysical survey can be successfully implemented in the area. However, due to significant re-landscaping of the open areas little survives of notable archaeological interest. The test pitting was more successful in detecting earlier activity at the core of the village. Ceramic material was recovered, dating from the 13th century onward, which is comparable with the date of the upstanding Holy Cross Church at the centre of the study area. Activity appears to increase during the 15th-17th centuries, with a surge in activity noted from the 19th century onward.
This report documents the results of the 2016 excavation season.
may represent part of the church of St Peter, mentioned by Bede.
S00131391). The excavation was monitored by Andrew Davison of Historic England.
1.2. This work was undertaken in partnership with the Land Trust to assess the potential for survival of archaeological remains in areas of the site not previously investigated and to determine the nature and date of any features or finds recovered. This information will be used to inform future management strategies for the site and potential archaeological research projects.
The 2013 project demonstrated that the core of Bromborough village was seemingly lightly occupied until at least the 10th century. It recovered the first evidence of Roman ceramics found in the village but only in small quantities. It also unearthed the first piece of early medieval ceramic evidence in the form of a sherd of 10th-11th century Stamford Ware. Numerous ceramic sherds dating from the 13th-16th centuries demonstrate that the village reached its peak in the 15th century before an apparent decline. Revival did not take place until the 18th century, where numerous evidence was found for habitation within the village’s core. In 2014, our results confirmed this interpretation whilst expanding the distribution of the test pits to better understand the extent of the village development.
This report documents the results of the 2013 and 2014 excavation season.
2010, using resistivity, ground penetrating radar survey, and limited excavation. Throughout the course of the investigation around the ruins of the medieval chapel, material evidence was found of Romano-British activity. Furthermore, stone structures of pre-twelfth-century date were revealed. Two phases of a possible early medieval defensive wall were identified beneath the north wall of the current chapel structure, and a stone building was found beneath the main body of the church which
may represent part of the church of St Peter, mentioned by Bede.