The amateur teams helping archaeologists unearth the past

In the wake of Time Team, which made archaeological digs ratings-winning television, numerous academics from Simon Schama to Dan Cruickshank and Neil Oliver came out of the woodwork, bringing their years of experience and enthusiasm to the small screen.

With the public switched on, the York Archaeological Trust saw an opportunity to harness the enthusiasm of inspired amateur history hunters and appointed its own dedicated community archaeologist.

"Modern archaeology isn't just about digging holes in the ground in the hope of finding ancient remains," says Dr Jon Kenny, who took up the post five years ago. "It's about everything from recording intriguing humps and bumps in fields to identifying ancient hedgerows, researching local history through old documents, the detailed surveying of existing buildings to uncover their past and recording living people's memories as oral history.

"This project has been about local people making discoveries that mean something to them. Over the years, our community archaeologists have found a rare 14th-century gold coin while excavating a medieval rubbish pit at the Hungate site in York which is the focus of the largest dig in the city's history.

"At Myton-on-Swale, volunteers have discovered a Neolithic polished stone axe and there has been some fascinating new research on the history of a 'lost house' in Dringhouses. Without their efforts, these important finds might never have been made."

To mark the fifth anniversary of the Greater York Community Archaeology Project, a new book, Hunting for History, has just been launched which brings together the achievements, big and small, of all the groups taking part.

The scheme was first piloted in the Poppleton area, but small groups of volunteer enthusiasts have now sprung up across York and its surrounding areas.

"Our initial aim was to examine sites of interestin the areaand the Knights Templar base on the outskirts of Copmanthorpe provided us with a great start," says Marjorie Harrison, a member of South Ainsty Archaeological Society. "Local people, as well as our members have been really enthusiastic and, as well as producing a book on the history

of Copmanthorpe ,we have recently been approached by a landowner to investigate a deserted medieval village which should keep us well occupied for the next two or three years.

"There are so many potential projects, it can be quite frustrating at times as we have only a small core of people with the time or appropriate skills, but even in the short time we have been in existence it's been really pleasing to see how much the knowledge of the history and archaeology of the area has grown."

Elsewhere, members of the Stockton on the Forest and Hopgrove Local History Group, set up two years ago with support from Dr Kenny, have been investigating a site believed to be a Roman farmstead or small villa and have already unearthed some pottery dating back to Roman times and fragments from what is believed to have been a medieval window frame.

"Before joining the group, my interest in archaeology was limited to watching Time Team, but after spending five days at the Hungate site learning the rudiments of an archaeological dig I was hooked," says Joy Moseley, community archaeologist at Stockton on the Forest.

"Our group is dedicated to recording our local history for future generations and with a book scheduled for publication later this year we have already achieved much more than we imagines.

"For me, archaeology is now a very time-consuming but hugely rewarding addiction."

The project also aims to inspire young people to find out more about the historic landscape in which they live and has organised workshops for local primary pupils and even a full scale school excavation. Through York People First, a support group for those with learning difficulties, it has also set up a history and archaeology club which meets once a month and last year worked with York Theatre Royal's Once Seen company on the play Number 4 Haver Lane, based around the ordinary people who lived in the Hungate area before it was condemned as a slum.

"All places have a history and the past is not just about the rich and wealthy, it is about the daily life of everyone," says Dr Kenny. "It's been a busy five years recording old buildings, finding lost settlements and identifying battlefield sites, but hopefully this is just the start."