York Historic Environment Record

In September 2014, the Head Teacher of Lord Deramore’s School approached the lead author, as a parent at the school, seeking advice on how to implement her idea of reconstructing a short stretch of First World War ‘fighting trench’ on the school playing fields. This was intended to form a component of a school-wide programme of learning around the theme of the war, intended to continue throughout the centenary. Taking into account plans to reconstruct a new school somewhere on the grounds (whose exact location remains uncertain at time of writing), the author suggested that the reconstruction should be preceded by archaeological investigations in which the school-children could actively participate, and which would inform subsequent mitigation work by archaeological contractors in advance of the development.