Introduction

Come and join us at Huttons Ambo, a beautiful, ancient rural village located between the City of York and Malton - both of which are hotbeds of amazing archaeology.

The aim of the project is to establish the character, form and extent of archaeology identified by a comprehensive geophysics survey carried out in 2023. Targeted trenches dug in 2024 uncovered Iron Age, Roman, Medieval and Post Medieval archaeology.

The History

The village of Huttons Ambo is about 14 miles (22.5km) north-east of York and 3 miles (4.8km) southwest of Malton. It consists of the villages of High Hutton and Low Hutton.

The villages are mentioned in the Domesday Book as Hotun in the Bulford Hundred. The lands were divided between Cnut, son of Karli, Thorkil, and Thorbrand, son of Kalri. After the Norman invasion, the lands were split between the King and Berengar of Tosny.

The land at Low Hutton, owned by the King, has been named Hutton Colswayn, whilst the land near Hutton Hill has been known as Hutton Mynchon. The land at High Hutton has been known as Hutton Bardolf. All these suffixes indicate the names of the landowners of those times. The Colswayn family may have been given the land by the Crown for duties performed guarding York Castle. The titles then passed on to the Bolton family.

The other lands came into the possession of the Gower family, some of whom held the office of High Sheriff of York, such as Sir Thomas Gower. Memorials to members of this family can seen in the church.

The name Hutton derives from the Old English ‘hōh tūn’, meaning ‘settlement on or by the hill spur’. Ambo, the suffix, is Latin, and refers to the combination of the two villages into one parish.

Huttons Ambo also lends its name to a specific type of Medieval pottery produced here in the 13th century, consisting of large, unglazed storage jars. It is a short distance to the major Roman potteries at Crambeck. The excavations hope to cast more light on the Huttons Ambo pottery industry and its location.

The project will provide participants with a unique opportunity to investigate a village that dates back over 6,000 years and is recorded in the Domesday Book. The project will be carried out using the most up-to-date archaeological techniques available, under the supervision of experienced and highly qualified archaeologists.

The Archaeology

Excavations in the 1950s revealed evidence of 12th- or 13th-century fortified buildings at the south end of the village of Low Hutton near the river, which is now an Ancient Scheduled Monument. The excavations also identified Roman occupation in the way of coins, pottery and structures such as ditches.

Recent excavations carried out by Ethos Heritage CIC uncovered significant amounts of Iron Age and Roman pottery in addition to burnt daub. These indicate a possible structure that appears to have been identified in the geophysics survey carried out in the village in 2023.

A large ditch and bank were also identified and a trench was placed inside it in July 2024. This uncovered large amounts of Iron Age and Roman pottery, dating from 75 BCE to 300 CE. In addition, large circular pits were also identified, suggesting that a Romano-British feature lies within this bank and ditch.

One of the most striking features was the discovery of a large masonry structure that appears to date from the 16th-18th century, which has reused stone from an earlier building including a 13th century window arch.

A surprise for all concerned was the discovery of a substantial Medieval stone building at the top of village, which - from the associated pottery and artefacts - we can date to the 13th century. In conjunction with these remains, we found a line of large post holes associated with burnt daub: this would indicate the previous existence of an associated wooden structure which has burnt down. The fact the post holes and the wall of the structure are parallel to one another indicates they are associated with each other and possibly of the same date.

Project Objectives

The focus this year will be on the following:

1. Investigation of the large building which we believe dates to the 16th century, made up of reused stone from an earlier building (possibly dating to the 13th century).

2. Investigation of the bank and ditch that surrounds a possible Romano-British feature.

3. Continued excavations of the Medieval stone building, which may represent a further manor house within the village.

4. Continued geophysics survey of the parish using a variety of techniques.

It is hoped that these investigations will allow continued assessment of the significance of Huttons Ambo, and its potential for further exploration, on a site of regional importance.

Excavation Package Options

Participants who wish to attend the project will have a variety of options to choose from. These are as follows:

1. Attend just for the excavations, selecting as many or as few days as you wish. The cost is £30 per day (£20 discounted rate for students/unemployed individuals) including hot and cold drinks, access to washroom facilities, WiFi and an indoor seated eating area to eat and socialise.

2. Attend for 7 days at a reduced cost of £200 (£130 discounted rate for students/unemployed individuals). This includes the loan of all tools/equipment, hot and cold drinks, access to washroom facilities, WiFi and an indoor seated eating area to eat and socialise. The cost also includes educational supplementary lectures, entertainment (including movie nights, quiz nights, karaoke and more) and a bar during the week for over 18s.

Accommodation

We offer two accommodations options:

1. Camping with full facilities is provided adjacent to the site, with amazing views across the Howardian Hills, an area of outstanding natural beauty overlooking the famous Derwent River. It is only a 5 minute walk from the excavation area to the campsite.

We will be making use of the village hall for the duration of the project. The hall, which is just 20 meters from the camping area, has been recently refurbished. It is a bright, modern, clean venue with comprehensive audio-visual projection facilities and 10Mbit/s Wi-Fi broadband connection.

It also has a well-equipped kitchen with a food preparation area, sink and a separate crockery/utensil washing area. In addition, it has a modern cooker, microwave, fridge, dishwasher and serving area. The hall has ramp access for wheelchair users as well a male and female toilet. Additionally, there will be 3 dedicated showers available, attached to the hall.

We can loan participants a tent for a small charge (£15 for 2 days or £20 for 2 weeks) for people coming in from abroad. These 2-person tents will be for a participant’s sole personal use.

A separate camping section is provided for all participants who are under 18 who attend without an adult.

The cost per day for camping will be £15 (under 16s camp free, accompanied by an adult).

2. Alternatively, participants are welcome to stay in local hotels, B&Bs or lodges close to the village. We can help with this if required. However, those wishing to stay off-site will be responsible for own transport to site from this accommodation and back each day (we can lend a bicycle if required).

Food and Drink

Participants staying on site have the option of paying for full board throughout their stay. This will include a breakfast with a variety of options including fruit, cereal, toast, eggs and hot options. Lunch will be a variety of hot or cold options plus a variety of drinks. Dinner will be a hot option including potatoes, pasta, rice and vegetables, and a variety of drinks. Snacks will be provided as well.

We provide for all dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. People who prefer to cook their own food will be provided with a dedicated cooking area on the campsite, which will include a microwave and kettle. All meals will be taken in the village hall indoor dining area.

An indoor washing area with hot water will be provided, so all participants can wash their eating utensils.

The cost per day for full board catering will be £15.

Transport Links To The Site

By car: There is ample parking in the village within our dig car park.

By bike: There is a handy cycle path to the village from Malton.

By train: The nearest train station is Malton, which is 3.1 miles or 4.9km. Travellers can easily catch a scheduled bus to the village. These leave either once an hour or every 30 minutes, depending on the time of day.

By bus: There is a bus stop in the village as well as on the main road, which is just an eight minute walk to the village hall. Some buses will drop passengers in the village alongside the village hall, our project base.

Buses leave once an hour (sometimes every 30 minutes) from both Malton and York.

We can advise and assist with transport from any part of the UK and to those arriving by plane.

Supermarkets, shops and bars

The following are located in Malton (3.1 miles/4.9km):

1. Morrisons (supermarket)

2. Lidl (supermarket)

3. Wide variety of shops, bars, restaurants, pubs and fuel stations

4. Laundry facilities

Transport from the project will be going in to town most days and we can provide a lift if required. Alternatively, participants can hop on the local bus.

Ethos Heritage will also be running a small shop and bar from the village hall, providing items that participants may need as well as a selection of alcoholic drinks (18+ only).

Phone Reception and Wi-Fi

Mobile phone reception in Huttons Ambo is very good across all network providers. In addition, we will have free WiFi thanks to the village WiFi setup and another free option via the mobile carrier Three.

Phone/laptop/tablet charging is provided free of charge to all participants staying with us.

Eco Policy

The project operates a carbon neutral policy and where possible uses solar electricity, recycles all waste, and provides vegetarian/vegan catering options.

We also offer free, eco-friendly and recyclable period products.

We have 4 bikes (inc. helmets and high vis jackets) for our participants to use to get around, free of charge.

Safeguarding

All Ethos Heritage CIC staff are DBS cleared (the UK’s official criminal and safeguarding checks) and safeguarding trained, and a trained, designated safeguarding officer will be in place. Our staff are also First Aid trained and are qualified in mental health support.

Costs Summary:

Excavation:

• £30 per day

• £20 for students or unemployed

• £200 for 7 days

• £130 for students or unemployed individuals

• Under 16s free, accompanied by an adult

Field School (5 days teaching plus 2 days excavating):

• £250 (non students)

• £200 (students or unemployed individuals)

Camping:

£15 per day including showers, toilets and all facilities (under 16s accompanied by an adult stay free).

Tent rental (if required) is £15 for the week or £20 for 2 weeks. This is only applicable to individuals traveling to the site from outside the UK.

Food (for people staying on-site who wish to be provided with food):

Feeding: £15 per day. Covers breakfast, lunch, dinner , snacks and drinks (tea, coffee and squash).

How to Apply:

To book a place or for further information, email admin@ethosheritage.com or fill in the applications by clicking on the link for our Project Page.

To apply from this page click on the link here: Project Application Form 2025