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President

Richard is a recently retired Senior Archaeologist with Archaeological Services Durham University. He has worked in commercial archaeology in the North-East for 20 years. Before that, he was employed by local authority archaeological units in Cleveland, Humberside and Cumbria, and spent some time working with English Heritage on Hadrian’s Wall. Nowadays, most of Richard’s projects involve the recording and analysis of buildings. He has produced reports on more than 200 historic structures, from bastles to breweries and castles to cow byres.

Past President

Adrian is a Lecturer in History at Durham University. He first came to Durham in 1995 to study for an MA in Archaeology, and his PhD at Durham University was jointly in History and Archaeology on ‘Houses and Households in Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne, c.1570-1730.’ Adrian’s interest in Durham’s history, archaeology and architecture now ranges across the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries, with a particular interest in the housing of the region – from pitmen’s cottages to bishop’s palaces. He provided an introduction to the Durham Hearth Tax (British Record Society, 2006), and is now editing a volume in the same series on Northumberland and Newcastle upon Tyne. Adrian is also Secretary of the Durham Heritage Centre and Museum.

Vice President

Julie is Curator at Raby Castle. She has worked in archaeology and museums for over 25 years and was previously the Exhibitions Curator at Durham University’s Palace Green Library. Before that she was Heritage and Culture Team Manager for Durham County Council after a number of other curatorial and museum development posts across the UK. Julie took up the post at Raby Castle in early 2019 and now spends most of her spare time reading about castle architecture, diverse collections and the families connected with Raby whose lives have shaped both the north-east and the nation.

Honorary Secretary

Anne recently returned to Durham University to manage Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site. Having graduated in archaeology at Durham in 1989 – she jokes that it has taken her 35 years to get from one end of Palace Green to the other. She was previously the project manager for the Heritage Action Zone project in Bishop Auckland with Historic England and Durham County Council. She has served on University Council and was Deputy Principal of St John’s College, Durham where she oversaw the construction of a new library on the World Heritage Site.

Honorary Treasurer

As a self-employed accountant with two archaeology degrees and (slowly) ongoing PhD research into the archaeology of the English medieval Jewellery, the position of treasurer for the AASDN was probably inevitable. Simon comes from Consett, most famous for its iron and steel works and he lives beside Beamish Museum, so he also has a passing interest in the region's industrial heritage.

Honorary Editor

David is currently Principal Archaeologist in the Archaeology Section, Durham County Council. He previously worked in an archaeological consultancy in the private sector and before that for many years in the Archaeology Service of Chester City Council. He was general secretary of Chester Archaeological Society for over ten years and director of its fieldwork research projects. His special interests/expertise are: Roman military archaeology; Roman engineering and architecture; the Flavian emperors, and also early medieval archaeology in Wales and northern England. He has authored numerous excavation reports and journal articles, was co-editor of Research Framework for Hadrian's Wall, and three books for Tempus Publishing.

Assistant Secretary - Fieldwork

Erik has been actively involved in archaeology since the Sixth Form at Secondary School. His research interests cover the archaeology of the standing building, specifically high status Medieval structures such as Castles and Manorial sites. He has been involved in the restoration of Hornby Castle near Bedale over the past four years and has had two short papers published in relation to Hornby and work undertaken at Harlsey Castle near Northallerton in the Journal of the Castle Studies Group 2007. He also has an interest in the archaeology of the Linen Textile Industry and unsuccessfully campaigned against the partial demolition of a linen weaving mill in Brompton North Yorkshire in 2004.

Assistant Secretary - Website/Social Media

Gary is an amateur underwater archaeologist, small finds researcher and illustrator, author, television presenter and Honorary Fellow at the Department of Archaeology, Durham University. Gary's current main focus is researching the Durham River Wear Assemblage; an important group of objects described as a major research facility, probably the largest collection of late- and post-medieval finds in the North of England: a unique regional and national resource.

Gary is also the Museum of London Archaeology's (MOLA) external expert for late- and post-medieval lead cloth seals, and also the 2013 joint winner of the Finds Research Group Geoff Egan Prize for a research report on an un-paralleled late-medieval pectoral cross associated with the shrine of St. Cuthbert. He is also a member of the Finds Research Group Committee. Find out more about Gary here: www.diveintodurham/gary_bankhead

Newsletter Editor

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Committee Member (minute taker)

Sheila was Head of Heritage Collections within Durham University from 2002 until she retired in December 2014, managing Archives and Special Collections and the University museums. During this time the reading room and strongrooms at Palace Green Library were renovated and exhibition galleries, a learning centre and café were created in the space left empty by the move of Music and Law libraries to the Mountjoy site. Before coming to Durham she was Canterbury Cathedral Librarian for 12 years, being involved in the restoration of the medieval and 17th century library buildings there. Since retirement she has returned to working on early printed book collections at Ushaw College, Durham Cathedral and the Bar Convent. Her research interests are the history of library buildings and the ownership and use of manuscript and printed books in the early modern period. Most recently she has concentrated on tracing the printed books in the Durham Priory library up to 1540.

Assistant Secretary - Membership

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Lectures (Co-opted)

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Excursion Co-ordinator

Catrin has worked as a field archaeologist, mainly in the north of England for the past 25 years and currently works for the Forestry Commission as a Historic Environment Adviser. Catrin's role, is to provide technical advice on woodland creation and management to ensure that the historic environment is appropriately considered, conserved and protected covering the North-east, Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. Her particular interests include industrial archaeology, woodland history, and the conservation and management of heritage assets in a changing climate.

Committee Member

Ben is the Archaeology Manager (the role that used to be known as County Archaeologist) for Co. Durham, working within the Archaeology Section at Durham County Council. Before that, he was the Finds Liaison Officer for Durham, Darlington, and Teesside with the Portable Antiquities Scheme for almost 10 years. Ben originally came to Durham as an undergraduate, eventually gaining an MA from Durham University in Archaeology, and working in various field archaeology roles with various companies along the way.

Naturally, a special interest in material culture and archaeological objects goes with the territory, and Ben’s current interests are focused on the late medieval and early post medieval religious artefacts, and particularly personal objects that reflect the Reformation in the North East.

Committee Member

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