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The Society's AGM was successfully held on 17th April 2026, after an engrossing and very well received talk by Eric Jackson on the Pontefract Murder of 1918. It was sad to have to turn away (after a refreshment break) the guests and visitors who came for Eric's talk before the AGM could start!
The AGM was quorate and business was conducted routinely, with all decisions receiving unanimous agreement of all members present. No controversial items were raised. The main items to note were:
# a slight fall in membership numbers for 2025/26, though Society finances remain healthy
# annual membership fees to remain unchanged for 2026/27
# Dave Wilcox re-elected as Committee Member for Hermitage
# Wendy Jewitt re-elected as Committee Member
Fieldwork Spring/Summer 2026
PontArc members are once again invited to support South Leeds Archaeology with their fieldwork at Temple Newsam this summer. Members should email Phil Jones to express an interest in participating and then they'll be added to the SLA contacts list for the TN26 project.
17/8/2026 update
Although excavations have now finished for 2026, there is more work to do with finds processing and recording. It is hoped to use the Education Room in Temple Newsam House a few times for this purpose (dates to be confirmed), so PontArc and SLA members should make sure they're on the contact list if they'd like to be involved/invited.
Temple Newsam's Lost 1740's Building
Following successful geophysics (earth resistance surveys) and excavations in summer 2025 (see "Fieldwork Updates" lower down the page for details), two more trenches were opened over the area of the lost 1740's building in July 2026.
A 5 x 2m trench (T4) was opened over the south wall, from where we left off in August 2025.
T4 exposed the edge of an unexpected road or hard-standing surface in the western end of the trench.
A 4 x 1m extension was therefore opened in the southerly direction to find the other edge of the hard surface. The "road" proved to be some 3.5m wide. An overhead image of that part of the trench is shown.
The image is taken from a 3D model done by Phil which can be seen on Sketchfab here:
An 8 x 3m trench - T5 - was opened over the NE corner of the lost building, and proved rewarding.
The first image shows an overhead of T5 on the morning of 29/7/2026, with wall foundations of the NE corner coming through. This was after work by Leeds YAC and a couple of public have-a-go sessions over the weekend of 25 & 26/7/26, plus a little follow-up work.
At the expense of T4 (which had to be left unworked), excavations continued in T5, and the second image shows the situation on 6/8/2026.
Excavation in T5 finished on 13/8/2026, with a final clean up and recording completed on 16/8/2026. The third image shows the trench on that date. Some of the ground levelling layers found and a cobbled road surface suggest that the 1740's wall foundations had been cut through earlier demolition material and features.
Phil's 3D models of T5 on those key dates can be seen on Sketchfab by following these links:
29/07/2026: https://skfb.ly/pM9Yy
06/08/2026: https://skfb.ly/pMC7M
16/08/2026 (final): https://skfb.ly/pMOqw
Potential Research Group
Potential Research Group
PontArc were recently delighted to receive, through our "enquiries" webmail address, an article of research into the life of a Victorian dignitary of Pontefract - Dr. Henry Muscroft (1830-1884). The research had been carried out by Michael Tracy of Chicago, Illinois, USA, an Honorary Fellow of Edinburgh Medical School at the University of Edinburgh. Michael is a descendant of the Goodsir family, and one of his kinsmen - Professor John Goodsir (1814-1867) - had a distinguished teaching career at Edinburgh University and was responsible for training many notable surgeons and physicians, including Henry Muscroft. With Michael's agreement, his research paper on Henry Muscroft is being added to the Local Studies archive in Pontefract Library - thanks to Wendy's dual roles at PontArc and Wakefield Libraries!
We are very much indebted to Michael for his research into Henry Muscroft, but in our reply to him mentioning other Pontefract Muscrofts (including Edward, the wine and spirits merchant), we have potentially opened up a whole new area for interesting research. There were other generations of Muscroft surgeons, some of whom may also have studied at Edinburgh University. Michael has already further established that Edward Muscroft Taylor was likely trained there as a surgeon by John Goodsir's successor as Professor of Anatomy - Sir William Turner. There are also links between the Muscrofts and other notable Pontefract families such as the Dunhills, Colemans and the Bissetts - some featured in memorial windows at St. Giles church in Pontefract - visit the church or see the following link:
https://cofe-pontefract.co.uk/st-giles/about-us/history/memorials/
So...
...if any PontArc members are interested in forming a social research group, and/or can bring any other information or experience to bear, we do have some good potential areas of study. Besides the Muscrofts, the Leatham and Tew families (with Carleton Grange connections) would be worth studying further.
Please contact Phil, Wendy or Robert if you'd like to help establish a PontArc research group.
Fieldwork Updates
TEMPLE NEWSAM 2024 & 2025
In Summer and Autumn 2024, PontArc supported South Leeds Archaeology with their fieldwork at Temple Newsam, and our earth resistance geophysics equipment was used in April 2024 to survey the grassed area around the amphitheatre to the north of the House. It was hoped that evidence of a former gatehouse and driveway to the centre of the north wing might be found. Unfortunately, our results showed no conclusive targets for such structures. However, Sheffield University also conducted ground penetrating radar surveys there and interpretation of their results may be more informative.
A painting by James Chapman from c.1750 of the east facing side of Temple Newsam House shows near identical equestrian type buildings on either side of it. The northern stable block still stands (now the cafe, gift shop, offices etc.). However, the existence of the southern building - possibly a riding school - has been doubted. PontArc's resitivity equipment was again used to survey the area of the "lost building" in June and August 2024, and buried wall features matching the outline of the extant stable block were identified.
SLA conducted a small dig close to the north west corner of the House on September 14-15th 2024 to investigate a sub-circular high resistance target found in the April 2024 geophysics - the "red blob" in the adjoining image. Phil and Shirley attended from PontArc. An unexpected cable trench was safely found and navigated around and a quadrant of the high resistance feature was revealed. This turned out to be an area of cracked and de-laminating sandstone - now thought to be natural geology. The remains of a suspected wooden post that were found in situ may well be the remains instead of a tree from former ornamental gardens. These are shown in some old postcards of the North wing of the house. Phil's 3D model of the opened trench can be seen on Sketchfab here: https://skfb.ly/pqSVV
2025
A new SusTrans cycle path installed across the region of the "lost building" has confirmed the presence of some building footings (at least).
A resistivity survey was carried out near the north entrance to the estate on 13th May 2025 as a training exercise for new fieldworkers. The aim was to find evidence of a former driveway directly between the lodge gates and the main north entance to the house. The image of results shows definite features worthy of further investigation...
The excavations on parts of the "lost building" (a possible riding school from c.1740) which began in June 2025, revealed traces of walls, robber trenches and an angled drain - view 3D models of Trench 1 at the following Sketchfab links:
A new phase of excavations began on 14th July and finished on 11th August 2025. Various 3D models of the work in progress are available to view on Sketchfab.com (search for PontArc Phil), but the final two models can be seen from these links:
https://skfb.ly/pzWXH
https://skfb.ly/pzXLB
With Trenches 2 and 3, the full depth of the "lost building" wall foundations, internal and external walls, robbed wall lines and flooring levels were found below the much disturbed ground surfaces.
PontArc members Mark, Kathryn, Lotta and Phil have contributed greatly to SLA's project.
Check back here regularly for further news and updates...
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