What’s Beneath – Swanage – July 2026

Archaeology Weekend at California Campsite, Swanage

From the 11th to the 12th of July, California Campsite in Swanage hosted an archaeology weekend organised by Karen, the campsite owner. It was a fascinating event and well worth attending. It was fun for the whole family.

There was live music, food, and a variety of fossil displays and information stalls to explore as well as guest speakers and story tellers. One of the highlights was the Saxon living history area, where re-enactors demonstrated what life was like during Saxon times. Visitors were able to see birds of prey, traditional tools, weapons, chainmail, and a range of Saxon artefacts. You could also practice throwing an axe.

The event also featured dinosaur bones and fossils that had been discovered along the Swanage and Purbeck coastline, giving visitors an insight into the area’s remarkable prehistoric past.

Two expert speakers gave informative talks during the weekend: Tom, a marine archaeologist, and Steve, the Dorset County Archaeologist. Their presentations helped bring the local history and archaeology of the area to life and made the event even more engaging. Audio recording of the talk and original videos are available to download at:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ybk1P1BPnYehy3LWUo5kolyGjLaVBhFY?usp=drive_link

Videos with slides to follow!

Follow Karen on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/karen.delahay.1?locale=en_GB