The mystery of the summer cropmarks

A leading expert will be in Welshpool tonight sharing some of his fantastic photography capturing many of the incredible ‘cropmarks’ that were revealed by last summer’s drought.

Dr Toby Driver, aerial photographer for the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales, will talk about his ‘Summer of Discovery in Wales: Aerial Archaeology and the Remarkable Heatwave of 2018’ at 7pm in the Town Hall. Doors open at 6.30pm.

The unprecedented spell of hot, dry weather across Wales in the summer of 2018 provided perfect conditions for archaeological aerial photography.

As the drought persisted across Wales, scores of long-buried archaeological sites were revealed once again as ‘cropmarks’, or patterns of growth in ripening crops and parched grasslands.

Dr Driver was busy in the skies across mid and south Wales over the course of the heatwave documenting known sites in the dry conditions, but also discovering hitherto lost monuments.

And all will be revealed tonight!

This is the latest in a series of winter talks organised by the Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust. Talks are free to Friends of CPAT, £3 to others.