Team Leaders: Dr Jenny Alexander (Warwick) Prof Terryl Kinder (Pontigny)

Start date: 27th April 2011

FIELD WORK DATES: July 19th - 28th

End date: 30th September 2011

Our base will be 17 rue Rabe, 89230 Pontigny, which is the street to the south of the abbey. Pontigny is a small village with a baker's and small provisions shop supplemented by a food market on Mondays. Please note that although we will have a shopping expedition to a larger town for food you will need to bring all essentials, like pharmaceutical products and medicines with you, it will also be wise to bring Euros since you won't be able to change currency in Pontigny.

We will be doing some work during the hours of darkness, so although the weather is likely to be warm, with temperatures in the high 20s, it may be cooler when we are working at night so bring appropriate clothing. We will also be working in a building with stone floors, so trainers or similar footware is advised. Our accommodation is on site in rue Rabe, but conditions might be a bit cramped. Please bring a sleeping bag and your own towels (this doesn't apply to Meredith for whom we will provide these).

We plan to do our own cooking, and it would be easiest if we took it in turns to prepare one meal a day, probably in the evening. We'll set up a kitty for this and it will be up to the pair whose turn it is to devise something nice, although we're not expecting a gourmet meal! Lunch will be a simple affair based on salads, cheeses, cooked meats and baguettes, with fruit.

We are arranging a trip to Guedelon, which is a site nearby where a stone castle is being constructed using medieval methods and materials. This will give us the chance to see for ourselves how the medieval masons actually worked on site. There may be the opportunity for further field visits as well, depending upon the needs of the project.