Further Education and CCE Courses. We are able to offer three different Social and Local History courses at various establishments throughout East Sussex for CCE students.

Local History - Reconstructing a Community of the Past – (The Late Victorian Town) (10 weeks) - Students will be encouraged to produce a piece of original local history which is a reasoned and critical discussion based on their research and supported by references carefully citing the evidence on which it is based. The emphasis of the course is that students will understand the nature of historical research and acquire the skills to handle different kinds of source material – Primary, Secondary, Statistical and Visual. The study will be either a working class district or a central shopping area of any town and in examining these two very different areas and communities, four key sources will be used:- 1.Town Plans, 2.Census Enumerators Books, 3.Street Directories, 4.Poor Rate Books – all readily available in most local Libraries. 1881 is probably the best year suitable for this study as there is a wealth of information available in the form of the 1881 census and street directories plus town plans are plentiful and early photographs are likely to have survived.

Social History - Surveying, Recording and Interpretation of a Churchyard. (10 weeks) -A graveyard study is evidence-based learning where students not only learn to evaluate evidence from the past critically, but they must first record that evidence themselves and thus help to preserve it for future generations. Graveyards are under constant threat of damage or destruction by time, the elements and Vandals and the surveying and recording of the churchyard can considerably enhance a students sense of responsibility. Archaeology is not just digging, it is “The study of people through their material culture” – i.e. the things people made or used. Students will experience first hand how an archaeologist works; they must make careful plans, keep concise records, write real reports, but most importantly it will show how archaeologists make sense of (interpret) the evidence they collect. Students will actively observe objects carefully and note details, make rubbings or sketches, and take photographs. Students will spend a lot of time in a churchyard – therefore appropriate Outdoor clothing is essential

Family History - Family Tree for Beginners. (10 weeks) - Students will be given instruction on how to draw up a family tree first using the data of their own immediate family and then expanding it through their grandparents, gr. grandparents etc. They will be encouraged to bring in photographs of family members, together with birth, marriage or death certificates and instructed how to locate ancestors through civil registration and then transfer this data on to a family tree. They will be further encouraged to then cross reference this data with the Parish Registers and the IGI. Instruction will be given on how to interview elderly relatives and the kind of questions to ask when doing so. They will be introduced to Census Records and other primary sources such as School Log Books in order that they can put “flesh on the bones” of their ancestors. Data collected will be transferred to Personal and Family Cards in order that they may start their own ‘data bank’ of ancestors for future research. Students will be introduced to a variety of Genealogical programmes and will be encouraged to feed their research into a computer and the resultant trees will then be drawn and printed for them to keep. Much of their research will be done on the internet – therefore students will need basic computer experience and knowledge

Check your local College Prospectus for further details

Education and Outreach

ESAMP offers an exciting variety of outreach services to schools. These range from day long activities through to longer projects involving reconstructing early buildings. We run university courses in ancient crafts and technologies for members of the public.

Environmental and Heritage Training

ESAMP is a leading training organization in the environmental archaeological and museum sectors. The training placements are run in partnership with East Sussex County Council Countryside Management Service, Sussex Archaeological Society and Brighton & Hove Museums. We offer year long training placements in partnrship with JobcentrePlus

Interpretation and Access

ESAMP offers a variety of Interpretation Services. These range from reconstruction buildings through to talks, activities and displays. We undertake commissions across the United Kingdom. We promote diversity and equality in all our services.