Mel Roxby-Mackey

Shattered dreams: Why the battle for Sunderland’s glass centre has turned into a political flashpoint Custodian University of Sunderland says renovation costs of £45m are too high and building must be pulled down. Not without a fight, say locals, who believe they’re being taken for fools

From one frequently overlooked region to another - why can’t the people of Sunderland have nice (heritage) things?

Wise words on in-between places with resonance over millennia from @g0blinegg.bsky.social

We’re continuing to send money to MSF for as long as they can stay in Gaza to try to help as many people as possible. Our thoughts and prayers are with you

‘I cut out one little house at a time’: the trucker who spent decades building a tiny replica of NYC Queens-born Joe Macken’s hyperrealistic model, made with wood, cardboard and glue, is now on view at the Museum of the City of New York

That this piece of art exists at all right now feels special, like a little act of rebellion - an analogue response to Google Maps

Huge congratulations to @archaeodeathprof.bsky.social on this news! It's richly deserved and I'm sure Howard's insights and enthusiasm will take the journal to new heights. Meanwhile, if you're curious about what archaeologists get up to check out archaeodeath on any number of platforms 👇

10 of the most romantic hotels, pubs, cabins and cottages for a cosy UK getaway It’s an ideal time of year for snuggling up on a countryside break. We pick accommodation from shepherds’ huts in Somerset to a chateau in Wales

Some absolute gems showing off the best of the Anglo-Cymric borderland, even if deep pockets are needed for a couple of stays!

Evenlode Landscape Recovery | The North East Cotswold Farmer Cluster

Good news from the North East Cotswold Farmer Cluster CIC (NECFC) for Gloucestershire where the Evenlode Landscape Recovery Project combines farming with the restoration of natural landscapes. Surely this is the future?

Gull sculptures made from recycled materials being installed overlooking a bridge

Wow, you go out in the pouring rain with @iwm21.bsky.social and the dogs and encounter three enormous gull sculptures made from recycled materials by @gulljunkart.bsky.social that are paying a flying visit to the park. They’re amazing 😱

Now you're talking!

Mike Stokes for sure, but I have to say I am absolutely in awe of the Miss Chitty Galley of Prehistory ❤️

External grants for outreach and specific projects and developer-funded excavations undertaken by the archaeology service. . . Hmmm indeed.

I fear we may be heading the same way, though I know WAAS have been under pressure to be largely self-funding for some time, I have no idea about the situation in the museums service.

@peterreavill.bsky.social you might have to put 'officially marvellous' back in your profile! Reflecting on your accounts of the state of play in Shropshire - it's so depressing when there is so much hard evidence for how opportunities to engage with heritage have so many proven benefits

On the upside @peterreavill.bsky.social is widely acknowledged in the archaeological community as properly wonderful. I can also remember being grovelingly grateful for any of, previously Giles', and now Charlotte's time when I after random bits of data and expertise

Feeling your pain. We live with the current, apparent 'basket case' that is Worcestershire County Council. We're about to be declared bankrupt, so all eyes are on what happens with our heritage assets in the near future. For now, we are lucky to have a wonderful Archives and Archaeology Service. . .

Mind reader 😂

Absolutely understand. I was thinking is it unusual at the county council level as opposed to more prestigious institutions? So I'm interested to hear of your experiences over decades. I'd certainly want to look at the motivations of any donors. I'm trying not to say the word 'developers', but. . .

I'm in!

As someone who is almost certainly a direct descendent of those peasants, I'd really like to hope so

Shropshire council offers naming rights for local museum’s galleries Naming rights for local authority museum’s rooms, galleries and exhibitions put to local businesses

'Shropshire council offers naming rights for local museum’s galleries' An imaginative approach to raising much needed funds, but here's hoping the rights don't simply go to the highest bidders. I can think of at least one or two companies who'd love to indulge in a bit of 'heritage washing'

The Open University

I think it’s down to the Little Ice Age, but honestly, you’d really hope they got some relief with some sunshine too. You’d also like to imagine with so much practice at dealing with the conditions they’d have come up with better solutions than just standing ankle deep in mud 🤞

We can watch with interest 👍

a man in a suit says " why can t we all just get along " ALT: a man in a suit says " why can t we all just get along "

Most people just want a quiet life and to look after their families, but at the risk of getting political they rarely seem to end up in charge. I think we’re living through what happens when inter and intra-group interests collide right now on so many levels. Why can’t we all just get along?

Not all of us all of the time, but enough of us enough of the time to mean that applying systems to explain how humans behave over time doesn’t work. Being a bit flippant, you can get so far with ‘the next sensible step is’ before hitting ‘What just happened there!?’

Economics has failed on the climate crisis. This complexity scientist has a mind-blowing plan to fix that Doyne Farmer says a super-simulator of the global economy would accelerate the transition to a green, clean world

From an archaeological perspective this is really interesting. We know that humans aren’t ’rational actors’ and we do weird s**t as a matter of course. So how are they factoring this in? I’m so intrigued.

Absolutely this.

Behold our AI overlords bring us SPUDS in [checks notes] early medieval Britain. What a turnip for the books.

Visit England's Tourism Superstar awards for 2026 are live and Mick Hurst founder and CEO of the Battle of Evesham events is nominated! Mick's energy and dedication has done so much to put the town and its heritage on the map. Voting is open until 22nd March

English Heritage launches ‘bonding benches’ to tackle parental isolation Charity to also offer activities for young families and host NCT volunteer-led sling and buggy walks at selected sites

English Heritage coming up with innovative solutions to provide support in tackling parental isolation

Great news for Worcester’s natural environment with some seriously long-term strategic planning