An Appleby man has been named on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Martin Railton, who runs Eden Heritage in Appleby, has been named a Medallist of the Order of the British Empire – known as a BEM – for his work for services to the community in the town.
He founded the Appleby Archaeology Group about 24 years ago and it now has about 70 members.
“I have always cared passionately about conserving both the natural and historic environment, but much of my work has been going on behind the scenes so I am delighted to have been given this honour,” said Martin, who provides opportunities for local people and volunteers to get involved in archaeology and heritage projects.
In 2019, Eden Heritage began to support a three-year community archaeology project to provide new information about the town’s origins.
Dig Appleby hoped to reveal more about the early Danish settlement at Bongate, and the Norman medieval town, as well as later periods of the town’s history.
Volunteers have excavated test pits and trenches in the gardens of Bongate and the main street of Boroughgate, which resulted in the discovery of Medieval remains. The garden of St Anne’s Hospital produced a large amount of Medieval pottery.
Dig Appleby returned in May last year, following the pandemic, and has undertaken investigations across the town, held workshops and heard from experts.
The next trail trench excavation will take place from July 25 to July 31 at Friary Fields. In 2021, volunteers found Medieval pottery, a possible iron working and the first shred of Roman pottery.
Other people in Cumbria awarded in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List are:
OBE
Jonathan Johnson, chief executive of West Lakes Multi-Academy Trust in West Cumbria, for services to education.
MBEs
- Jane Katharine Atkins, water resource specialist, Environment Agency, for services to water resources and the natural environment in North West England.
- Sarah Maria Bradbury, officer, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for services to farming and to the administration of justice.
- Cath Giel, director of communications and stakeholder relations, LLWR Ltd, Drigg, for services to the nuclear industry and to the community in West Cumbria.
- Les Micklethwaite, of Lakeland Motor Museum, near Ulverston, for voluntary and charitable services to the community in North Lancashire and South Cumbria.
- Adam Sutherland, director of Grizedale Arts, for services to art.
- Nigel Wilkinson, managing director of Windermere Lake Cruises Ltd, for services to tourism and to the economy in Cumbria.
Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)
- Ronald Douglas East, of Carlisle, for services to the restoration of church bells and to bell ringing in Cumbria.
- Robert Sutcliffe, of Grange-over-Sands, for voluntary and charitable services to people with epilepsy.
