Horse isolation hospital, Fargo, Salisbury Plain

[egmcvey]

Archaeological dig of the Horse Isolation Hospital going on this week - 15-19 Sep 14.

[Stoppage Drill]

I think it possible that the site of the Veterinary Hospital and the Fargo General Hospital have been confused, due to old map inaccuracies. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, they dig up which might alter my view.

It wouldn't be the only blatant error on local maps showing military establishments - Durrington and Larkhill are reversed on some of the contemporary prints.

We'll see what transpires. Good luck !

More here http://diggingwarhorse.blogspot.co.uk/

[Moonraker]

As previously discussed, I think that traces of any Horse Isolation Hospital that there may have been in the locality will be overshadowed by evidence of various other types of military activity. I'm sure that some military artefacts will be found.

I join with Stoppage Drill in wishing the participants good luck - at least they're getting good weather!

Moonraker

[Moonraker]

Report on first week

(Scroll down a little.)

Moonraker

[Moonraker]

Update, lots of pics

Seems a good number of people had a good and rewarding time. Well done!

Moonraker

[FullerAmesbury]

I've arrived at this thread rather late but just to clarify one thing. The posted image is not of Larkhill but of Bulford. The railway line here is curving from Carter Barracks to Sling.

[seaJane]

In the MoD journal 'Sanctuary' - see p.12

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/469631/15-07-275_Sanctuary_Magazine__FINAL_lowres_.pdf

[p.83 is not GW-themed, but features the site where I work].

seaJane

[Moonraker]

Good read, Jane, thanks for posting. The Wiltshire content apart, there were many other articles of interest to me because of their environmental topics.

Moonraker

[Moonraker]

We've meandered a little with this thread (though it's all good stuff), so I'm linking

here

to a postcard of staff at Bulford Veterinary Hospital, close to Fargo, in 1916.

Unless I change my heart at the last moment, I won't be bidding, as for me £15 is a bit high for a group photograph, though I imagine collectors of cards of the Army Veterinary Corps (to which I assume the men belong) might be willing to go a bit higher.

Moonraker

[Moonraker]

For a couple of quid I've just acquired this postcard with a message written from a soldier at the veterinary hospital.

Nothing about the hospital itself, just some very emotional sentiments which, even a century later, I feel slightly embarrassed to read.

[weshallremember]

2014

Archaeologists have been digging at the site of a specialised veterinary hospital in Britain that cared for an estimated 500,000 horses during World War 1.

The research aims to find out more about the care of the huge number of horses and mules that hauled weaponry, stores and personnel to and from the front line.

The project, known as Digging War Horse, is part of Britain’s World War 1 centenary celebrations.

Archaeologists from the University of Bristol have teamed up with local school children, veterans of more modern conflicts, and volunteers to uncover the history of the nation’s war horses.

The dig team has been excavating a site at Larkhill Camp on the Salisbury Plain.

documentary evidence suggested it was the site of a specialised veterinary hospital which would have quarantined and cared for some of the 500,000 animals commandeered from British families or imported from the Americas and Iberian Peninsula during the war.

Test pits were dug and a controlled metal detection survey of the site was conducted.

No physical trace of the horse hospital buildings survived. However, horse shoes, farrier’s nails and various materials associated with equine activity were found.

 mmm????

 

trevor