ABSTRACT
The site of Historic Dilston is situated on an escarpment overlooking the Tyne Valley in Northumberland, UK. Today, the site comprises a Medieval tower house, a post-Medieval chapel, and a Victorian mansion. A number of cottages are found scattered around, and substantial archaeological remains lie buried in the surrounding fields. The best known chapter of its history relates to the dramatic demise of the Radcliffe family in the early 18th century, although the site has been occupied almost continually for at least 800 years. After decades of neglect, an extensive program of recording, consolidation, and archaeological fieldwork was initiated in 2001. For the majority of its duration, this program has been undertaken with an explicit emphasis on community involvement and public awareness of the site and its history. This case study describes how outreach became integral to the ongoing program of research and restoration and how this posed a number of new challenges during the 2008 season of large-scale excavation.
