Adventure Details
Excursions, Immersion and Other Fun
Explore the magnificent Rosewell ruins
Enjoy Tuesday lab night with the community
Take walking tour of Gloucester Courthouse Circle and Downtown Historic District
Visit Bacon’s Castle, the oldest brick dwelling in the US
Possibilities include Williamsburg, Yorktown or Jamestown.
Project LEADERS
Dr. Dave Brown
Co-Director of The Fairfield Foundation, Dave has a PhD in History from The College of William and Mary and an M.A. in History/Historical Archaeology from The University of Massachusetts at Boston. He has taught and worked in the field of archaeology since 1994, including five years with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Dave helped start and co-owns DATA Investigations LLC, a cultural resource management firm based in Gloucester County and is a founding member of the Werowocomoco Research Group, conducting research on the future national park property since 2001.
Thane Harpole
Thane is co-Director of The Fairfield Foundation and has an M.A. in History/Historical Archaeology from The University of Massachusetts Boston. He is also owner of DATA Investigations LLC, a cultural resource management company. He runs multiple archaeological projects, including large-scale excavations focused on the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck of Virginia. Thane is also a founding member of the Werowocomoco Research Group, conducting research on the future national park property since 2001.
Project Funders
Take this opportunity to support conservation at the Fairfield Plantation:
Project Partner
The Fairfield Foundation
The Fairfield Foundation, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to archaeological and historical research, public education and preservation in Gloucester Country. Centered at the 17th- and 18th-century plantation and ancestral home of the Burwell family, Fairfield, the foundation contributes to knowledge of plantation life and supports the preservation of historic resources within the region.
Cost
Double Room: US$1590 per week
Single Room: US$1890 per week
Student no lodging: US$500 per week
Discounts! Past participants always receive a discounted tour fee.
Additional Cost Information
All costs are per person per session
Your fee includes:
Lodging
Breakfasts and lunches
Excursions
Insurance while working at the site
Training and materials
Participants are responsible for:
Transportation to Gloucester, Virginia
Visa, if needed
Dinners
Travel health insurance, if coming from outside the US. Send AiP proof of purchase.
ARCHAEOLOGY SITE AT FAIRFIELD PLANTATION
GLOUCESTER, VIRGINIA, USA
Dig into History at Fairfield Plantation
Dates: June 22-28, 2025
Learn archaeology excavating skills while uncovering remnants of a Colonial-era plantation manor house and the lives of enslaved Africans.
Fairfield was home to one of Virginia’s magnificent manor houses. Built in 1694, it was once surrounded by 7,000 acres of tobacco fields and forestland in the heart of Gloucester County, just north of Williamsburg.
Five generations of the Burwell family lived at Fairfield, designing the landscape and controlling the environment for their own benefit. Their story includes the lives of many enslaved Africans and African-Americans who were forced to labor for the Burwell’s financial success, and experienced a very different life of their own.
The manor house was destroyed by fire in 1897 and signs of other structures are gone above ground. Excavations since 2000 have made a wealth of discoveries.
You can gain field experience and help add pieces to the puzzle!
What’s Special About Fairfield
The Fairfield Foundation is one of AiP’s most outstanding partners with a mission that exemplifies what both our organizations strive to do. They believe that the past is best understood by becoming an active participant in discovering the lives of everyday people – whether through artifacts or buildings.
Even though archaeology is the cornerstone of the Fairfield Foundation’s activities, they are long-time proponents of preservation. We began our partnership working to save the 1930 Edge Hill Texaco Station, which is now the Fairfield Foundation headquarters. Since 2013, AiP jammers have joined them at their premier project, the Fairfield Archaeology Park.
It was a fantastic trip to Fairfield! Everyone on the team was so awesome and kind, and Jess and I were an unstoppable dynamic duo – just ask Dave and Thane! – Jammer 2023
Project and Need
Archaeologists utilized shovel testing and ground penetrating radar to identify concentrations of artifacts and features across the acreage that surrounds the Fairfield manor house ruin. These concentrations represent significant buildings, landscape features, and activity areas.
These initial surveys are followed with in-depth excavations designed to identify the specific locations of buildings and other features. This information is what will guide your work as you learn the skills needed to uncover valuable information. You will excavate in areas such as clay borrow pits, slave quarters or enclosed gardens, in addition to the foundations of the manor house.
Two prominent archaeologists, Dr. David Brown and Thane Harpole, will provide instruction and guidance as you learn excavation skills and more.
Your hands-on archaeology experience will help uncover the stories of those who lived in the buildings and worked the landscape at Fairfield.
Dave and Thane are the best and most knowledgeable, easy-going teachers we could possibly ask for. We never did the same thing twice so I got a taste of everything.
Lodging and Meals
Out-of-town jammers stay at the Hampton Inn in Gloucester or at an Airbnb, depending on availability. Breakfast will be at your lodging. Lunches are provided either on-site or in town as a mid-day break. Dinners are at your own expense, but we select from Gloucester’s great restaurants and go as a group.
Costs
The Standard Fee for the week is US$1590 for lodging in a double room, or US$1890 for a single room. The fee for Students, who do not need lodging, is US$500.
This trip was everything I'd hoped for and more! I'm already telling everyone I know about it. I can't wait until my next AiP adventure!!!
Travel Details
If you are arriving by air, airport pickup is available at Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. Alternatives include Norfolk International and Richmond International, both 90 minute drives. Pick up is not available at Norfolk or Richmond, but rental cars are available at each destination.
Temperatures are usually quite warm and humidity levels may be high. Shorts or jeans with a t-shirt work well. Closed toed shoes are required. Be sure to bring sunscreen, bug repellent and a water bottle.
If you have any questions or would like to chat with an AiP staff member about joining this volunteer vacation, contact us at trips@adventuresinpreservation.org or call +1 303-444-0128.