Waterloo Uncovered

The groundbreaking charity that combines world-class archaeology with veteran care and recovery.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

🪏Finds Friday 🪏

Two musket balls. One shot. A deliberate choice, or mistake under pressure?

This unusual find appears to be an example of double-loaded shot: two balls loaded into the same musket before firing.

Found in 2019, on the reverse slope near Mont-Saint-Jean Farm.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

Last week, we were at Hougoumont Farm with members of the Coldstream Guards. A great opportunity to talk about the incredible battlefield finds, including Coldstream buttons, as well as the positive impact of archaeology in improving wellbeing for our Armed Forces community.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

🪏 Finds Friday 🪏

During our metal detector surveys, our team of archaeologists and veterans frequently uncover metal fittings and buckles from objects that have since deteriorated. This buckle is an exception, as it still retains traces of the leather to which it was attached.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

What an experience for some of our community to see the Bayeux Tapestry recently at the British Museum. The tapestry, which tells the story of the Battle of Hastings, demonstrates how shared heritage can help us understand the past and forge strong relationships for the future.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

🪏 Finds Friday 🪏

Remnants of Napoleon’s Grande Batterie? This French cannonball was discovered in 2019, near the farm of Mont-Saint-Jean. It is likely an overshoot from the massed barrage of French heavy guns directed towards the centre of Wellington’s Anglo-allied army.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

Last week we were at the “Fields of Conflict" archaeology conference, presenting some insights into our key finds and the positive impact of community engagement in heritage for veterans and serving military personnel. An interesting opportunity to learn and share best practice.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

🪏 Finds Friday 🪏

Could this be the tip of a bayonet? This iron object was unearthed at Mont-Saint-Jean in 2024. Its long triangular cross-section shape resembles the bayonet of a brown bess, the standard musket used by the British army at Waterloo. What do you think?

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

🪏 Finds Friday 🪏

Did you know that the Waterloo battlefield was a site of commercial agriculture before and after the battle? This cloth seal was unearthed at Hougoumont in 2015. Cloth seals were attached to textiles and other goods to identify and control their quality.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

Last week, we returned to North Yorkshire for our Finds in the Community focus group session. The session was informative and interesting, and our beneficiaries' insights will help shape our programmes in the future. Congratulations to all those who completed the programme.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

🪏 Finds Friday 🪏

Did you know that musket balls aren’t always perfectly round? This particular musket ball, unearthed at Hougoumont in 2015, still shows signs of its production. The 'sprue' remains visible, indicating where molten lead was poured during the casting process.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

Expressions of interest are now open for our Battlefields Uncovered programme.

If you are a veteran or serving military personnel with a wellbeing need, then head to the link below to find out more about a great opportunity to connect with the past:

https://t.co/qKz7uopd0K

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

🪏 Finds Friday 🪏

Finds undergo conservation whilst on-site, but the vital post-excavation work happens afterwards. This object was unearthed at Hougoumont in 2016. Our finds specialist identified it as a main spring clamp, used to compress the main spring of the lock mechanism

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

In July, we celebrated the end of the Finds Programme at our Outreach Heritage Day. Our beneficiaries showcased their remarkable work to our VIP visitors. Congratulations to our group, and a special thank you to The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum for hosting the programme.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

Finds Friday:

This small brass medallion, recovered near La Haye Sainte in 2019, is a piece of Belgian history. It commemorates a Flemish festival held in Charleroi on 11–12 June 1893—a celebration of minority Flemish culture in the heart of industrial, French-speaking Wallonia

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

Finds Friday

This mystery object was unearthed at Hougoumont in 2017. It is made of brass and appears to have broken or snapped at both ends. The front features floral scroll patterns and a beaded edge, while the reverse bears no design. Leave your thoughts in the comments below

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

Finds Friday:

The Battle of Waterloo only lasted 12 hours, but the objects our veterans excavate from the battlefield span almost 6,000 years of history. This 20th-century badge was excavated at Hougoumont in 2018.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

Finds Friday 🪏

Many of our archaeological discoveries reflect the intensity of the firefight at Waterloo. This frizzen was unearthed at Hougoumont in 2017. It is likely the frizzen of a French Charleville musket.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

Our CEO, Abbie, was privileged to recently attend the Belgian Ceremony at the Cenotaph. It was an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifice of the Armed Forces from our two nations, and the strong relationship between Belgium and the UK.

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

🪏 Finds Friday 🪏

A button, from Hougoumont, inscribed “Burgos” likely refers to the Siege of Burgos (1812), when an Anglo-Portuguese Army led by Arthur Wellesley, then Marquess of Wellington, attempted to capture the castle. WU archaeologist @ConflictArchaeo recently visited!

[Waterloo Uncovered @DigWaterloo]

Our current Finds in the Community Programme is being delivered in collaboration with The Wardrobe in Salisbury throughout June and July. Take a look as our CEO had the pleasure of joining ABF for the launch of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe novel.

https://t.co/YGWrCreKyr