{"id":3634,"date":"2026-05-08T12:13:42","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T11:13:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/archdiggers.co.uk\/?p=3634"},"modified":"2026-06-15T12:13:25","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T11:13:25","slug":"nick-plunkett","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/archdiggers.co.uk\/?page_id=3634","title":{"rendered":"Nick Plunkett"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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When I started the Archdiggers site it was an attempt to reduce the anonymity of diggers who all you would see was the odd back of the head shot in site photographs. While much of the public can name members of the time Team or other media celebrities and some have even read popular tomes on the subject, the bulk of the skilled teams of diggers who work in all conditions remain blurred figures in the background. Unfortunately we have lost one of our colleagues Nick Plunkett who although not a media star should be celebrated, he was one of the most skilled flint Knapper\u2019s I have ever come across and always had time to share his skill and knowledge, most of the Wessex diggers had their own examples of Nicks work copies of prehistoric flint made as jewellery. It was not just Nicks skill with flint but that he always had time to explain things, share his knowledge, work out problems on site, he was just one of the nicest guys you could work with on site. Nick\u2019s knowledge and love for archaeology that he shared with others will hopefully be passed on and remembered by those who worked with him, he will be missed by all his colleagues at Wessex and by his friends and family, my condolences to all who knew him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comment from Alan Graham<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was moved by your concept of the \u2018anonymity of diggers\u2019 expressed in your tribute to Nick Plunkett. I began digging in 1970 and have only recently put away my trowel after a two year stint on a large excavation near Crewkerne in Somerset. I have long felt that the skill and hard work of excavation teams, in all weathers and conditions, has been unacknowledged and under-appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This photograph of the Trowbridge Team, from late winter 1988, with Nick at the centre of it, was to have been Plate 9 of the published report (Wessex Archaeology Report No 2) but at some late editorial stage was replaced with one of the finished shopping centre development. The Wrecking Crew, as we were known, was one of the finest teams of diggers I have ever been a part of and Nick was a valued part of it, not simply for his excavation skills but for being a good companion. Working, living and socializing together, it was a close-knit team and that companionship was invaluable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s face it, conditions on excavations can at times be grim and mutual support essential. So here is to remembering old diggers, para boots and army moleskin trousers and all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alan Graham 11th<\/sup> May 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Trowbridge Wrecking Crew 1988<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nick and rest of team at Rock Common 1997<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When I started the Archdiggers site it was an attempt to reduce the anonymity of diggers who all you would see was the odd back of the head shot in site photographs. While much of the public can name members of the time Team or other media celebrities and some have even read popular tomes … Continue reading “Nick Plunkett”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3634","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archdiggers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3634","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archdiggers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archdiggers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archdiggers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archdiggers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3634"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/archdiggers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3634\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3643,"href":"https:\/\/archdiggers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3634\/revisions\/3643"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archdiggers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3634"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}