Heritage Photography editor David Bryson FRPS heritage.editor@rps.org
Honorary Secretary Amanda Miller LRPS heritagesec@rps.org
Honorary Treasurer
David Bryson FRPS heritagetreasurer@rps.org
Web editor
Jim Souper ARPS
Military Heritage and Distribution Shaun Parkes LDPS heritagemilitary@rps.org
Published by the Archaeology and Heritage Special Interest Group of the Royal Photographic Society, January 2025.
Copyright in all text and photographs are held by the credited authors, or as otherwise stated. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher.
Print ISSN 0958-0565
Online ISSN 2632-3346
Sutton Hoo replica mask photographed in a museum in Luxembourg State
Photograph: George Backshall
EDITORIAL
3 Perspective: AI - editing for masking and noise removal DAVID BRYSON FRPS
4 Chair’s Chat Hello from Heather HEATHER LAURENCE PhD PHOTOGRAPHS
5 Facebook Favourites October and November 2024.
FEATURES
7-14 Nenthead MIne: An historical Gem of Durham. HEATHER LAURENCE PHD
15-19 Patellar maltracking: A clinical and bioarchaeological case study. DAVID BRYSON FRPS
20-23 Orlock Point, Northern Ireland. DAVID BRYSON FRPS
24-32 Dolmens in the Limousin GARY DAVIS
Perspective: AI - editing for masking and noise removal
DAVID BRYSON FRPS
Welcome to the January issue of Heritage Photography.
We start with a look at mining heritage with Heather’s feature looking at Nenthead mines then an archaeological feature if more osteological by the editor, then in a slightly different vein my piece on Orlock point both a heritage and a natural history location. Finally an article by Gary Davis on the DoImen of Limousin where he is living in France reminding us of the wide geographic spread of members across UK, Europe and beyond. This issue is the first of the new year and is digital only except for issues to contributors.
So please remember that this is your publication and without your photographs with or without writing I cannot put together great issues for our membership.
If you have any ideas for articles or series of photographs or would like to get feedback about an idea for a submission please contact me by e-mail. heritage.editor@rps.org
E-mail Reminder
Do remember to add and if necessary update your e-mail details on your RPS profile so we can contact you through the RPS’s Broadcast system to make sure you receive digital copies of the journal and our newsletters.
AI tools
The example of the use of an AI tool above shows how our editing programmes are changing whether incorporating AI or for some generative AI. I use ON1 for photographic storage and editing. Don’t forget we would like to know more about you and your ways of working for the journal and as Heather suggests any photographs taken with traditional silver technologies.
Facebook
Our private facebook group is at https://www. facebook.com/groups/rpsah
Enlarged section of Sutton Hoo replica mask photographed in a museum in Luxembourg State Photograph : George Backshall LRPS Left after George’s editing Right after AI noise removal using ON1 software.
Chair’s Chat: Hello from Heather
HEATHER LAURENCE PhD
Hello and a happy new year to you all! I hope you enjoyed the festive season and are all looking forward to 2025 and all it may bring.
As we move into the new year, there are changes afoot in our group. Financial changes have been made by RPS to all special interest groups. This has caused us to reassess our budget and change the way we are going to deliver our journal. However, this does not mean that less print runs mean less quality, we have a book in the offing, which we want every one of you to be a part of. We will keep you all up to date about that throughout the coming months.
We also now have a BlueSky account, if you are already sharing your images on this platform, then please give us a follow, we would love it if we could grow our followers and potentially attract more members to our fab little SIG.
Our bluesky account is here:
https://bsky.app/profile/rpsarchandheritage.bsky. social
I have recently awoken an old addiction, of developing my own images using retro film cameras, do any of you guys still shoot film? Do you
develop your own? Please share your stories with us, via our social media channels, or send them over to David with your analogue stories and we can share them in future journals.
I don’t want to sound like a stuck record, but we need members input to keep going, I would love a volunteer to join us in helping to run our social media pages, run campaigns and generally help keep this side of things ticking. We would also like to welcome on board anyone who wishes to become more involved with events and future project organisation. We are a logistical headache as a group, and we would love it if more of you were willing to participate in localised events.
In the meantime, please keep an eye out for our latest broadcasts, which will keep you all up to date with the latest. We have Jim working away at updating our website, and the first of many talks planned. If you would like to give a talk to members, then please do get in touch!
Take care all
Heather.
A local quarry, worked for more than 100 years, still going today. I was lucky enough to visit today and gather some old photos too. Lots more to come as part of a future personal project.
October: Coastal Heritage
Isle of Mull, Photograph: Ted Burchill
November: Windows and doors
The Medieval market in Somerton, Somerset from a window in the old town council building, now an art exhibition centre. Photograph: Alan Burchell.
Nenthead Mine: An historical gem of Durham
Nenthead Mine, nestled in the rugged landscape of the North Pennines near the border of County Durham and Cumbria, is one of the most significant remnants of the United Kingdom’s industrial past. Established in the 18th century, the mine played a pivotal role in the lead and zinc mining industries, contributing significantly to the local economy and shaping the development of the village of Nenthead.
HEATHER LAURENCE PHD
Its legacy is not only a testament to the rich mineral resources of the region but also to the innovative spirit and social progressiveness of the era.
Developed by the London Lead Company (LLC), who were prolific mine owners, they acquired mining rights in the region in the early 1700s and rapidly expanded operations at Nenthead. Making the site most prominent in the production of lead, zinc and secondly at that time, silver. The smelting of silver
was very much a by-product, but it was none the less worked in great quantities by Nenthead mine with the smelt mill on the site being used for production for almost 160 years.
The mine site was pioneering in the development of technology, including the use of water power to both drain flooded areas of the mine, and also to aid with the ore extraction, allowing deeper exploration and ultimately exploitation of ore deposits.
Aerial shot of the Nenthead mine site.
The company were well known for looking after the welfare of their miners, and thus an industrial community quickly grew, with a school, housing and medical facilities. That said, the average life expectancy of a lead miner was only 45-50 years old, and such facilities were often tied to the job, which meant that in order to live in a pit house, you had to have some one in employment at the mine, lots of boys were employed, many to simply ‘replace’ their fathers who were to old or broken at mid 40s to work. Despite this, Nenthead mines were considered one of the best mines to work in back in the day, with many other employees not caring for the wellbeing of their workforce at all.
Due to the advancement of technology in use in the mine, another feather in the cap of the site was that Nenthead village was one of the first to have electric powered streetlamps, making it one of the most desired and modern places of the time.
The decline of the lead and zinc mining industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to the
eventual closure of Nenthead Mine. The site, however, remains a significant historical and cultural landmark. Today, Nenthead Mine is a scheduled monument and part of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It is managed by the Nenthead Mines Conservation Society, which works tirelessly to preserve the site and educate the public about its historical importance.
Visitors to Nenthead Mine can explore the remnants of the mining operations, including the underground tunnels, surface buildings, and other industrial structures. The site offers a unique glimpse into the past, allowing visitors to experience the harsh realities of mining life and the remarkable achievements of the people who worked there.
Nenthead Mine stands as a testament to the industrial ingenuity and social progressiveness of the 18th and 19th centuries. Its historical significance lies not only in its contributions to the mining industry but also in its role as a pioneering example of worker welfare and community development. Today, the preservation of Nenthead Mine ensures that future generations can continue to learn from and be in-
A tub, used in the mines to transport the ore out of the drift
A SilverSmelter
The remains of the silver smelting plant Nenthead Mines
Waterwheel and race Nenthead Mine
Spoil heaps offering an almost futuristic landscape
spired by this remarkable chapter in the UK’s industrial history.
We would recommend a visit to the mine, and if you can, take a tour underground, you won’t regret it!
The site is now also home to some unique flora with prime examples growing readily on the former spoil heaps.
The spoil heaps, which go a long way to making up the landscape, also carry a novel’s worth of stories, having been re worked in the hunt for previously discarded lead and zinc during the years of the Great Depression 1920-38. They were again re worked by two separate companies, one from 1949-1961 and again from 1961-1965 who were both mining Fluorspar, which had not previously been considered worthy of mining at the site, yet was commonly mined only a few miles upstream.
Some of the pipes left behind by miners
Patellar maltracking: A clinical and bioarchaeological case study.
As part of the Forensic Anthropology module at the University of Derby students had been producing skeletal reports on the Anglo-Saxon remains (Kinsley 2002) found as part of the excavations on the south-eastern defences and extramural settlement of Little Chester, Derby 1971-2 by Sparey-Green (2002). Two students working on this skeletal material noticed the eburnation on the femoral condyle and patella , as reported, and asked what had caused it. I looked at the bones and saw where the eburnation was placed on the supero-lateral part of the femoral condyle and the lateral facet of the patella, see the photographs on page 17, and explained that it was more than likely as a result of years of wear from patellar maltracking.
DAVID BRYSON FRPS
These skeletons had previously been reported on by M.Harmon, compiled 1973, as part of Kinsley’s report on the Anglo-Saxon Cemetery published in 2002, see inset below and right.
Grave 1, Little Chester: Context 15
Grave: No grave outline was observed.
Orientation: c210deg Skeleton supine, disturbed: only the skull and the upper abdomen surviving, with traces of the femur to the north-east.
Skeleton: ? Male over 40 years.
Present: most of skull, 2 clavicles, 2 scapulae, femur and tibia shaft fragments, patella.
Dental:
Key: Part of jaw missing 123, A Abscess, 34 tooth lost after death
Pathology: a small amount of osteophytic growth on the patella and eburnation on the articular surface of both this and the distal end of the femur indicate that the individual suffered from osteoarthritis.
(Kinsley 2002)
Clinical considerations
The knee joint is tri-compartmental with three biomechanical components the lateral, medial and patellofemoral. The last of these is often forgotten but can have a massive impact on walking, kneeling and other activities of daily living.
Normal patella movement
The normal patella tracks up and down in the groove between the lateral and medial femoral condyles. When standing with the quadriceps femoris relaxed the patella can be moved laterally and medially. When the joint is flexed the patella recedes into the groove between the condyles and when fully flexed it is firmly applied to the femur.
This movement of the patella can be observed during arthroscopy with a suprapatellar portal approach or radiographically with a series of what are termed skyline views (Fuller 2011) enabling the clinician to look at patellar tracking. The patella will also move slightly within the hollow if the tibia is internally or externally rotated so tibial positioning is critical in viewing and assessing the extent of patella maltracking.
Patellar maltracking
In patellar maltracking, which is usually lateral maltracking, rather than the patella sitting in the groove it tracks over the lateral femoral condyle, on occasions it can be seen to actually overlap the femoral condyle. When the patella tracks in this way it touches the femoral condyle causing pain. So someone with patellar maltracking would have considerable pain in the knee joint as they kneel or in any activity that requires flexion of the knee joint. The pain of the condition makes activities of daily living difficult. The constant wear of the patella on the lateral femoral condyle initially leads to cartilage
damage, followed by erosion and loss of the cartilage finally with the wear of bone on bone to eburnation. Figure below, Siddiqui (2013), patellar maltracking as the knee joint is bent from 0 through to 90 degrees.
Normal patella tracking
Arthroscopic views of maltracking patella as the knee is flexed (Siddiqui 2013).
Right patella and portion of the femoral condyle showing shiny areas of eburnation.
Right patella and portion of the femoral condyle with cross-lighting to show cog and wheel grooves in areas of eburnation.
Discussion
Osteoarthritis
The processes involved in the development of osteoarthritis are largely biomechanical in that as a joint wears so there are changes in the cartilage histopathology leading eventually to loss of cartilage and bone as well as areas of osteophyte formation (Pritzker 2006).
Creamer and Hochberg 1997 investigated the aetiology and pathogenesis of osteoarthritis and came to the conclusion that the following 5 factors were associated with osteoarthritis:
Each of these factors or factors in combination can lead to osteoarthritis.
Aetiology of patellar maltracking
The aetiology of patellar maltracking has been put down to a number of factors including the strength of the muscles and tendons which hold the patella in place and constrain its movement in the femoral groove. Wanner (1977) investigating the role of the bicondylar femoral angle favours the involvement of the vastus medialis as a patellar stabilizer and states that:
“Variations in the development of the origin of this muscle are evidenced on the spiral line of the linea aspera and medical aspect of the linea aspera. Such variations may well reflect differences in the action of this muscle in the maintenance of patellar stability.” (Wanner 1977 p 102)
Osteological literature
There have been a number of investigators exploring the presence and absence of osteoarthritis and recording patellofemoral eburnation. Shepstone (1999) found eburnation of the patellofemoral compartment whilst looking at the shape of the distal femur and in 2000 when looking at the distribution of distal femoral osteophytes saw evidence of lateral patellofemoral eburnation.
Rogers 1993 looked at the ridges and grooves of eburnated bone on the two articulating surfaces of the bone which fitted together like cog-wheels,
see Figures on page 17, and again in (2004) he examined the presence of eburnation and osteophytes and their strong association.
Skeletal reports have recorded and photographed this feature for example Robin (2008) with eburnation of the patella femoral compartment, see the figure below which shows the whole distal femur compared to the fragments in the figures on page 17.
Other papers have looked at prevalence for example, Inoue et al (2001) including patellar osteoarthritis by joint site and Bridges (1993) scoring the presence of osteoarthritic lesions.
Why would I recognize patellar maltracking?
In an earlier phase of my career I trained as a medical photographer and when working in Worcestershire one of the specialist areas I covered was orthopaedic photography. During this time we had a number of patellar maltracking cases come through the operating theatre for arthroscopic examination and surgical treatment. Like many conditions when you have seen them once you tend to recognize them when you see them again even if in a different form. Once I had made the diagnosis I thought I would check for references and was surprised at the disparity between the osteological and clinical literature.
What is seen in osteological specimens are the sequelae of these processes and all that a diagnosis of osteoarthritis tells us is that the individual was subject to joint wear and tear not the underlying biomechanical causation.
Figure Eburnation of the Patello Femoral Compartment (B488), reported by Robin (2008, p98).
Conclusions
Osteological research has been trying to resolve and understand conditions that are clearly evident to anyone with a background in orthopaedics. Their aims have been as expressed for example Shepstone 2000 “. . to classify sub-groups based on the anatomical location of constituent features as seen on x-rays.” However, by looking at quantifying and analysing they have missed out on actually diagnosing what caused the osteoarthritis.
The aim of skeletal reporting should be to determine where possible the aetiology of the osteoarthritis. In many cases this cannot be determined but it shouldn’t just be put down to old age until a definitive diagnosis has been ruled out.
Similarly just saying eburnation of the femur covers a wide variety of diagnoses e.g. from whole joint involvement, unilateral osteoarthritis causing genu valgus (walking bow legged), through to conditions like patellar maltracking. So in skeletal reports it is necessary to record not just the presence but the exact location of eburnation for accurate diagnoses.
The lack of detail in many papers also means that it is difficult to go back to the literature and retrospectively work out the frequency of patellar maltracking in populations.
It is clear that there is an important role for multidisciplinary working so knowledge can be shared between current diagnostic practices in orthopaedics and osteological studies of human remains.
Acknowledgement
Derby Museum and Art Gallery for loan of the skeletal materials. This material was presented as a poster to a British Association for biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO) in 2013.
References
Bridges, P.S. (1993) The effect of variation in methodology on the outcome of osteoarthritic studies. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 3(4): 289-295.
Creamer, P. & Hochberg, M.C. (1997) Osteoarthritis. Lancet 350: 503-509.
Fuller, M.J. (2011) The skyline patella projection [URI http://www.wikiradiography.com/page/ The+Skyline+Patella+Projection accessed 11th September 2013]
Inoue, K. Hukuda, S. Fardellon, P. et al (2001) Prevalence of large joint osteoarthritis in Asian and Caucasian skeletal populations. Rheumatology 40: 70-73.
Kinsley, G. (2002) The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery. In: Sparey-Green, C. Excavations on the southeastern settlement of Little Chester, Derby, 1971-2. Derbyshire Archaeological Journal 122: 84-121.
Pritzker, K.P.H. Gay, S. Jimenez, S.A. Ostergaard, K. et al (2006) Osteoarthritis cartilage histopathology: grading and staging. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 14(1): 13-29.
Robin, J. (2008) A paleopathological assessment of osteoarthritis in the lower appendicular joints of individuals from the Kellis 2 cemetery in the Dakhleh oasis, Egypt. MA Thesis [URI http:// anthropology.cos.ucf.edu/main/wp-content/ uploads/2012/09/JoshuaRobin_FA11.pdf accessed Sept 11th 2013]
Rogers, J.M. Dieppe, P.A. (1993) Ridges and grooves on the bony surfaces of osteoarthritic joints. Oseteoarthritis and Cartilage. 1(3): 167-170.
Rogers, J., Shepstone, L. and Dieppe, P. (2004) Is osteoarthritis a systemic disorder of bone? Arthritis & Rheumatism, 50: 452–457.
Shepstone, L. Rogers, J. Kirwan, J Silverman, B. (1999) The shape of the distal femur: a palaeopathological comparison of eburnated and non-eburnated femora. Ann Rheum Dis 58: 72-78.
Siddiqui, A. (2013) Kneecap (Patello Femoral) Problems. [URI http://www.yorkshirekneesurgery. co.uk/page9.php accessed 11th September 2013]
Shepstone, L. Rogers, J. Kirwan, J Silverman, B. (2000) Distribution of distal femoral osteophytes in a human skeletal population. Ann Rheum Dis 59:513-20
Sparey-Green, C. (2002) Excavations on the southeastern settlement of Little Chester, Derby, 1971-2. Derbyshire Archaeological Journal 122: 1-326.
Wanner, J.A (1977) Variations in the anterior patellar groove of the human femur. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 47 (1): 99-102.
Orlock Point, Northern Ireland.
This heritage site is slightly diffferent as it is both a site of heritage from World War II but also for its natural history as an Area of Special Scientific Interest part of Outer Ards https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/protected-areas/outer-ards-assi
DAVID BRYSON FRPS
The Rocky outcrops of Orlock Point contain a mosaic of semi-natural habitats which support a rich diversity of plants and animals. The walk affords stunning views of the Copeland Islands and out across the Irish Sea towards Scotland. The area is steeped in archaeology and history, with evidence of Vikings, smugglers and World War II defences.
Orlock Point in County Down, Northern Ireland was part of Belfast’s World War II ground defences against German raids
Orlock Point is a rocky outcrop on the shoreline between Groomsport and Donaghadee.
- Orlock Point has a World War II lookout hut,
an Artillery Searchlight Enclosure, and two gun emplacements.
- Orlock Point and four other defence batteries around Belfast Lough were the only coast defences in the army where women were employed in operational roles.
Orlock Point is also a popular destination for walking, with views of the Copeland Islands and the Irish Sea. The National Trust owns the land, and the walk to Orlock Point includes a path through a stile with the National Trust emblem.
Rocky outcrops looking out to the Irish Sea and Copeland Island.
A view of the observation hut from World War II and view looking out to the Irish Sea.
Panoramic View from Orlock Point looking out to the Irish Sea and Copeland Island
Rocky outcrop covered with maritime lichens Ramalina siliquosa.
Classic transition of lichens from black verrucaria maura to orange xanthoria parietina to white ramalina siliquosa at the very top foundations of the observation post.
Dolmens in the Limousin
The Limousin region of France has an amazing abundance of Neolithic sites, easily accessible and very well preserved. What these sites were used for is still open for discussion, but they provide a fascinating subject for an ongoing photographic study. GARY DAVIS
Dolmen des Bras
In the summer of 2019, my wife and I relocated from the UK to start a new life in France. We chose to move to a region called the Haute Vienne; an area in what used to be called the Limousin. This region appealed to us as it is sparsely populated, stunningly beautiful and has amazing wildlife. It also has a lot of history, from the 100 years’ war through to the horrors of the 20th century. What I had not realised was its abundance of prehistoric sites
I was driving close to home one day when I saw a sign to the Dolmen de Bouéry. Curious, I decided to investigate and what I found was a beautiful Dolmen (Neolithic Structure) sitting in woodland. That was 5 years ago, during which time my interest in these structures has grown into a project to photograph and learn about them. The first thing I discovered is that in La Haute Vienne and the
adjoining region of La Creuse there are at least 70 sites, mainly Dolmen but also some free-standing Megaliths. Dolmens consist of 3 or more standing stones with a “cap stone” or “table” – which can weigh as much as 40 tons as in the case of Dolmen de la Borderie.
Many questions surround these structures; how they were made, what they were for etc. Modern research suggests that most were probably made from materials found in situ and not transported. The cap stone would have gradually been raised on a mound and the uprights inserted under it; the earth would then have been removed. They would have been open structures, not as once thought, tombs, although they were occasionally reused in the Bronze Age as sites for cremations. They may have been sites of worship or possibly tribal boundary or status markers; indeed, many are on
higher ground such as Dolmen de la Pierre folly at Saint Priest la Feuille or Domen du Puychaud at Blond. When these were constructed the freshly dressed granite would have sparkled in the sunlight, and could have been seen from a distance, so they may also have been used as navigation waypoints. I also find it fascinating that so many survive; I think this shows a form of respect for these sites, handed down through the generations. Today the local communities are very proud to have such a site in their village. Many, such as Saint Priest la Feuille, make a feature of them with nearby parking, a picnic area and maintained grounds to encourage visitors.
Dolmen de la Pierre folle
Dolmen de la Pierre folle
Dolmain de Bouéry
Menhir de Puychard, Blond WM
After I began my photographic study, I discovered I was not alone in my interest. I was asked to join a group of local artists all of whom are inspired by the Neolithic period. The group includes graphic artists, sculptors, sound artists and other photographers. Together we are working towards holding a joint exhibition of our work at some point in the future.
References
Benoît C. & Marteau-Castle, J. (2022) Dolmens and menhirs of Haute-Vienne: Legends and walks. EAN 13: 9791035315962
Benoît C. & Marteau-Castle, J. (2023) Dolmens and menhirs of Creuse: Legends and walks EAN 13: 9791035320379
Cummings, V. & Richards, C. (2012) Monuments in the Making: Raising the Great Dolmens in Early Neolithic Northern Europe. Wind Gather Press. ISBN13 978-1911188438
