lthough the setting and types of learning experience may be different, historical fieldwork should be approached in much the same way as history in the classroom.

The starting point for the teacher is one of familiarisation with the historical background of the site - a survey of relevant events and developments before and after the construction of the building or site. This need not be of great depth or complexity, but sufficient to contextualise the investigation that is about to take place.

Like any other primary source, a site needs to be interpreted in context. For example, in order to understand why a 16th Century fortified manor house is constructed in a different way from a 13th Century castle, it is necessary to know something about the changing nature of later Tudor society which was relatively more peaceful and prosperous than its medieval forerunner.

The first stage proper of the investigation involves the formulation of valid historical questions that will provide a framework for pupils' on-site investigations. This again requires some knowledge of the history of the site, but also of the site itself - the visible remains - in order to point pupils in fruitful investigative directions. It seems valid, in the first instance, for the teacher to pose the key organising question(s) and possibly some contributory questions. However, the pupils must be given as many opportunities as possible to ask their own questions of the visible remains, to make sketches or take photographs of any puzzling features, and to combine site knowledge and contextual material to arrive at 'answers' to the key questions.

In doing this, both teachers and pupils need to bear several factors in mind:

• There has to be a purpose to a site visit - a valid historical question has to be explored or investigated.
• Contextual knowledge is at least as important as fieldwork observations in the interpretation of a site; the best studies contain a balance of both.
• Both the site and the historical record are usually incomplete and open to interpretation; consequently, the language of site investigation has to be tentative and conditional: "it appears that…" or "this is suggested by…" etc.
• It follows that several interpretations of the visible remains are possible, including those of the guidebook and of the pupils.
• The site may be typical or untypical of its type or period.

The following model is based upon an exploration of Oystermouth Castle, which stands at the neck of the Gower peninsula near Swansea. It is included in order to demonstrate some aspects of good practice in historical fieldwork.

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Investigating Oystermouth Castle