A TEAM from the York Archaeological Trust (YAT) is asking for the public’s help as it investigates the archaeology and food heritage of the Yorkshire Wolds.

The Food for Thought project, funded by Historic England, will try to find out what connects the farmers of today with their prehistoric and medieval ancestors. It will feature a questionnaire and a photo competition.

The YAT team started the conversation at the Driffield Show in July, followed by the Malton Harvest Food Festival in September and will attend the Beverley Food Festival on October 7.

Historic England is funding the Food For Thought project with support from East Riding of Yorkshire Council and North Yorkshire County Council, as well as the Council for British Archaeology.

Neil Redfern, Historic England’s principal inspector of ancient monuments in Yorkshire, said: “People have lived on and farmed the Yorkshire Wolds for thousands of years.

“They have left behind a rich tapestry of archaeology and heritage, from Britain’s largest prehistoric standing stone at Rudston to the 17th century lighthouse overseeing the dramatic landscape at Flamborough Head.

“This chalk landscape is as important as the one made famous by Stonehenge and through the Food for Thought project we want to bring more research into this wonderful landscape.

“The Food for Thought project is a conversation about the past and the future investigation of the Yorkshire Wolds and we want as many people as possible to take part in that conversation.”

Mary-Anne Slater, project officer for YAT, added: “We’ve set out on this exciting project to find out what people who live, farm, work and visit the area think is important about the archaeology and heritage of the Yorkshire Wolds.

“The plan is to bring together what we know about the archaeology and heritage of the Yorkshire Wolds from existing records and then to find out what people living and working there want to know more about in the future.

“Producing and eating food is a constant theme throughout time, as we get as hungry as people did thousands of years ago.

“We want to capture what makes this place as special and tasty today as it has for thousands of years.”

Everyone can get involved with the project by answering a short an online questionnaire, which can be found at yorkarchaeology.co.uk/get-involved/community/food-for-thought

Alternatively, people can take part in the photo competition to answer the question “What makes the Yorkshire Wolds special for you?”

Share photos of the Wolds via social media using #YorkshireWoldsHeritage or emailed to foodforthought@yorkat.co.uk. There are two categories, 16 years and under and 17 years and over.

The project judging panel will select the winners of the photo competition on December 14 and winners will receive free entry to the JORVIK Group attractions in York for a year.