Welcome to the Archaeological Survey & Investigation Team's page! Our research improves the understanding of England's heritage. We discover, interpret and record ancient monuments, historic buildings and entire landscapes. We also set standards for others engaged in similar research. We work closely with English Heritage's other specialist teams, as well as many partners outside English Heritage, from national organisations to local amateur groups.
Want to know about our latest discoveries in your region? While some of our major research projects cover the whole of England, others focus on individual sites, monuments or landscapes. So we have made important discoveries across the length and breadth of England. View our regional projects page.
What exactly is 'landscape investigation'? Ever wondered how an ancient monument was first discovered? Most archaeological sites were first discovered not by excavation, not by aerial photography, but simply by using the naked eye to study remains that are still visible above ground. These may be standing buildings, ruins, or humps and bumps on the surface (technically called 'earthworks'). 'Landscape investigation' is the term we use to describe all the skills involved in reaching an understanding of the past through analysis of what can still be seen above ground.
The Archaeological Survey & Investigation Team works throughout England, with staff based in Cambridge, Exeter, Swindon and York. We are acknowledged as 'expert generalists', which means that we are capable of tackling monuments of all shapes and sizes, from Stone Age camps to Cold War bunkers. We work closely with English Heritage's other specialist teams, especially Aerial Survey, Historic Buildings, Geophysical Survey and Metric Survey, and occasionally with the Maritime Team when we are working in coastal areas. Sometimes, our research will be followed up excavations. We are constantly making exciting new discoveries and often overturn long-accepted theories and beliefs, simply by going back to basics and noticing evidence others have overlooked. In examining any individual monument, we employ a 'total landscape' approach. This means that we aim to reach an understanding of the site's function and significance in relation to its immediate surroundings, in its regional and national contexts, and in terms of its evolution through time. Fans of Channel 4's Time Team will know the importance of Stewart Ainsworth's role as the 'landscape expert', whether the subject of the three days of filming is a prehistoric burial mound, a city-centre palace, or a Second World War bomber. When not involved in filming, Stewart returns to his full-time job as a member of the English Heritage Archaeological Survey & Investigation Team, where there are another 17 experts just as good as him!
Our technique, like other forms of archaeological survey (but unlike excavation) does not destroy what we are trying to understand. It can be applied to large or small areas; it is fast and efficient. It is therefore of great value in making rapid walk-round assessments of sites, whether newly discovered or known about for centuries. More detailed 'field survey' - the careful analysis and mapping of surface remains - is at its best when combined with the study of historic maps, documents, aerial photographs and many other sources of evidence, including any previous archaeological research. Carried out in this way, our detailed investigations can transform the understanding of historic sites, monuments and landscapes. We make use of GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite mapping equipment, along with a range of other hi-tech survey hardware, to record and present our findings rapidly and accurately. But landscape investigation is about much more than technological wizardry: experience and analytical expertise are the keys to interpreting what we identify and providing new understanding. So, much of what we do can be achieved by anybody with good powers of observation and an inquisitive mind!
Who benefits from our work? You benefit! Everybody benefits! We spend roughly half our time supporting English Heritage's own special projects and day-to-day work. For example, we often provide the understanding and detailed plans required for conservation work by the English Heritage Conservation Teams responsible for looking after all the abbeys, castles and other sites cared for by English Heritage that are open to visitors. We provide fresh information for the Monuments Protection Programme, which is responsible for making recommendations about the legal protection of ancient monuments. All our work helps to expand and update the database of information available to everyone through English Heritage's public archive, the National Monuments Record, and you can obtain copies of any of our reports and publications from there.
We are also involved in partnerships with many other organisations which have a role to play in looking after the historic environment. These include the National Parks, County Archaeological Services, the National Trust and the Ministry of Defence. We support the Ordnance Survey through the supply of archaeological information for use on maps, including the large-scale versions widely used by tourists and walkers. Last, but by no means least, we also respond to enquiries direct from local amateur groups and individual members of the public. We routinely provide immediate help with specific questions about sites and monuments and are always ready to advise formally or informally on best practice in a wide range of technical and academic issues. We work to set national standards, through technical papers, seminars and lectures, enabling professionals and amateurs alike to carry out their own work more effectively. We are happy to give guided tours and talks, and we have almost certainly investigated a site near you!
Email this to a friend