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Wessex Archaeology has been appointed to undertake archaeological investigations and research for the A303 Stonehenge project.
We’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions about the archaeology of the scheme.
Why is archaeology done ahead of construction work?
In the UK, archaeology is written into our planning regulations, so that developers are required to have land archaeologically assessed and excavated before construction begins. This applies to all construction projects which have the potential to affect the historic environment, from home extensions to major road projects.
The current government policy and guidance for the historic environment as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which emphasises understanding and conserving the significance of heritage assets as part of sustainable development.
This means that developers must consider the historic environment constraints, impacts and benefits of a project from the start of the construction process.
Why is it important to do archaeology ahead of construction work?
From the ancient landscape of Stonehenge to the cairns of Orkney, the UK’s cultural heritage is unique. It is one of our greatest collective assets that draws millions of visitors each year, forges links with communities around the world and enhances our sense of wellbeing. The sustainability of our heritage depends on managing, conserving and protecting the historic environment, balanced against the needs of the present and future.
To do this, archaeologists must record and interpret the physical remains of our cultural heritage – historic buildings and structures, landscapes and seascapes, and archaeological remains – in response to the changes brought about by development. The discoveries made help to replenish and renew the social, educational and economic value of cultural heritage for our communities.
What archaeological work has been done so far?
Extensive archaeological investigations have already taken place to inform the design and route of the scheme. Investigations have followed professional guidelines and were inspected by the County Archaeologist and in the World Heritage Site monitored by the A303 Heritage Monitoring Advisory Group.
We have undertaken geophysical surveys of the ground that will be disturbed by the scheme both within and outside the World Heritage Site, including the location for the new Longbarrow Junction and the whole of the Winterbourne Stoke northern bypass route.
Ground Penetrating Radar has also been used to look at what lies underneath the surface, in particular places within the World Heritage Site, and the topsoil has been systematically sampled with test pits and evaluation trenches to search for any buried remains.
The scale of these evaluation works included:
- 1109 hectares of land have been surveyed
- 4564 trial trenches and test pits have been excavated and recorded
- 3 tonnes of archaeological samples and material have been recovered and studied
As part of the surveys we uncovered some interesting but not unexpected finds, including:
- Flint knapping – evidence of the manufacture of stone tools at various places across the Scheme, but particularly at the Eastern Portal, Longbarrow Junction and the Western Portal Approaches.
- Beaker burials – crouched inhumation at Western Portal with Beaker-style artefacts (pottery, copper awl, cylindrical shale object) – pit containing infant bones and Beaker pottery
- Neolithic & early Bronze Age activity – flint assemblages and EBA cremation burial at Longbarrow North – Early Bronze Age cremation burial at Parsonage Down
- Late Bronze Age ‘C’-shaped enclosure at Longbarrow South
The archaeological evaluation results have confirmed expectations about the likely archaeological finds that will be made along the route of the scheme. The results of these investigations can be viewed and downloaded from the National Infrastructure Planning Inspectorate’s website.
What are you planning to do? What does the programme look like?
The construction programme has been designed from the outset to allow for the majority of the archaeological work to be completed before the construction work starts, leaving only work on existing roads or other inaccessible areas to be undertaken later.
Our current programme estimates that all works, including detailed excavation, survey and recording for all areas affected by the scheme, will take approximately 18 months to complete. Over this period over 200 archaeologists and multidisciplinary experts will carefully excavate and record the archaeology. As well as experts from Wessex Archaeology we will be working with specialists form INRAP, MOLA, PCA, Headland Archaeology, Cotswold Archaeology and Oxford Archaeology.
Our work won’t end there though. In addition to an extensive programme of research, archaeologists will monitor construction of the scheme itself.
Will you be sampling/sieving the soil excavated during archaeological works?
Yes. We don’t have a ’one size fits all’ approach. The amount of sampling or sieving will vary depending on what’s found at each location. We’ll be reviewing and adjusting as the archaeological works progress. We have consulted on the sampling strategy, and the independent A303 Scientific Committee, have contributed to this strategy.
What will you do with all the artefacts you find?
Archaeological finds – and the historical layers or ‘strata’ that they are found in – play an important role in the interpretation of a site. When artefacts are uncovered, archaeologists carefully place them in a bag marked with a specific reference number, which corresponds to the context they were found in.
The finds are then cleaned and analysed in a lab by specialists to identify what they are, what they might have been used for, who might have produced and used them, what cultural importance they might have had, and their wider historical significance. They are drawn and photographed to record them in exact detail.
Our archaeological evaluation work indicates that the vast majority of artefacts found are likely to be what is known as “debitage” – waste material from the manufacture of flint tools. However, there are also likely to be other artefacts associated with the long history of human activity in this landscape.
Once analysis and reporting have been completed, finds are deposited with the museum or archive local to where the excavation took place, and some may be exhibited there to the local community.
Where can I go to find more information?
If you are interested in the archaeology of the scheme we will be sharing information and updates on our website as the project unfolds.
To find more information about the scheme, visit National Highways website and follow them on social media:
Twitter: @A303Stonehenge
Facebook: A303 Stonehenge Community
You can follow our social media channels
Twitter: @WessexArch
Facebook: Wessex Archaeology
Instagram: @WessexArch
YouTube: WessexArchaeology