Staff from our office there have unearthed over 1.5m of a timber-lined medieval well, buried in the alluvium under Upper Brookes Street car park, whilst carrying out a mitigating archaeological excavation ahead of the construction of a new medical practice.
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Site Supervisor Tom worked alongside Elliott, Colin and Holly , to recover the brilliantly preserved timbers from the deep urban stratigraphy.
We look forward to what the post-excavation processing can reveal of the timbers and associated sediments.
Staff from our Newark office have unearthed some exciting archaeology at a new industrial development at Dove Valley Park in Derbyshire, working on behalf of Orion Heritage and Clowes Developments (UK) Ltd.
Cropmarks on aerial photographs hinted at the presence of several ring ditches and linear ditches on and close to the site. Our team confirmed the existence of these features through trial trench evaluation. We then conducted a strip, map and sample excavation to fully reveal and investigate the remains, leading to the discovery of a complete ring ditch and a substantial linear ditch.
The ring ditch during excavation, with a possible entrance visible in the foreground. There was at least one re-cutting of the ring ditch, suggesting maintenance and possible longevity of use.
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The ring ditch is thought to be prehistoric, one nearby was excavated in the 1990s and found to be Bronze Age. The feature may have been a stock enclosure since no artefacts were found within it. However, soil samples were retained for potential radiocarbon dating and to recover small artefacts and environmental evidence and we’re looking forward to the results of our post-excavation work.
The long linear ditch is thought to be a post-medieval boundary. These discoveries add to our understanding of the area’s rich history and provides fascinating insights into the way our ancestors lived and worked.
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Orthophoto showing the post-medieval boundary ditch running west–east to the north of the ring ditch.
A red phone box in Great Yeldham has been repurposed in an inspired way by the community: as a mini museum with a display of finds from our excavation in the village!
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Prior to the construction of new homes, PCA undertook an archaeological investigation of the site. Trial trenching revealed artefacts dating from the Mesolithic/Neolithic, Iron Age and Roman periods so a second stage of fieldwork, consisting of three excavation areas, was carried out in the summer of 2021.
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The earliest human activity encountered was a shallow pit or natural hollow containing 45 pieces of worked flint, including a bladelet core of Mesolithic/early Neolithic date (very broadly 8000–3000 BC), which also contained fragments of animal bone, charcoal and a few charred cereal grains. The site is close to a stream with a good source of flint pebbles suitable for knapping, and a passing band of hunter-gatherers had found it a good spot to spend time making tools and having a meal on at least one occasion.
Many millennia passed before humans left a further imprint on the site. In the Late Iron Age (100BC to AD43) several ditches were dug as part of a nearby farmstead’s extensive field boundary system. Few artefacts of this period were recovered from the ditches, indicating that the farmstead stood some distance from the site; this was further attested to by the discovery of a group of cremations dating to the same period.
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Several of the cremation pits were furnished with grave goods, including fineware pottery vessels and a Chatelaine set, a belt adornment that was typically presented to Roman girls as a ‘coming of age’ gift. The range of grave goods suggests that the people buried here were moderately prosperous with access to markets supplying Roman goods in the years before the Roman invasion.
Around the middle of the 1st century AD, perhaps in the decade immediately following the Roman invasion, the area of the Late Iron Age ditch system and cremations was re-organised. This may have been associated with a change in land ownership, as no attempt was made to respect the location of the cremation cemetery and the new ditch system was set out on a different alignment. There was little evidence for domestic occupation, although a number of pits and postholes may be associated with agricultural activities. However, several of the ditches contained relatively sizeable assemblages of Roman pottery and a small Roman knife was recovered from one feature, suggesting that the ditch system lay close to an area of occupation, probably to the south or west of the site. In the western corner of the site two large Roman extraction pits were investigated (probably dug for clay), which were up to 30m in diameter and up to 2.4m deep. This part of the settlement appears to have fallen out of use in the 2nd century AD.
The process of examining the results of the excavation is currently underway and will be reported on in due course. The excavation has provided a great opportunity to learn about Great Yeldham’s distant past, in an area that has seen limited detailed archaeological investigation.
PCA would like to thank Rose Builders (Properties) Ltd for commissioning and funding the work, Nick Cooke of RPS Group for appointing PCA to undertake the excavation and Teresa O’Connor of Place Services at Essex County Council for monitoring the work and providing archaeological advice and guidance. Finally, a big thank you to Christine Caney and her husband for arranging the display.
PCA is one of UK’s largest archaeological companies, with seven regional offices across the country. We have been delivering professional heritage services for more than 25 years. We are delighted to announce the opportunity to join our multi-disciplinary team of archaeologists as we continue through 2023 with a range of exciting projects being undertaken at our collectively-managed Cambridge and Norwich offices. For an overview of our company and work, please visit
We seek to recruit an Operations Assistant to support our Operations Manager and Management Team with a variety of tasks.
The successful candidate does not need any experience in archaeology, but an interest in history and/or archaeology would be beneficial. All applicants must have excellent oral and written English, and be able to display competent maths skills. All successful candidates undergo a probationary 3-month period, after which, given satisfactory performance, they will be offered a permanent contract.
Role Summary: To assist with archaeological operations and provide support with administration, personnel management and logistics.
About the job:
The Operations Assistant would take the lead on the weekly checking and submission of payroll data, the onboarding and set-up of new staff, procurement and associated record-keeping, and a variety of compliance-related tasks. In support of Finance staff, they would process and advise on staff expenses claims, and monitor and authorize a range of payments. Complete and well-maintained PPE and equipment is essential to the day-to-day work of our staff, and the Operations Assistant would assist the Operations Manager in ensuring that stocks of PPE and equipment are maintained, allocated and cared for.
Many active projects run concurrently and the pace of work is quick, so the Operations Assistant needs to be able to respond quickly to problems and new information, multi-task, and stay on top of administrative, financial and compliance tasks. As they will be handling HR and payroll data, they need to be discreet and able to uphold the confidentiality of information. Accuracy and an eye for detail are important in all tasks.
Salary: £27,688 – £29,343 per annum (depending on experience)
Location: PCA Cambridge Office (Pampisford). The Cambridge office is on public transport routes and parking is also available. Transport will not be provided.
Working Week: Monday – Friday 37.5 hours per week (8am – 4pm) with breaks for lunch and tea.
Minimum Requirements:
Essential –
Excellent written and spoken English
Previous work experience in an office setting
Good computer and numeracy skills
Diligence, accuracy and an eye for detail
Ability to multi-task and manage competing deadlines and demands
Discretion and sensitivity
Excellent communication skills
Desirable –
Previous experience in finance, logistics or HR administration
Previous experience in data entry and record maintenance
Previous experience with, or an interest in, developing or enhancing administrative systems
Employee benefits:
Friendly and supportive work environment
28 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 2 days for Christmas, if employed over the Christmas period), rising on service length
Mental Health First Aiders
Cycle to work scheme
Childcare vouchers, Christmas vouchers
Annual appraisal and progression opportunity
Company pension scheme
PCA is committed to a comprehensive equal opportunities policy in which individuals are selected and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities without regard to race, religion or belief, colour, sex, age, national origin, disability or sexual orientation. All applicants with the relevant qualifications and experience are welcome to apply for this opportunity. Please be advised that you must hold the right to work and live in the UK in order to apply for this job.
We are expecting a high volume of applications, and therefore cannot commit to responding to all emails. In accordance with our GDPR policy, we will not keep unsuccessful applicants’ details or CVs on our system, unless you expressly request that we do.
Cameron and Maisie attended a careers fair last week, at the Humanities Department of the University of Winchester, to speak to prospective trainees studying there.
Their career stories, insights and advice were much appreciated and described as inspirational and demonstrative of fabulous graduate outcomes by the Uni’s Faculty Employability Adviser. PCA will be attending the next careers day there too.
Pre-Construct Archaeology is one of UK’s largest archaeological companies, with seven regional offices across the country. We have been delivering professional heritage services for 30 years, working on some of the largest and most complex sites in Britain.
We are looking to recruit staff at Trainee, Field Archaeologist, Assistant Supervisor and Supervisor levels for our Winchester office.
PCA offers a competitive salary and a range of attractive employee benefits, including a pay banding structure that allows for career progression. All successful candidates will undergo a probationary 3-month period (6 months for trainees), after which, given satisfactory performance, they will be offered a further contract, work permitting.
About the job: Location: Winchester Working week: Monday to Friday 37.5 hours per week, usually 8am – 4 pm
Salary range:
Trainees – £22,264.79
Archaeologists – starting at £24,252.10
Assistant Supervisors – starting at £26,532.89
Supervisors – starting at £28,161.81
General Requirements for all of the following positions:
Degree in Archaeology or related subject (e.g. History, Classics, Geology etc.)
Ability and willingness to work on site in all kinds of weather
Excellent oral and written English, basic maths skills are essential
Willingness to learn new skills
Good teamwork
Excellent punctuality and timekeeping
Attention to detail
Commitment to PCA’s health and safety policies at all times
Eligible to live and work in the UK
Trainees Responsibilities (you will receive training in the following) – 6 months :
Excavation of archaeological features and deposits
Collection and labelling of artefacts
Writing context sheets for archaeological features and deposits, drawing plans and sections to scale, on site photography and basic survey using a GPS unit
Collection and processing of environmental samples
Post-ex office work (occasionally required) including washing, marking and labelling finds and archiving site records
Field Archaeologists Responsibilities:
Excavation of archaeological features and deposits
Collection and labelling of artefacts
Writing context sheets for archaeological features and deposits, drawing plans and sections to scale, on site photography and basic survey using a GPS unit
Collection and processing of environmental samples
Post-excavation office work (occasionally required) including washing, marking and labelling finds, archiving site records
Minimum requirements:
3 months of commercial fieldwork experience from the UK
CSCS card
Assistant Supervisors and Supervisors Responsibilities:
Excavation and recording of archaeological features and deposits to a high quality
Supervision of small teams
Machine watching
Site survey
On site liaison with clients and contractors
Preparing written account of undertaken field work (grey literature reports)
Minimum requirements:
Ability to meet deadlines while maintaining excellent quality of work, mindfulness of project budget
Computer literacy (MS Office package, databases, knowledge of graphic programs such as Auto Cad, QGIS, Illustrator etc. will be advantageous)
Minimum two years of fieldwork experience in the UK
Experience in report writing is desirable but not essential
Experience in GPS surveying is desirable but not essential
Full clean UK driving license and willingness to drive company vehicles (if applying for a Supervisor)
Our benefits:
Friendly and supportive work environment
28 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 2 days for Christmas, if employed over the Christmas period), rising on service length
£15 per night subsistence when working away from home (and high-quality accommodation provided)
High quality PPE and site welfare provision– the safety of our staff always comes first
Mental Health First Aiders
Cycle to work scheme
Flexible working
Childcare vouchers, Christmas vouchers
H&S training relevant for your role will be provided and paid in full (CSCS, SSSTS, First Aid, Asbestos Awareness, CAT and Genny etc.)
Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (Cifa) subscriptions paid in full
Paid mileage if using own vehicle (subject to eligibility)
Annual appraisal and progression opportunity
Company pension scheme
How to apply: Please email your CV and covering letter to Caroline Edwards, HR Manager: CEdwards@pre-construct.com. Please state on your application which role you are applying for and describe your suitability by referring to the requirements listed above. If successful you will be asked to attend an interview at one of our offices.
PCA is committed to a comprehensive equal opportunities policy in which individuals are selected and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities without regard to race, religion or belief, colour, sex, age, national origin, disability or sexual orientation. All applicants with the relevant qualifications and experience are welcome to apply for this opportunity. Please be advised that you must hold the right to work and live in the UK in order to apply for this job.
PCA follow all current guidelines regarding SOP and take the safety of our staff as paramount – advice is up to date with government guidance and site-specific RAMS are available.
Please be advised we are expecting a high volume of applications, and therefore cannot commit to responding to all emails. In accordance with our GDPR policy, we will not keep unsuccessful applicants’ details or CVs on our system, unless you expressly request that we do.
In the summer of 2021 our Durham office was lucky enough to discover Hadrian’s Wall in urban Tyneside. Excitingly, we found Turret 3a, perhaps the largest yet discovered, and the northern defensive ditch and six berm obstacle pits. Scott Vance will present our findings at the forthcoming Current Archaeology Live! conference, which will be held at UCL Institute of Education in London on 25 February.
Tickets are selling fast but are still available through the Current Archaeology website:
https://archaeology.co.uk/live
Turret 3a showing the cippi pits
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Urban Tyneside sounds like the last place to uncover surviving elements of Hadrian’s Wall, however what it lacks in picturesque beauty, it more than makes up for in opportunities for archaeological investigations due to intensive modern development. This makes the extreme eastern sector of the wall one of the most dynamic and interesting sections along the whole frontier. Our investigation demonstrates that significant remains relating to the wall can and do survive within the more built-up areas of urban Tyneside. The discovery of Turret 3a also indicates that local factors were allowed to influence the positioning of structures along the wall. The exact positioning of milecastles and turrets within the Newcastle to Wallsend section has always been unclear, with the structures not appearing to follow the assumed spacing. Measurements suggest that Turret 3a should be some way to the south-west of its actual location, which is on a hill with a commanding view over the valley. Interestingly, this shows that strategic interests had outweighed the original spacing scheme during the construction of the wall.
Scott is currently writing an article about Turret 3a which will be published in Current Archaeology in due course; in the meantime you can read more about our discovery here:
Alex Beeby was ‘one of the highlights’ at Waddington All Saints Academy Ancient Greek Day last week with a talk about archaeology.
His visit went so well one of the kids said it was the best day of his life! Well done Alex (although it looks as if you could have tried harder with your costume!).
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