We’re over the moon that our discovery of the previously unknown Turret 3a on Hadrian’s Wall has been nominated for Rescue Project of the Year at the 2024 Current Archaeology Awards!
Turret 3a is one of the largest turrets uncovered and the only known confirmed turret east of Newcastle. Excitingly, our investigation demonstrated that the potential for significant archaeological remains relating to Hadrian’s Wall can survive in the more built-up areas of urban Tyneside, with the discovery of the wall ditch and six berm obstacle pits as well as the remains of Turret 3a.
Voting is open until 5th February with the winner announced at the Current Archaeology Live 2024 conference at UCL’s Institute of Education on 24th February.
We’re extending the opportunity for volunteers to participate in the processing of finds from our ongoing excavations at the Central Winchester Regeneration site into the New Year.
From 10th January until 22nd February, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, volunteers will be welcome at PCA’s Winchester office to wash the artefacts; we still have plenty coming out of the ground!
Once booking has been made, you will receive an email to the address used in the booking, which will include detailed instructions on location, timings, etc.
For #FindsFriday, a well-worn whetstone, or honestone, from our Central Winchester Regeneration site. Dating back to the medieval period, this whetstone would have been used to quickly sharpen knives for cooking and crafting. The addition of a hole allowed the stone to be easily attached to clothing, ensuring portability and quick access. This artefact was unearthed from material behind the revetment of a medieval ‘brook’ in Trench 2.
Join us for an immersive heritage walk through the archaeological sites and historical landmarks of Southwark on Saturday 2nd December at 11am.
Explore the rich history of the area around our site at Avonmouth House, where Roman roads, mausoleums, temples and Tudor remains intertwine with post-medieval cattle burials, medieval inns and prisons!
The walk will begin at Avonmouth House, Avonmouth Road SE1 6NX at 11am and is expected to last 2-3 hours.
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. As 2023 draws to a close, we are undertaking some very exciting projects in the Newark area and beyond.
We are looking to recruit Supervisors and Project Officers, for our Newark office.
PCA offers a competitive salary and a range of attractive benefits, including a pay banding structure that allows for career progression. All successful candidates will undergo a probationary 3-month period, after which, given satisfactory performance, they will be offered a further contract, work permitting.
About the job: Location: Newark Working week: Monday to Friday 37.5 hours per week, usually 8am – 4 pm
Salary range:
Project Officer– starting at £33,021.62
Supervisors – starting at £28,661.81
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
Project Officers
Responsibilities (as described for Supervisors, plus the following):
Assisting in the management of projects
Supervision of a variety of sites, including large scale and infrastructure projects
Preparing written account of undertaken field work, including publications, journal articles etc.
Report checking, preparing WSIs, DBAs and RAMS
Regular liaison with clients and contractors
Health and safety responsibilities
Minimum requirements: (as described for Supervisors, plus the following)
Degree in Archaeology or related subject
Full clean UK driving license and willingness to drive company vehicles
Experience in GPS survey
At least five years of field work experience in the UK, including minimum two years of working in a supervisory role
Proven written account of undertaken projects (grey literature reports, desk-based assessments, publications etc.)
The successful candidates need to present a high level of self-motivation and discipline
Commitment to PCA’s health and safety policies at all times
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 employee benefits:
Friendly and supportive work environment
28 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 3 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 pay progression opportunities
Company pension scheme
How to apply: Please email your CV and covering letter to Caroline Edwards, HR Manager: CEdwards@pre-construct.comPlease 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 our Newark 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.
The CAS Autumn Conference will take place on Saturday and Mark Hinman would like to invite you to his final event as conference secretary – non members are welcome!
WHEN: 18th November 2023 @ 10:30 am – 4:45 pm WHERE: Law Faculty, Sidgwick Site, Lecture Theatre LG17, The David Williams Building, 10 West Rd, Cambridge CB3 9DZ
Please click here to view the programme, break times and entry fees and to see a map for the venue.
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Among an array of interesting topics, Tom Woolhouse will be giving a talk on PCA’s excavations at Lucy Cavendish College in Cambridge. Our work here, on the edge of the Roman walled town, confirmed the projected alignment of Akeman Street (pictured above), which led from Cambridge (Duroliponte) to the Roman ‘small town’ at Arrington Bridge on Ermine Street.
Refreshments and displays by local archaeology and history groups and a book stall, will be in the atrium to the lecture theatres.
If you need to use a lift to access the lower ground floor please ask at reception for someone to operate the lift for you. It requires a card to be inserted and takes a little time.
In our ongoing celebration of PCA’s rich 30-year legacy, we’re delighted to share the latest addition to our series of remarkable sites! When our open-area excavations began in the Crouch Valley, a Roman farmstead was anticipated. However, investigations revealed a farmstead which had been occupied from the Middle Iron Age to the late Roman period (c. 300/200 BC to at least AD 400), together with a Late Iron Age mortuary enclosure with eleven graves, cremations, three animal burials, and other intriguing ‘ritual’ deposits. The site yielded exceptional artefacts, including an extremely rare Iron Age chain, one of the finest examples of an Egyptian Onyx perfume container found in Roman Britain, and a finely crafted Roman glass cup.
PCA 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. We are delighted to announce the opportunity to join our multi-disciplinary team, as we reach the end of 2023 with a range of exciting projects across East Anglia, undertaken from our offices in Pampisford (Cambridge) and Honningham (Norwich).
We will be looking to recruit Project Managers and Senior Project Managers to join the Cambridge team. PCA offers a competitive salary and a range of attractive employee benefits, including a pay banding structure that allows for career progression.
About the Job Location: Cambridge Office, The Granary, Rectory Farm, Brewery Road, Pampisford, Cambridgeshire CB22 3EN Working week: Monday to Friday 37.5 hours per week, usually 8am – 4 pm Salary range: From £38,292.24 – £45,500 pa (depending on experience)
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The Role PCA is looking for capable and self-driven individuals to manage all aspects and stages of archaeological fieldwork and post-excavation work. The suitable candidate will have significant experience in managing all kinds of archaeological work, ideally including large infrastructure projects. Previous experience in project management is essential, as is confidence with building and maintaining good relationships with clients. This role requires someone who has excellent awareness of budgeting, planning, implementing and overseeing archaeological projects from start to finish, taking into account all health and safety measures and budgetary requirements, as well as the ability to communicate clearly with their team.
Essential:
10+ years of fieldwork and/or management experience including urban and large infrastructure projects (e.g. as Project Officer or Senior Supervisor)
Experience in managing and running all aspects of archaeological projects
Experience in producing, managing and maintaining project budgets and monitoring expenditure during projects
Ability to meet project deadlines in an efficient manner
Excellent timekeeping standards
Extensive knowledge of British archaeology, in particular in the East Anglia region
Excellent working knowledge of MS Office package, and ideally, GIS and/or CAD
Proven experience in producing and editing grey literature reports, articles, publications, WSIs, RAMs, DBAs etc.
Excellent knowledge of Health and Safety law and procedures
Knowledge of planning legislation and its implementation
Experience in overseeing a team and working with Project Officers, Supervisors and site staff
Self-drive and ability to motivate and train staff of all grades
A positive, can-do attitude and ability to multi-task
Commitment to innovation and implementation of new technologies for the purpose of archaeological fieldwork and post-excavation.
Excellent communication and negotiation skills, excellent oral and written English
Experience in client and contractor communications
Cifa membership at ACifa or MCifa (desirable) level
Employee benefits
Friendly and supportive work environment
28 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) rising on service length
3 PCA leave days for Christmas, if employed over the Christmas period
A minimum of £15 per night subsistence when working away from home (and high-quality accommodation provided)
High quality PPE
Mental Health First Aiders
Cycle to work scheme
Flexible working, TOIL
Childcare vouchers, Christmas vouchers
H&S training (SMSTS)
Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) subscriptions paid in full
Paid mileage if using own vehicle for site visits etc.
Annual appraisal
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. PCA follow all current guidelines regarding SOP and COVID19 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.
To apply please email your CV and covering letter to Caroline Edwards, HR Manager: CEdwards@pre-construct.com. For an informal discussion about the role in strictest confidence please contact Regional Director Mark Hinman on 07887 530153.
If successful you will be asked to attend an interview at our office in Pampisford. For more information please visit http://www.pre-construct.com
Mark and Conor provided an update on the amazing archaeology revealed by PCA’s recent work at Milton Keynes to a full house of over 100 delegates at the Central Library on Saturday.
Mark and Conor received glowing praise from the organiser who said the event was:
‘a very successful day all round. An audience of 110 for the talks (the biggest crowd since we started the event in 2007) which were all well-presented and well received with plenty of questions.Many thanks Mark and Conor for attending (and helping with chairs!) and also Judy for providing an excellent script’
Clockwise from top left: Mark and Connor’s presentation; an early Bronze Age barrow monument; a late Iron Age cremation cemetery; excavation of an early Roman log ladder found in a watering hole at a Roman farmstead; aerial photo of a middle to late Iron Age settlement consisting of 80 roundhouses with evidence of continuous human occupation from c. 350BC until at least 1st or 2nd century.
