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Cate Davies

Nov 05

Supervisor, Winchester

By Jobs

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 more than 30 years, working on some of the largest and most complex sites in Britain.

We are looking to recruit supervisors for our Winchester offices.
 
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: Winchester
Working week: Monday to Friday 37.5 hours per week, usually 8am – 4 pm

Salary range:

Supervisors – starting at £31,148,57

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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)


General Requirements:

  • 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
  • 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

Our employee benefits:

  • Friendly and supportive work environment
  • 28 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and an extra 3 days for Christmas, if employed over the Christmas period), rising on service length
  • £22.50 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
  • Christmas vouchers
  • H&S training relevant for your role will be provided and paid in full (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 Ruta Jatkonyte, HR Assistant: RJatkonyte@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 our Winchester 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.

Closing date: 05/12/2025

Nov 05

Assistant Project Manager, Winchester

By Jobs

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 of specialists, as we head towards the end of 2025 with a range of exciting projects.

We are looking to recruit an assistant project manager to join the Winchester 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: PCA Office, Winchester

Working week: Monday to Friday 37.5 hours per week, usually 8:30am – 5:00pm (this includes an unpaid 45-minute meal break, provided on Monday to Friday, and a tea break of 15 minutes, the timing of which is to be agreed with your Line/Project Manager and taken on a flexible basis to suit the Company’s operational needs.

Salary range: From £41,419.17 per annum, depending on experience

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The Role

PCA Winchester is looking for an assistant project manager who can take on all aspects of running archaeological projects in the commercial sector in a timely and cost-efficient manner. The suitable candidate will have excellent communication and organizational skills, paying attention to detail. Previous experience working in project management is preferable, as well as experience with building and maintaining good relationships with clients, consultants and curators. This role will suit a candidate who has experience of planning, implementing and overseeing archaeological projects, taking into account the health, safety and welfare of all involved.

Essential:

  • A degree in Archaeology or a related subject
  • Excellent knowledge of health and safety procedures, accreditation and documentation
  • Experience of tendering and managing archaeological projects
  • Experience of producing Written Schemes of Investigation suitable for varied archaeological environments
  • Experience of managing post-site reporting, specialists and graphics including for assessment and publication
  • Experience in overseeing a team and working with our Project Officers, Supervisors and site staff
  • Ability to plan for and meet deadlines in an efficient manner
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Ability to work as part of a team
  • Excellent timekeeping standards

Preferable:

  • Experience in the regular reporting of project budgets
  • Experience of using project management software
  • Clean UK driving license

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
  • £22.50 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, TOIL, possibility of work from home if eligible
  • Christmas vouchers
  • H&S training relevant for your role will be provided and paid in full (SMSTS, 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

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.

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 Ruta Jatkonyte, HR Assistant: RJatkonyte@pre-construct.com. If successful you will be asked to attend an interview at our office in our Winchester offices.

Closing Date for Applications: 12/12/2025

Nov 05

PCA at the Tower of London on Channel 5

By News, Tower of London

PCA’s recent excavation at the Tower of London will feature in this week’s episode of Inside the Tower of London, Season 8, Episode 2, airing on Channel 5, Thursday 6 November at 8pm.

The excavation, led by Guy Seddon, took place inside the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula ahead of a planned lift installation. Working within such a historic and tightly confined space required patience, precision and close collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces.

The programme offers a behind-the-scenes look at the project and the care that goes into balancing essential modern improvements with the protection of the site’s archaeology. This episode is the first instalment of PCA’s work at the Tower to appear on Inside the Tower of London, with a second episode featuring the next phase of excavation due to air in the next series.

It’s always a privilege to work at the Tower, and we’re looking forward (with a bit of nervousness!) to seeing the results on screen.

Tune in on Channel 5, Thursday at 8pm, to see the PCA team in action.

https://www.channel5.com/show/inside-the-tower-of-london/season-8

Nov 03

First Street South: Connecting People and Place

By News, Outreach

A quick update: our public information board for Plot 9a, First Street South, Manchester is now up on site.

It shares details of the archaeological work carried out ahead of Ask’s development of this major office building, which will be the Government Property Agency (GPA) new hub in Manchester.

It’s great to see it in place, helping connect the area’s industrial past with its latest phase of regeneration.

Thanks to everyone involved in producing and installing the board.

Oct 27

MK ARCHAEOLOGY DAY 2025

By News, Outreach

Join us this Saturday for Milton Keynes Archaeology Day!

PCA will be out in force at this year’s event, with a full display and hands-on activities in the morning, plus an afternoon talk by Mark Hinman, Judy Mlynarska and Jenn Hulse:
“Cups, Coins, and Cows: Unravelling the Late Iron Age at MK East.”

When: 1 November 2025 10am-3.30pm

Where: Church of Christ the Cornerstone, 300 Saxon Gate, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 2ES

Tickets: The event is FREE and open to ALL

Programme: Download here

Oct 21

Bermondsey Square: Prehistoric and Roman Settlement, Medieval Abbey and Post-Medieval Mansion

By News, Outreach

Alistair Douglas will be presenting PCA’s work at Bermondsey Square in a lecture hosted by LAMAS next month.

Date: 11 November 2025

Time: 18:30–19:30

Venue: Lecture Theatre G6, Institute of Archaeology, UCL, 31-34 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PY

The lecture will be available via zoom as well as in person, click here to book

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Alistair’s lecture will explore the full story of Bermondsey Square, from its earliest occupation to its later urban development, revealed through 20 years of excavation from 1998-2018.

The earliest evidence shows Bermondsey as a prehistoric eyot, with scattered pits and pottery fragments attesting to Iron Age settlement. Roman-period activity appears largely agricultural, though later Roman robber trenches and substantial ceramic building material, including opus signinum, suggest sizeable masonry structures to the north of the square in the area of Stevens Street.

Saxon traces include fragmentary wall foundations, small finds, and coinage which may be the first archaeological evidence for a middle Saxon minster at Bermondsey. By the 10th century, a small apsidal church had been built, accompanied by nearby inhumations, marking the site’s emergence as a Christian centre.

The medieval period brought the most dramatic transformations. Excavations revealed extensive foundations of the Cluniac Priory and its development into the Benedictine abbey of St Saviour, which remained a dominant feature of Bermondsey until its dissolution in the 16th century.

After the dissolution, the site entered a new phase under Robert Southwell and later Sir Thomas Pope, who constructed an impressive Tudor mansion with a double courtyard and a separate eastern range added in the 17th century. Later excavations uncovered a Presbyterian cemetery, reflecting Bermondsey’s unique history as a hub of religious dissent. By the 18th century, King John’s Court had been developed for artisan housing, offering fascinating insights into the area’s social history through archaeology, topography, and documents.

Our monograph Bermondsey Square: Prehistoric and Roman Settlement, Medieval Abbey and Post-Medieval Mansion Volume 1 is available to buy here

Oct 06

A11 and Wangford Warren Excavations at the Suffolk Institute Autumn Conference

By Conferences, News

We’re pleased to share that Tom Woolhouse and Tom Lucking will be speaking at the Wheeler Conference 2025, organised by the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology & History, on Saturday 18 October. This year’s theme Re-envisaging Suffolk’s Past: New Discoveries from Development-led Archaeology brings together some of the most recent and significant fieldwork from across the county.

Their paper will draw together results from two recent projects in the Breckland: the A11 excavations and the work at Wangford Warren. Together, these investigations trace thousands of years of activity across what is often thought of as one of Suffolk’s quieter landscapes.

The A11 sites revealed everything from early flint scatters and Bronze Age cremations to Iron Age farmsteads and Roman occupation, showing that this stretch of ground was far more intensively used than previously thought.

At Wangford Warren, excavation of the rabbit warren earthworks and buried soils has brought to light traces of Neolithic and Bronze Age activity, alongside evidence for a Roman farmstead, all preserved beneath the shifting sands of the Brecks.

Event details

Date: Saturday 18 October 2025, 9:30am to 4:30pm

Location: The Hold, 31 Fore Street, Ipswich, IP4 1LN

Tickets: Email chairman@suffolkinstitute.org.uk and use the Donate button on the Suffolk Institute website (please mention the conference in your note).

Sep 17

26th Annual BABAO Conference

By Conferences, News, Outreach

PCA has worked on burial sites for more than thirty years, uncovering thousands of skeletons across Britain. Most reflect expected health patterns, but every so often individuals with striking and uncommon pathologies emerge.

At the 26th Annual Conference of the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO) this week (18-20 September), PCA osteologists James Young Langthorne and Dr Ariadne Lucia Schulz will present two such cases. The event will take place at the University of Leicester, and will also be available to attend virtually.

One individual, from St Mary Newington in Southwark (pictured here), was a young adult with bowed, shortened limbs and pronounced changes to the spine. Although the missing skull prevented a firm diagnosis, the skeleton suggests a serious congenital or metabolic disorder that would have caused pain and mobility issues.

The second case, from the Saxon cemetery at Sun Lane, New Arlesford, shows features consistent with Klippel-Feil Syndrome: fused vertebrae, spinal abnormalities and restricted movement.

Despite their visible differences, both individuals were buried in the main areas of their cemeteries, suggesting social acceptance within their communities.

📅 26th Annual BABAO Conference, 18–20 September
📍University of Leicester
🎙 James Young Langthorne & Dr Ariadne Lucia Schulz


Aug 29

Tower of London Discoveries Featured in National Geographic

By News, Recent Finds, Tower of London

We’re delighted to see PCA’s work at the Tower of London featured in National Geographic! It’s always exciting when the stories we help uncover reach such a wide audience.

This #FindsFriday, we’re sharing one of the most tantalising discoveries from the site, a pair of medieval funerary incense pots (c.1150–1250). As Alfred Hawkins, Curator, says in the article, “Grave goods in Medieval England aren’t really a thing,”

Only two such “gravpottes” have been found in the UK, suggesting the individual may have come from Northern France or Denmark, where they were more common. If the charcoal fragments are large enough, it might even be possible to reconstruct the incense.

Read the full article here (subscription required)

Aug 22

An Irish Comb in Worcestershire

By News

For #FindsFriday, a decorated comb from an Early to Middle Anglo-Saxon settlement in Worcestershire, though it may not be local.

The comb’s trapezoidal connecting plates, along with its elaborate decoration (sawn-out openwork X designs and undulating chains of overlapping ring-and-dot) match Mairéad Dunlevy’s class C2 Irish combs, dated to the 7th–early 8th centuries.

Irish combs do turn up on Anglo-Saxon sites, but until now only class D combs, dating from the later 7th–early 9th centuries, have been found. Excitingly, this would be the first class C comb recorded in England.