Excavations & Finds

English Heritage's Archaeological Projects Team is responsible for carrying out programmes of archaeological research, usually (but not always!) involving excavation. The team was founded as the Central Archaeological Unit in 1975, and has been based at Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth since its formation. Our work includes nationwide studies of research themes such as the preservation of archaeological remains and research into the impacts of plough-damage and natural erosion. We are now working in close collaboration with other Research Department teams in the study of historic landscapes. A great deal of our work is associated with repair, development or new interpretion schemes at English Heritage historic properties, where we can present our work and its results to visitors. We also make all our findings available to others through a range of publications.

We provide advice and archaeological expertise in field archaeology, artefactual analysis and archaeological project management to our colleagues within English Heritage and to other archaeologists. We also promote the work that we do to the public, both on site and through The Festival of British Archaeology, Heritage Open Days and Festival of History.

Once excavated, the artefacts and environmental evidence we discover can be subjected to further research, by our own finds specialists and by our colleagues in Archaeological Science and Archives through a whole range of scientific techniques, including scientific dating.

To find out about our recent research projects, see Latest Projects.
You can find summaries of all our work in the Publications & Reports section.

We also provide facilities, administrative and systems development support for all other teams based at Fort Cumberland.