Archaeological Management Services Ltd | Archaeological Services | Heritage Services

Consultancy - Professional high quality advice on projects affecting historic assets is of paramount importance at many stages during the development process. We have over 70 years joint experience in the provision of heritage advice, guidance, risk management and recommendations.

Desk-Based Assessments and Environmental Statements - A desk-based assessment involves the study and analysis of existing data sources for a site and its immediate environs including written, graphic, photographic and electronic information. We also have considerable experience in preparation of Cultural Heritage Chapters to form part of an Environmental Statement.

Heritage Asset Assessment - The specific requirement for a HAA can include a number of different archaeological responses; at its most basic it can require no more than a check of the relevant Historic Environment Record, but can include other more detailed pieces of work including desk-based assessment, historic building recording and evaluation.

Cemetery Clearance - Development of former cemetery sites can be an expensive and time-consuming process. We are experienced in the cost-effective removal of human remains including acquisition of relevant permissions and licenses and arrangements for reburial.

Evaluation - Archaeological evaluation consists of non-intrusive (such as fieldwalking) and/or intrusive fieldwork (such as trenching), to determine the presence/absence of archaeological features, structures, deposits or finds within a targeted area. Where archaeological remains are identified, the evaluation endeavours to define their character, extent, quality and preservation in order to allow an assessment of their value. A suitable report and archive will be produced at the end of the works.

Excavation - Archaeological excavation comprises the open area excavation of a defined area (the site). The project will have clear research objectives and will investigate, record and interpret any archaeological deposits, features and structures present and retrieves any artefacts, ecofacts or other remains. The project will include detailed post-excavation proposals resulting in analysis of the results and appropriate publication in an academic journal or other vehicle

Archaeological surveys may take many forms including landscape field survey, photographic survey and aerial photographic survey. It usually involves an attempt to identify archaeological sites and define the distribution of past human activity, often across a wide area and is commonly associated with large-scale projects such as road schemes, but can also be applied to large formal gardens or historic parkland.

An archaeological watching brief comprises a defined programme of observation and investigation conducted during any non-archaeological groundworks. Watching briefs are conducted on a site where the possibility exists archaeological deposits may be disturbed or destroyed.