Historic England has reopened its state-of-the-art flagship science facility after a year-long major refurbishment project, designed to support the study of the environment throughout history.
The facility at Fort Cumberland in Portsmouth is now home to specialist equipment for analysing historic materials to better understand how they were made, if they are deteriorating, and how to preserve them for the future. New equipment will allow scientists to identify dental wear in archaeological remains; causes of bone discolouration and butchering marks; wood and fibre species; insect remains; plant remains; and historic building remains.
Over the last 75 years, the facility’s archaeologists and heritage scientists have worked on major projects including the re-excavation of Silbury Hill, conserving artefacts from the 18th-century Dutch warship – the Rooswijk – and the analysis of human remains at Birdoswald Roman Fort Cemetery at Hadrian’s Wall.
To celebrate 75 years of trailblazing archaeological and heritage science, Historic England’s specialist team has identified the top 10 projects it has carried out during this time – encompassing conservation, archaeology and geophysics.
Top 10 Historic England specialist projects
Conservation of Silbury Hill, Wiltshire
Silbury Hill is the largest prehistoric mound in Europe, built around 2300 BC – and set within the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage site. In 2000 a hole opened on the summit, which was found to be caused by partially unfilled shafts and tunnels dug in the previous centuries. Major excavations shed new light on this monument, showing its construction was piecemeal, rather than carried out in major stages.
Cemetery excavation at Birdoswald Roman Fort, Hadrian’s Wall, Cumbria
Research has involved the analysis of human remains, scientific dating and analysis of charcoal and charred plant remains. Two burials discovered near one another – a five-year-old child and a young woman – have stood out in the discoveries: both burials shared similar isotopic signatures, which suggests that they were possibly a mother and child, who died within a few years of one another after coming to live at Birdoswald.
Garden archaeology at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire
Over 15 years, Historic England has undertaken research into the gardens, park and landscape surrounding the 19th-century house at Wrest Park. This has revealed historic garden layouts, including the pathways and planting beds to inform the restoration of the park and garden.
The Rooswijk excavation and conservation
The Rooswijk is an 18th-century Dutch East India Company ship, which sank on the Goodwin Sands off the Kent coast in 1740. 2,500 objects have been discovered, which the team is continuing to research, X-ray and conserve.
Crystal Palace dinosaurs, London
The dinosaur sculptures at Crystal Palace Park were first seen by the public in 1854 when the park opened, and have been redecorated many times. Historic England’s material scientists have studied samples to work out how these paint applications have affected the surface of the sculptures.
Hoo Peninsula landscape project, Kent
(Copyright Historic England)
The project at the Hoo Peninsula revealed a complex history of land reclamation and industrial use, documenting the key role the peninsula played in the “defence of the realm”.
HS2 archaeological programme at St James’s Gardens, London
Historic England uncovered one of Britain’s largest post-medieval sites during its project with HS2.
X-raying shoes in Hampshire
Historic England worked with Hampshire Cultural Trust to provide x-rays of shoes from their historical collections as part of a 2023 exhibition. The x-rays revealed information about the construction and condition of the shoes.
Early Bronze Age timber circle at Holme-next-the-Sea, Norfolk
In 1998, a circular oak timber structure known as “Seahenge” was revealed in evolving peat at Holme-next-the-Sea – and was at serious risk of being destroyed by tidal erosion. Excavation and scientific dating found that all timbers were derived from a relatively small number of trees felled in 2049 BC from a single area of woodland.
Fort Cumberland in Portsmouth, Hampshire
The laboratories and operational base for Historic England’s Archaeological Investigation team is at Fort Cumberland, one of the finest examples of 18th-century forts in England.
Top image: Heritage Science Laboratories, Fort Cumberland. Senior Zooarchaeologist and Collections Access Manager at Historic England with skull of aurochs (credit: Historic England)
