My Experience

In February 2017 I was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, a London-based international society with about 3,000 elected members.

I have been a field archaeologist for more than 40 years, with a career that gradually evolved from assisting in the methodical archaeological excavation of Roman urban sites and medieval and multi-period rural sites to undertaking much more pressured archaeological monitoring and recording of commercial developments and cross-country pipelines.

As my experience increased, I researched numerous desk-based archaeological assessments in advance of development projects, bringing together information which helps planners to decide whether a scheme can proceed or whether the archaeological impact will be too great. This has been the bulk of my work for the past 25 years, working from Lincoln on projects around England. My knowledge of contractors' construction methods helps me to predict the impact of alternative techniques as I consider mitigation strategies that will be acceptable to planners.

Before becoming self-employed I was responsible for obtaining Scheduled Monument Consent for various sites in Lincoln and Nottinghamshire, as well as for works to alter the Sainsbury's Savacentre at Merton, West London (which overlies part of a medieval priory proposed for World Heritage Site status).

Academically, I studied at the University of Sheffield 1976-79, obtaining a 2:1 Hons degree in Prehistory, Archaeology and Medieval History. Past employers include Cleveland County Council (1990-92) and archaeological units/contracting organisations in Lincolnshire, Oxford, Essex, Glamorgan-Gwent, Warwickshire and London.