Archaeological services

The whole city of Southampton contains a wealth of archaeological remains, both on dry land and underwater. Below the modern streets can be found evidence of prehistoric hunter-gatherer and farming communities, the Roman settlement of Clausentum, the middle Saxon town of Hamwic, and the late Saxon and medieval town and villages that laid the basis for the modern city and suburbs. Some ancient walls and buildings survive above ground. The complex picture is constantly being amended and enhanced by archaeological fieldwork. Follow the link below for more information about Southampton from prehistoric to post-medieval times.

We provide a variety of archaeological services, including the curation and display of the city's archaeological collections, archaeological fieldwork and archaeological input into development control.

We also maintain the Southampton Historic Environment Record (HER, formerly the Sites and Monuments Record), the main source of information on archaeological sites, find spots, monuments and historic buildings in Southampton. To contact the HER, email her@southampton.gov.uk.

Follow the links to the left and below for further information about these services (some links will take you to different parts of the web site).

Annual reports for archaeology in Southampton

Short reports for archaeological fieldwork in Southampton from 2004 to 2009 are published in the Archaeology in Hampshire Annual Reports, available on the Hampshire Field Club web site (see related link below).