Southampton City Council

You are here:home > Leisure > Arts and Heritage > Family and local history > Archaeology > Archaeology Unit

Archaeology Field Unit

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.

The Southampton Historic Environment Record (HER, formerly the Sites and Monuments Record), is 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).

Our services

Southampton City Council's Archaeology Unit offers a comprehensive and affordable solution to meet developers needs. We undertake field surveys, desk-top assessments, evaluation excavations, watching briefs, monument and building recording, consultancy, research, display work and site presentation.

Archaeology Unit

Services Offered by the Unit

  • Archaeological consultancy and advice

  • Preliminary site assessments

  • Site evaluations

  • Watching briefs on construction sites

  • Small-scale and large rescue excavations

  • Site display schemes

  • Landscape and archaeological surveys

  • Academic and popular publications of research

  • Graphics and displays

Contact information

If you want to contact us regarding the content of this page please contact us at:

For any other council related enquiries please contact: