Lancashire Archaeological Unit

Lancashire Archaeological Unit
Name	Lancashire Archaeological Unit
Formation	1970s
Headquarters	Preston, Lancashire
Region served	Lancashire
Leader title	Director
Parent organisation	Lancashire County Council

Lancashire Archaeological Unit is a regional archaeological service based in Preston that undertakes fieldwork, research, conservation and public outreach across Lancashire. The Unit works with local authorities, heritage bodies and academic institutions to manage archaeological sites, curate collections and publish reports on excavations from prehistoric Lancashire through Roman Britain and Medieval periods to industrial archaeology of the Industrial Revolution. It has provided consultancy for planning, development and conservation projects across North West England.

History

The Unit was established in the 1970s during a period of expansion in regional archaeology influenced by initiatives such as the Ancient Monuments Act 1979 and the growth of university departments at University of Manchester, University of Lancaster and University of Liverpool. Early directors and staff included archaeologists formerly associated with the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England and the Archaeological Research Committee who developed county-level recording systems akin to the Sites and Monuments Record used in England. Major early projects examined sites like Castleshaw Roman Fort and medieval settlements near Lancaster Castle. Over subsequent decades the Unit adapted to changes in planning law introduced by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and standards from bodies such as English Heritage and later Historic England.

Organisation and governance

The Unit operates as a service linked to Lancashire County Council and liaises with district councils including Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool Council, Chorley and Wyre. Governance arrangements reflect statutory obligations under legislation such as the National Heritage Act 1983 and guidance from national agencies including Historic England and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Unit collaborates with university departments at University of Manchester and University of Liverpool for specialist input and employs accredited practitioners registered with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists. Management reports have been presented to county committees and joint heritage partnerships with organisations like the National Trust, English Heritage Trust and local museums including Lancaster City Museum and Museums and Galleries Commission-partnered institutions.

Archaeological services and projects

The Unit provides a range of services: archaeological assessment for planning applicants, field evaluation, excavation, historic building recording and artefact conservation. It has directed excavations at sites such as Ribchester Roman Fort, Preston medieval borough, industrial sites in Blackburn and coastal investigations along the Fylde Coast. Projects have included surveys for infrastructure works linked to Highways England schemes and environmental assessments connected with Natural England programmes. Rescue archaeology responses have occurred at development sites for companies like Network Rail and public works involving United Utilities. The Unit also participates in landscape archaeology projects with partners such as the Lancashire Wildlife Trust and conservation works at scheduled monuments managed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Research and publications

Staff and associates have published excavation reports, monographs and articles in venues ranging from county newsletters to peer-reviewed journals including the Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, Antiquity (journal), Medieval Archaeology and publications of the Council for British Archaeology. Major publication series have documented Roman, Anglo-Saxon and medieval assemblages from Lancashire sites, and reports on industrial archaeology relating to textile mills in Rossendale and canal archaeology around the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The Unit has contributed chapters to edited volumes produced by university presses such as the Oxford University Press and Routledge and produced grey literature for planning authorities and clients in accordance with standards from the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.

Collections and archives

The Unit curates artefact collections, archives and digital records including photographs, measured survey drawings and stratigraphic records. Holdings have been deposited with local repositories such as Lancaster City Museum, Towneley Hall and the Harris Museum and Art Gallery in Preston. Finds reports and conservation records for Roman pottery, medieval ceramics and industrial machinery parts have been accessioned alongside cartographic materials including tithe maps and Ordnance Survey sheets. The Unit maintains digital archives compatible with the Archaeology Data Service and contributes to the national Historic Environment Record network, while coordinating long-term storage solutions aligned with museum standards set by the Museums Association.

Community engagement and education

Outreach programmes include public open days at excavations, volunteer training schemes, school sessions and lectures hosted with partners such as Lancaster University and the University of Central Lancashire. The Unit has worked with community archaeology groups in Blackpool, Burnley and Fylde to run metal-detecting liaison events and Finds Liaison Officer surgeries in cooperation with the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Educational outputs include teacher resources, guided walks to sites like Alderley Edge and collaborations with heritage festivals organised by bodies such as Heritage Open Days and local civic societies.

Funding and partnerships

Funding and project support have come from a mix of local authority budgets, competitive grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and project commissions from statutory bodies including Historic England and transport authorities such as Highways England. Partnerships include working arrangements with academic institutions—University of Lancaster, University of Manchester, University of Liverpool—museums like Lancaster City Museum and charities including the National Trust and Lancashire Wildlife Trust. Commercial contracts have been undertaken for developers and infrastructure providers such as Network Rail and United Utilities, while collaborative research projects have received support from research councils including the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Category:Archaeology of Lancashire Category:Archaeological organizations in the United Kingdom