Welcome to the Urban Archaeology blog. Chiz Harward provides a range of archaeological services including desk-based assessments, evaluations, excavations, watching briefs and post-excavation services, training and development work, and archaeological illustration. This weblog will carry news of projects as and when they happen as well as wider thoughts on archaeological issues, especially recording, stratigraphy and training.



Baffled by a Cotswold church...



A recent watching brief on a new electric supply trench at a Cotswold church led to the recovery of several fragments of carved medieval masonry, which have given an insight into the past appearance of the medieval church. 
Reconstruction of medieval architectural fragments

Urban Archaeology joins the Stroud Building Design Association

 
With an increasing number of projects being local to within Gloucestershire, Urban Archaeology has joined the Stroud Building Design Association, a group of independent planning and design professionals who offer services related to the building and construction industry. The membership covers a wide variety of professions and disciplines offering help, advice and design expertise for the building industry and private residential clients.

Encompassing everything from planning & infrastructure, through architecture & design, to ecological impact & sustainability, Stroud BDA’s combined skills cover everything you need to plan, design and manage a project. Stroud BDA didn't have an archaeologist member, so it seemed a good fit!

Urban Archaeology's recent local projects have included the ongoing recording work on Gloucester Cathedral, watching brief on a service trench through a graveyard, and evaluation and consultancy work within a medieval church. All of these were undertaken under the 'Faculty' licence system, the Church of England's equivalent of planning permission and listed building control. 

If you have a development project and would like advice on archaeology and heritage, and on how Urban Archaeology may be able to help you work through the process, please contact Chiz Harward.

London plotted, plans of London buildings c1450-1720



The London Topographical Society is probably most familiar to London archaeologists and historians as the name behind their 'A-Z' seriesof historical map reprints. As well as a 25% reduction on the excellent historic map series and other publications, LTS members receive at least one new LTS publication every year; this year it is 'London Plotted, plans of London buildings c.1450–1720' by Dorian Gerhold, edited by Sheila O'Connell. The book is a 320 page hardback with colour plates of 197 detailed plans of London buildings, dating from the relatively well known plan of The Charterhouse of c.1450 to previously unpublished plans of 17th and 18th century buildings.