Archaeological Countryside Advisor

A rich landscape

Buckinghamshire has a rich historic landscape that incorporates features as diverse as historic field systems, country parks and ancient woodlands. This landscape contains a wide diversity of archaeological sites, ranging from Bronze Age barrows to medieval villages. These monuments are important because they both enrich our living environment and preserve important information about past human societies.

Archaeological sites will always be under pressure from the elements, wildlife and human land management. Scrub growth, animal scrapes and burrows, tree roots and ploughing are just some of the activities and land uses that can have a detrimental effect on archaeological remains. However with positive management this important resource can be protected from unnecessary harm and actively conserved for our enjoyment and that of future generations.

Monuments at risk

In 1995 the Monuments At Risk Survey undertaken by English Heritage showed that monument loss in England was running at a level of one monument per day. Subsequently English Heritage has established a series of Archaeological Countryside Advisor posts as a pilot scheme in co-operation with local authorities. The aim of these officers is to provide archaeological conservation advice to landowners and farmers and to encourage sympathetic management of archaeological sites.

Countryside advice

We now have an Archaeological Countryside Advisor available to provide advice on monument and historic landscape conservation issues. The advisor can also provide information about the presence and significance of archaeological sites on land-holdings. Working in partnership, our aim is to promote more 'archaeologically-friendly' management regimes which provide increased protection for sites that may be affected by everyday farming practices. Information and help is available on developing grant applications (e.g. countryside stewardship, ESA grants) that offer economic incentives for improving the management of archaeological sites. View information about archaeological notification areas which may identify archaeological monuments on farmland that are not flagged up on the Farm Environment Record.

• Further information on agri-environment grants can be found on the DEFRA website.
• An exceptional aspect of the Bucks landscape is the survival of ridge and furrow, the remnants of medieval open fields, in the county. The national importance of this landscape has been highlighted by the English Heritage Publication ‘Turning the Plough’. Copies can ordered from Northamptonshire County Council.