Solent-Thames Archaeological Research Framework

A Framework for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

This will be a summary of up-to-date knowledge about all aspects of the rich and diverse past of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

It will promote greater appreciation and understanding of our heritage, allowing better use of the resource for display and teaching purposes, and aiding its future protection. The Framework will also identify gaps in our knowledge and set out a research strategy to encourage future investigation.

This is a framework for everyone and will be undertaken in partnership with a wide body of people with an interest in their past: local societies, amateur and commercial archaeologists, curators of the historic environment and academic archaeologists.

Why we need it

In a world that is changing rapidly, it is important to protect and sustain our historic environment. The Solent Thames Research Framework will improve our understanding of the development of the landscapes and townscapes in which we live and assist in their management for future generations.

We want to ensure that decisions about future developments are undertaken with the most up-to-date information to hand and that the research potential of archaeological work is quickly recognised and opportunities for investigation are seized.

We believe the Framework will promote:

use and display of our archaeological resource to best effect;
a wider interest in and engagement with the past so that it has a greater relevance to everyone's lives and its preservation is of concern to all;
consideration of the requirements of all communities in the past.

How we are going to achieve it

The first step will be an assessment of the archaeological resource of the Solent Thames region over 500,000 years, from the Palaeolithic to the modern period. This will involve over 45 specialist contributors (9 from each old county), Sites and Monuments Records Offices and other archives throughout the region.

The results will be summarised by period and will be published on the web, as hard copy (on request) and at public seminars, enabling everyone with an interest to make a contribution and to learn about the most up-to-date developments. The resource assessments will be amended to take account of this consultation exercise.

A Research Agenda will then be drawn up and will form the basis of a second round of wide consultation. This will be the basis of a Research Strategy for the region.

These three elements (the Resource Assessment, the Research Agenda and the Research Strategy) will be published as a book.

Your role

We want your involvement

The Research Framework should be a key document for us all, relevant to every aspect of the region's historic environment. To achieve this, we need the widest possible participation from those with an interest in their past.

Commenting on documents

Draft documents, including the emerging Research Agenda and Research Strategy, will be available on this website and will be obtainable as hard copy on request. Please comment by the dates indicated.

Attending public seminars

Seminars will be held in each county when a draft of the Resource Assessment is ready. Period-based seminars will discuss the Research Agenda at a later stage. These events will be widely publicised.