4.5 Urban archaeological strategies
England's historic towns contain some of our most complex and valuable archaeological remains. Not only are the buried deposits, buildings, structures, and plan-form components important for the study of the past, but together they provide a direct link with that past, which is reflected in townscapes today. Much is known about the origins and development of most of our larger historic towns many of which have captured the attention of social and economic historians and geographers as well as archaeologists, often working together to provide an integrated view of urban life as well of the process of urban development. As a result of this increased understanding it is now possible to develop strategies for their future management that preserve their essential historic character. The smaller towns, however, are generally less well known, and require a slightly different approach.
Historic towns are also centres of modern activity, and the main threat to the urban archaeological resource is development. Without such economic vitality, however, the many listed buildings and conservation areas in those towns face an uncertain future. As part of our response to PPG-16 (which emphasises the need to balance archaeological and other factors when considering development proposals) English Heritage published a policy statement, Managing the urban archaeological resource. This noted the difficulty of identifying those parts of the urban archaeological resource that should be selected for protection, and, given present and likely future land use and management needs, the most appropriate forms of designation. English Heritage's role, in partnership with local authorities, is to help guide the choices between the preservation of archaeological remains and the need for development, by providing sufficient information to minimise any uncertainties over the presence and absence of archaeological remains, and by exploring questions of relative importance.
English Heritage is supporting two programmes to produce urban archaeological strategies for England's historic towns and cities. The intensive programme covers c 30 major historic urban centres; the extensive programme covers the remaining, smaller, towns on a county-by-county basis. Each project has three stages: database, assessment, and strategy. Preparation of a database involves the compilation of information derived from archaeological records and other sources (such as historic maps, topographical drawings, and museum collections). An important feature is the use of digital mapping or Geographical Information System technology. The database is the foundation for the assessment, which provides an authoritative statement of current knowledge and an appraisal of archaeological importance and potential. This procedure will then facilitate the development of a strategy, which will outline how the planning authorities wish to manage the archaeological resource.
Intensive urban archaeological strategies
This programme covers c 30 major historic towns and cities that have chronological depth, good survival, and obvious development pressure. Following the completion of three pilot projects (Cirencester, Durham, and York) the programme was adopted as one of 20 key objectives in English Heritage's Forward Strategy, announced in November 1992. The projects are partnerships with English Heritage providing grant-aid to the relevant district or unitary authority for work to be carried out in-house or subcontracted to the local archaeological unit. The majority of the projects are now in progress and those for Bath, Bristol, Lincoln, Newcastle, Plymouth, St Albans, Shrewsbury, and Winchester are well advanced. For the first time, the results of the very intensive investigations, which have taken place in almost every historic city since the 1960s, have been brought together in a consistent format, including excavation data, information from documents, historic maps and illustrations, and from boreholes (to provide deposit information), enabling many new insights. Each database will be integrated into the local authority planning information systems, to inform planning decisions, and the synthesis and assessment of this material (which will be published as a monograph in a uniform series) will make a major contribution to knowledge. The strategies derived from the assessments will consider planning and development control issues, but will also include research issues and the positive management, presentation, and interpretation of the archaeological resource.
This consideration will underline its value as an asset to local communities (for education, leisure, and tourism, and for its contribution to the quality of the urban environment), rather than as a simple constraint on development. It is intended that the strategies should be formally adopted by the local authorities, probably as supplementary planning advice, to provide a sound framework for the management and use of the urban archaeological resource in many of our most important historic towns and cities.
Extensive urban archaeological strategies
The extensive urban archaeological strategies programme covers all the smaller towns of England, on a county-by-county basis. The work is being carried out by the county archaeological services in collaboration with the relevant district councils. Following a pilot project in the early 1990s for Shropshire, and for Hereford and Worcester, the programme is now covering counties throughout England, from Northumberland and Cheshire in the north to Somerset and Kent in the south. The projects follow the same general tripartite approach as that adopted for intensive strategies, although at a different level of detail. The consolidated databases held in the County Sites and Monuments Record, together with digital mapping, will greatly improve coverage for small towns. The assessment will summarise major sources, and provide a brief history of each town, commenting on its archaeology, and giving a statement of potential that addresses research interests; plan-form analysis (a method much used by historical geographers) will be carried out for each period to inform the development of appropriate management strategies. Starting with the relevant Structure and Local Plan policies for archaeology, each strategy will seek to define zones of archaeological sensitivity within each town, to give better guidance on the application of policies. These zones might help to define monuments for scheduling through the Monuments Protection Programme, as well as guiding strategic planning and development control in relation to archaeological matters.
English Heritage has had discussions with archaeological staff in most English counties and is formulating proposals. Projects covering 18 counties have been completed or were in progress at the end of 1997-98, and discussions are being held with other counties about starting new projects as existing ones are completed. Feedback from local planning authorities and review of the impact of these projects is already demonstrating the value of this initiative.
A strategic framework
The urban archaeological strategies programme is a major and ambitious undertaking. It will result in a greatly improved database for urban archaeology in England, new syntheses and assessments of the archaeology of English towns, and coherent strategies, agreed with local planning authorities, for the future management of the English urban archaeological resource. The programme will enable us to consolidate and review the results of more than 30 years of often ad hoc, largely opportunistic, rescue archaeology in our towns, and to draw on what has been learnt in formulating policies for the future. The programme demonstrates how English Heritage funding is now being directed towards the creation of a strategic framework within which PPG-16 can be operated effectively, and which will enable a greater appreciation of the value of archaeological remains in towns by inhabitants, visitors, and others alike.