In October 1995 English Heritage's Central Archaeological Service (CAS) began a project to investigate the use of the concepts and technology of Geographical Information Systems and their application to managing the archaeological resource within World Heritage Sites. Our previous involvement with the Stonehenge Conservation and Management Project (SCMP) has highlighted the need for an effective method of data handling and manipulation for both management and research.
Both the SCMP and the major debates surrounding the future of the landscape have meant that up until now, Stonehenge has been the focus of this project. However, a similar database now exists for Avebury WHS, and the possibilities for Hadrian's Wall are currently being considered.
The system
SoftwareHardware
- - ESRI ARC/INFO version 7.1.2
- - core software
- ARCGRID
- ARCTIN
- ARCPRESS
- - ESRI ArcView version 2 (PC and Unix versions)
- - SUN SPARCstation 5
- - 32 Mb Memory.
- 12 Gb Hard Disk- - Hewlett Packard DesignJet 650C A0 plotter
The geography
- Stonehenge
- size = 135km² (15 x 9km)
- extent = 405000, 138000 to 420000, 147000- Avebury
- size = 156km² (13 x 12km)
- extent = 402000, 163000 to 415000, 175000The data
- Basemap: Ordnance Survey 1:10000 raster.
- Archaeology: cleaned and enhanced Wiltshire County Council Sites and Monuments Record.
- Height Data: Ordnance Survey Land-Form PROFILE and EH Survey Services data.
- Aerial Photographs: 1:10000 vertical colour imagery.
- Satellite Data: KVR 1000 Russian satellite imagery (ground resolution around 1.5 - 3m).
- Land Use: only select areas so far.
- Land Ownership: areas owned by the National Trust.
- Survey Coverage: linked to an associated text database. Shows areas of geophysical survey, fieldwalking, augering and test-pitting.
Click here to access the Ancient Monument Laboratory's geophysical survey database from where some of the GIS data has originated.- Flint Density Distribution: results collated from various fieldwalking surveys.
- Roads and Boundaries: including the extents of scheduled monument areas.
Figure 1 (39K). A shaded Digital Terrain Model (DTM) of Avebury. This image has been created from a 1:500 contour survey undertaken in 1990. The brown shading indicates land owned by the National Trust and the black represents recorded archeology within the area. This is a small extract from the layers held within the database and represents an area only 700 by 500m.
Figure 2 (45K). A shaded DTM of 5km² around Stonehenge. Linear features are draped over the top with Scheduled Ancient Monuments shown in red. The red feature running east-west across the north of the landscape is the Cursus while the narrow red lines running into the middle of the area represent the Avenue, with Stonehenge at the western end. It is just possible to make out the circular ditch of Stonehenge 1 within the terrain model as well as three barrow groups: the five Cursus Barrows in the north-west; the six monuments on King Barrow Ridge in the east; and the Normanton Down group in the south-west.
The Stonehenge database continues to provide information for input into the debate over the future of the immediate landscape and visitor facilities. It is also used to provide a rapid and informed response to any other proposed developments within the study area, such as new farm buildings or communication towers. The Avebury GIS is shortly to aid the formulation of a management plan for the World Heritage Site.
Wider access to the data is currently under investigation. Solutions may include internal access through existing Local and perhaps Wide Area Networks, publication on CD-ROM, or an internet presence.
World Heritage Sites. This is UNESCO's site explaining the issues surrounding World Heritage Sites and includes a list of those inscribed.
Virtual Stonehenge is the result of joint venture between English Heritage and Intel. This 3D landscape can be explored at ten different time periods.
Save Stonehenge. A concise summary of recent events surrounding the monument created by the Council for British Archaeology.
Barrow Placement in the Stonehenge Area. Recent work which includes excellent animations using Java applets.
Nick Burton (Please put "Nick Burton" as your subject to ensure the message arrives safely)
or using snail-mail contact him at:-
Nick Burton
Archaeologist/GIS Developer
English Heritage Central Archaeology Service
Fort Cumberland
Fort Cumberland Road
Portsmouth
Hampshire
PO4 9LDPhone: (01705) 817472
Fax: (01705) 838060
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Written and maintained by N. Burton
Last updated: 28th November, 1997.
© Copyright English Heritage 1997