Establishing a methodology to unlock the archaeology of attack on siege sites: a case study from 17th Century England

The revolution in the study of battlefields achieved by the application of archaeological techniques has largely bypassed the study of sieges, even though they were of equal importance as battles to the outcome of warfare in the early modern period. The present study will explore the archaeology of attack left on Civil War siege sites in England, comprising bullet scatters around the site and bullet and cannonball impact scars on the surviving standing structures. The evidence is seen on and around castles, great houses, churches and occasionally on lesser domestic buildings. A significant number of these are in the care of English Heritage but others are managed by the National Trust, the Church of England and private owners. Not one siege site in England has yet seen systematic study of all such evidence.
The evidence on some, possibly many sites, is being destroyed by treasure hunters removing the bullets and other artefacts, while impact scars are under threat of destruction by conservation works on historic buildings because of the lack of awareness of the existence of the evidence or its potential value.
This study will refine the database of Civil War sieges sites and asses likely state of preservation of the archaeology of those sieges, and identify existing records of archaeological evidence for them. Techniques of recording and analysis will be refined, building upon the existing methodology of battlefield archaeology, including bullet analysis, and developing new methods for recording impact scars. Modern methods of ballistic and forensic study will be employed to refine existing methodology. In this way an example of best practice will be provided for archaeologists working on siege sites in the future.
Example sites will be selected for systematic metal detecting survey of artefacts scatters and recording of impact scars. This will extend our understanding of the individual sieges, providing evidence for the direction and intensity of attacks. The scatters of impacted bullet may also provide evidence of now demolished structures. Bullet scatters from outgoing fire will show the range of the different types of guns as firing positions will be known from the location of the defences. Study of impact scars in relation to adjacent impacted bullets which have ricocheted back, may show the direction, range, accuracy and intensity of fire. Interpretation will be complemented by experimental firing studies underway at Cranfield University. The study will thus advance understanding of the types of weapons in use and their range and capabilities, providing information which can improve our interpretation of similar evidence on battlefields where the gun positions are not known.
Once the evidence is better understood the sites can be more effectively managed, with guidance drafted for the conservation management of siege sites; revision of the boundaries of statutory and non-statutory designations; and assisting in the targeting of agri-environment grants schemes by Natural England. Priority will be given to investigating English Heritage sites as here management and interpretive potentials can be exploited by EH to provide exemplars of best practice elsewhere, relevant to owners of and those working on other siege sites in the UK and Europe.

The report on fields of conflict commissioned by English Heritage (Foard 2008b) shows the urgent need for research on siege sites to: identify the sites, characterise the evidence, define an effective methodology for recording when under unavoidable threat, and enable effective management regimes to be defined. Without this the management of the sites, including castles, country houses and churches, is failing to conserve or record this important evidence of past use, both impact evidence on standing structures and artefact scatters on and around the sites. By characterising the resource and showing its vulnerabilities the study will provide a framework within which English Heritage can reassess and revise conservation management measures, both legislative and non-statutory, for the effective management of siege sites. The implications will extend not just to monuments in the care of English Heritage but to other defensive sites in England, including sites managed by the National Trust, Church of England, and private owners, with wider implications for sites across Europe.

Often artefact scatters will extend into agricultural ownerships requiring a suite of measures to be applied. Conservation management plans for land in EH management can be revised but effective management is needed for sites in their entirety. This will be achieved by communication of the results to the Historic Environment Records as well as the National Monuments Record, thus enabling conservation management through the Planning process, in line with the requirements of Planning Policy Statement 5, and through the effective targeting of stewardship and other agri-environment grants by Natural England. Thus, for example, defining the typical extent of the scatters from the defences will enable protection to be applied to mitigate the threat from treasure hunting, through the use of agri-environment schemes or other agreements. The methodology developed in the study will also provide a model of best practice for recording of evidence where conservation is not practicable and show how wide an area may need to be covered.

Priority for fieldwork will be given to English Heritage sites as here management and interpretive potentials can be exploited in the short term to provide exemplars of best practice to guide conservation management and interpretation elsewhere. Expertise in battlefield archaeology and especially in the value and expertise of metal detecting survey for archaeology are largely lacking in the archaeological profession including in English Heritage. This work will develop these skills and further demonstrate their professional and research value.

The present proposal will continue the development of links between academic battlefield archaeology and English Heritage. In line with the recommendations of the report on fields of conflict, the results will be available to EH to influence the design of training for their own staff, and the guidance provided to planning archaeologists and contracting archaeologists in both the recording methods and the conservation management needs of siege sites. It can also feed into related training and guidance that needs to be prepared for staff of Natural England involved in targeting and application of Stewardship and other agri-environment schemes to the management of the archaeology of fields of conflict. The potential vehicles to achieve such dissemination will be discussed by the supervisory team and with other relevant staff in English Heritage as the work progresses. This may include providing the opportunity for regional inspectors and other EH and Natural England staff and members of ALGAO to review results following on site supervision meetings or by contributing to each organisation's regular training sessions, as the lead supervisor has done in other related projects undertaken in c