Archaeology

Archaeological remains are irreplaceable. They are evidence - for prehistoric periods, the only evidence - of the past development of our civilization. Today's archaeological landscape is the product of human activity over thousands of years. It ranges through settlements and remains of every period, from the camps of the early hunter gatherers 400,000 years ago to remains of early 20th century activities. It includes places of worship, defence installations, burial grounds, farms and fields, and sites of manufacture.

Archaeological remains should be seen as a finite and non-renewable resource, in many cases highly fragile and vulnerable to damage and destruction. Appropriate management is therefore essential to ensure that they survive in good condition. In particular, care must be taken to ensure that archaeological remains are not needlessly or thoughtlessly destroyed. They can contain irreplaceable information about our past and the potential for an increase in future knowledge.

The present century has been a period of striking environmental change. Some changes, like the erosion of coastal areas, have occurred naturally. But much archaeological heritage has been destroyed by human activity - for example, by modern construction methods in urban development and expansion of the road network, by modern agricultural techniques (in particular deep ploughing or drainage of wetlands), and by mineral extraction.

With the many demands of modern society, it is not always feasible to save all archaeological remains. The key question is where and how to strike the right balance. Cases involving archaeological remains of lesser importance will not always be so clear cut and planning authorities need to weigh the relative importance of archaeology against other factors including the need for the proposed development. Regardless of the circumstances, taking decisions is much easier if any archaeological aspects of a development site can be considered early on in the planning and development control process.

The Council for British Archaeology promotes the study and safeguarding of Britain's historic environment, provides a forum for archaeological opinion, and seeks to improve public interest in Britain's past. http://www.britarch.ac.uk/

For more information on archaeological matters in Norfolk contact the Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service.

For more information on Scheduled Monuments in North Norfolk please contact North Norfolk District Council's Conservation and Design Section: Tel: (01263) 516131/516138/516165 or Fax: (01263) 514802 or email: conservationanddesign@north-norfolk.org.uk