7902 Flag Fen: modelling the survival and condition of the archaeological remains to inform a management strategy

Descriptions

Flag Fen, near Peterborough, is a nationally important wooden Bronze Age post alignment and timber platform preserved within the Flag Fen basin, and designated as a scheduled monument (List entry 1406460; Figure 1). Preliminary work has indicated that the delicate organic remains preserved on the site are degrading in some parts of the site and, if unchecked, there may be a catastrophic loss of archaeological evidence (Brittain 2010; Wilkins et al. 2013). The remains are currently preserved in situ and are on the Historic England Heritage at Risk Register. There is a pressing need to formulate and implement a formal management strategy to sustain the site's potential for future research, through continued physical preservation, archaeological excavation, or a combination of the two. In order to validate management options further assessment is required since there are weaknesses/gaps present in the existing information. For example, only limited information is currently available regarding the condition of the archaeological remains and how this may have changed since the site was first investigated. It is therefore not clear if suitable conditions to physically and chemically ensure the long-term preservation of the archaeology in situ can be maintained or whether preservation by record is a more effective management strategy. This brief details the requirements to carry out a targeted and rapid review of existing information in order to understand the condition of the archaeological remains and the work required to complete the baseline evidence for the site. A conservation risk assessment will be carried out to define the proportion of the site that has been investigated versus the proportion that is undisturbed, and the proportion of the site that is of high and low evidential value and significance. This will aid the development of an appropriate management strategy in order to preserve the important archaeological remains for future generations to enjoy and understand, whether in situ, by record or a combination of the two. If successful, this could result in the removal of the scheduled monument from the Heritage at Risk register.