Archaeology Introduction

Bristol is one of the most important historic cities in Europe, founded about 1000AD, yet people have lived in the area for hundreds of thousands of years. The rich variety of Bristol's archaeology reflects this, from the many Lower Palaeolithic artefacts found at Shirehampton, Iron Age hillforts and Roman villas and settlements to medieval buildings, the 19th century harbour, factories and Second World War sites.

Bristol has a City Archaeologist, based within Bristol City Council's Planning Services division, whose role is to conserve and promote the historic environment. The City Archaeologist works in partnership with a wide range of professionals, agencies and communities to ensure that Bristol's distinctive character is preserved as the city develops.

In practice this means identifying and recording archaeological monuments within Bristol's Historic Environment Record, assessing the implications of planning applications, advising on local policies, and sharing information about Bristol's history.