Stansted Airport
Between 1999 and 2004, Framework Archaeology undertook a series of large-scale archaeological excavations at Stansted Airport, Essex. These were undertaken in advance of redevelopment work within the Stansted Airport Limited landholding. The developments were designed to improve facilities for passengers or to augment the infrastructure of the Airport.
The results of the archaeological excavations were published by Framework Archaeology in 2008 in the book entitled “From hunter gatherers to huntsmen: A history of the Stansted landscape”( Framework Archaeology Monograph No. 2.). It is available to buy from Oxbow Books.
Download the excavation data
You will need to download the following two files:
- The Framework Free Viewer (our free archaeology data viewer: Windows, 3.2MB)
- Stansted Archaeology Data (to load into the Free Viewer: 342.6MB)
Reports and Raw Data
- Download the specialist reports (Zipped PDF, 40MB)
- Raw data downloads (for advanced and non-Windows users: csv, xml, gml, shp, data dictionary, photos, sections)
- Data download support (see links on right of the page)
Data License
The Archaeology Data and raw data downloads are licensed under a Creative Commons Licence.
Archaeology
The earliest evidence for human activity indicated that the area around the airport was visited by transient hunter-gatherers. The inhabitants of the area introduced small-scale agriculture in the Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages and began to occupy permanent settlement with domestic structures in the Middle Bronze Age. An important enclosed settlement of that date was excavated.
There was coherent enclosure of the landscape and increased settlement density in the Middle and Late Iron Age. Under the Romans, there were changes in burial practice and settlements established in the Iron Age declined and some were abandoned. An apparent resurgence in activity in the 4th century may be linked to the creation of large agricultural estates.
In the post-Roman period much of the area reverted to woodland. By the Late Saxon period farmers again cleared areas off woodland for agriculture. Villages sprang up in river valleys and along the Roman road network. Evidence for medieval settlement, farming and assarting, and for the location of Stansted Park and a hunting lodge was uncovered.
© 2008 Framework Archaeology