WAERC: Origins

Archaeological research and the reconstruction of past landscapes has long been part of the research portfolio within the Department of Geography at the University of Hull. The first major archaeological project carried out at Hull was the Humber Wetlands Survey (1994-2001), the fourth large scale survey of wetlands in England funded by English Heritage. The Survey was preceded by a desk-top assessment of the landscape development and known archaeological resource of the Humber wetlands, which addressed the threats to the archaeological and palaeoenvironmental resource. This was published in 1993 as Wetland Heritage: an archaeological assessment of the Humber wetlands by Robert Van de Noort and Paul Davies, edited by Stephen Ellis who was the overall Director of the Humber Wetlands Project between 1992 and 2001. Between 1994 and 2001 the second phase of the Survey annually addressed one of the physiographic regions of the Humber wetlands, publishing an annual volume on each region.

Once the Humber Wetlands Project was under way, staff from the project team began to provide specialist services and advice to other environmental and archaeological projects in the region, working as the Centre for Wetland Archaeology.

In August 2000, the CWA was replaced by WAERC, the Wetland Archaeology and Environments Research Centre, under the Directorship of Dr Malcolm Lillie FSA, MIFA. Since its inception, WAERC has provided a range of commercial services supporting archaeological and environmental studies of past environments regionally, nationally, and internationally, principally but not exclusively in wetland contexts.

The Humber Wetlands Project

The Humber Wetlands Survey was the fourth large scale survey of wetlands in England funded by English Heritage, following in the footsteps of the Somerset Levels, the East Anglian Fens and the wetlands of northwest England. The aim of these surveys has been to evaluate the nature and extent of the archaeological and palaeoecological record. As a consequence the management of the archaeological and palaeoecological resource in these regions has benefited greatly. The financial support of English Heritage to all four projects is evidence of its long-standing commitment to wetland archaeological research and management.

English Heritage is now looking to the future, using the experience of the four major surveys to develop strategies that will ensure the protection and effective management of the wetland archaeological resource. More information can be found in English Heritage's Wetland Strategy.

The Survey was preceded by a desk-top assessment of the landscape development and known archaeological resource of the Humber wetlands, which addressed the threats to the archaeological and palaeoenvironmental resource. This assessment was published in 1993 as Wetland Heritage: an archaeological assessment of the Humber wetlands by Robert Van de Noort and Paul Davies, edited by Stephen Ellis.

Between 1994 and 2001 the second phase of the Survey annually addressed one of the physiographic regions of the Humber wetlands. This has recently been completed with the final region, Lincolnshire Marsh, having been published in June 2001. The possibility of a third phase where previously identified sites are revisited and studied in greater detail is under review.