Posts by Cate Davies
An Irish Comb in Worcestershire
For #FindsFriday, a decorated comb from an Early to Middle Anglo-Saxon settlement in Worcestershire, though it may not be local. The comb’s trapezoidal connecting plates, along with its elaborate decoration (sawn-out openwork X designs and undulating chains of overlapping ring-and-dot) match Mairéad Dunlevy’s class C2 Irish combs, dated to the 7th–early 8th centuries. Irish combs…
Read MoreWorld Photography Day
Photography has been central to the archaeological record since the earliest excavations, from fragile glass plate negatives to today’s vast digital archives. Each image helps preserve context, capture discoveries, and record the evolution of sites over time. Drones have taken this further, revealing entire landscapes, showing scale at a glance, and offering perspectives once impossible. This…
Read MoreFrom Civil War Bridges to Medieval Garderobes: New finds at Newark Castle
PCA archaeologists from the Newark office have been busy over the last few weeks at Newark Castle in Nottinghamshire, and the work has been turning up some unexpected finds. Adjacent to the Gatehouse, a substantial section of walling was revealed during monitoring. Early thoughts were that this was a possible outer gatehouse; however, after visits from a Castle expert…
Read MoreA Tonne of Pottery: what 72,000 sherds can tell us
In archaeology, individual finds are valuable, but it’s often the bigger picture that tells the real story. Assemblages, or groups of objects found together, can reveal patterns of behaviour, trade, and chronology in ways that isolated finds simply can’t. Too often, limited sampling or tight excavation windows mean specialists don’t get the volume of material…
Read More#FindsFriday | Saint Peter ad Vincula Feast Day
Today, August 1st, is the Feast of Saint Peter ad Vincula, the saint to whom the Tower of London’s chapel is dedicated, and the timing couldn’t be more fitting. During our recent excavation, in collaboration with the independent charity Historic Royal Palaces, PCA uncovered the footings of Henry I’s 12th-century chapel, along with a contemporary stone…
Read MoreEssex Festival of Archaeology and Heritage 2025
We had a great time at the Essex Festival of Archaeology last week! Thanks to Place Services for putting together such a well-organised and welcoming event. It was great to be part of something that clearly struck a chord with so many people. Over 1,100 visitors came through the doors, the talks were fully booked…
Read MoreMore from the Tower of London
Want to see more from the Tower of London excavation? Historic Royal Palaces have shared a fascinating two-part blog by Curator Alfred Hawkins, offering more detail on the discoveries made outside the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula, including insights from the 2019 trial work and the recent excavation. Part 1: Two Skeletons Found at the…
Read MoreTower of London Excavation Reveals Medieval Burials and Lost Chapels
Pre-Construct Archaeology has been working with the independent charity Historic Royal Palaces on the most significant excavation at the Tower of London in a generation. The project, focused around the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula, has uncovered the remains of up to 50 individuals, far more than initially anticipated, along with rare grave…
Read MoreUncovering Saxon Grantchester: PCA Shares Preliminary Findings
PCA’s Senior Project Officer, Rita Pedro, and Project Manager, Judy Mlynarska, delivered a talk to Grantchester’s After 8s group on 10 July 2025, sharing preliminary findings from the archaeological excavation at 19 High Street, Grantchester. The excavation uncovered substantial evidence of Saxon occupation, including several structures or ‘halls’ constructed using a variety of techniques: post-built,…
Read MorePCA at the Essex Festival of Archaeology 2025
We’re pleased to be contributing to this year’s Essex Festival of Archaeology, where our team will be sharing results from recent excavations at Great Chesterford, a site that’s proving to be one of the most illuminating early Saxon settlements we’ve investigated. When: Thursday 24 July 10am-5pm Where: Cressing Temple Barns, Witham Rd, Cressing, Braintree CM77…
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