RESCUE is holding the AGM in Northamptonshire on 9th May 2026 at the Archaeological Resource Centre, Chester House Estate, Higham Road, Little Irchester, Wellingborough NN29 7EZ.
The Business AGM will be at 12 noon, followed by a sandwich lunch and then short talks and discussion on the theme of archaeological archives, starting at 1pm, followed by a tour of the Resource Centre and their current activity involving the local Young Archaeologists Club and finishing at 4pm.
The generation of physical archives and what to do with them has been the focus of much debate ever since, and indeed before, the advent of commercial archaeology. Archaeological fieldwork generates physical material in the form of artefacts anddocumentation, which preserves by record our findings when the actual site is destroyed by development.
Local museums have generally felt obliged to store this material; however, for some time now the sector has been warning thatmuseums are running out space, with seemingly little action apart from some local solutions such as the LAARC in London in the 1990s. Various solutions have been proposed: finding bigger spaces such as Deep Store in the Cheshire salt mines, or triaging what is stored, or creating regional or national repositories. All of these come with their own challenges. We are now at crisis point withincreasing numbers of museums now closing their doors to archaeological archives, forcing contractors to hold onto the “stuff” in perpetuity.
With Local Government reorganisation and the fast-approaching replacement of districts and boroughs with unitary authorities, what does this mean for archaeological archives and where will future archives be stored? Many authorities are now actively exploring their own long-term solutions, with various county-based examples including our AGM meeting venue, the Northamptonshire ARC (Archaeological Resource Centre). How do we ensure archives are not forgotten about in salt mines far from their source?; how do we ensure that artefacts are displayed, valued and celebrated by their communities?; what value is there in perpetual collection?; if we discard artefacts does this devalue the basis upon which they were collected in the first place?; if we triage, who decides what is of significance and what is not?
We hope to explore some of these issues in depth and assess whether our current policy needs modification:
Rescue Policy for the Future: Archaeological Archives
RESCUE believes archives are integral to the future of the archaeological discovery process and will support measures for their continued maintenance. RESCUE also believes that rationalisation of archive material (e.g. the disposal of excavated artefacts) is a potentially damaging practice that should only be carried out by qualified specialists following appropriate assessment. We will advocate for both the creation of regional archive repositories, and for the provision of the necessary Government financial and strategic support for coordinated archive deposition with improved integrated use of archives for education and recreational purposes.
The speakers will include Claire Tsang (Archaeological Archives Principal: Historic England), Ben Donnelly-Symes (Archaeological Archives Curator: Northants ARC), Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews (Museum Curator and Heritage Access Officer: North Hertfordshire Museum Service), Theodora Anastasiadou (Chair of the Archaeological Archives Group; CIFA).
The event will consist of short 15 min presentations about the challenges and opportunities facing each sector, followed by a panel discussion on collective solutions. We will be hosting this as a hybrid event both in-person and live streamed online.
Attendance is free and open to all – booking via Eventbrite please: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rescue-agm-archaeology-archives-crises-and-creativity-tickets-1986416995707?aff=oddtdtcreator
Car parking is available on site. The nearest rail station is Wellingbororugh and lifts from there can be booked by prior arrangement with us: please contact secretary@rescue-archaeology.org.uk
