Student Shona Williams will be learning skills that will be relevant for years to come. © Tony Bartholomew / National Heritage
Shona Williams, a York University graduate, has won a place on a prestigious English Heritage training scheme based with its aerial survey team in York.
The yearlong scheme is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and managed by the Institute of Field Archaeology. It aims to ensure that archaeological skills are nurtured by a new generation, helping to protect and discover more of the nation’s priceless heritage.
Dave MacLeod, who manages the English Heritage Aerial Survey and Investigation team in York, said: “The sheer wealth of historical information we can plot from the air is quite astonishing and it’s not unusual to uncover a host of new features over just a few flights.”
© Tony Bartholomew / National Heritage
(Above) Shona was brought up in the Scottish Highlands and graduated in Archaeology from York University in 2002.
Archaeological aerial survey began in 1906 when an officer of the Royal Engineers in an observation balloon photographed Stonehenge from above.
Since then aerial surveying took off as it enabled experts to view vast expanses of land uncovering additional historic features in the landscape, many of which can only be seen from the air.
The UK is leading the way in this field. It is home to the world’s most ambitious archaeological aerial mapping project bidding to survey the entire country, comprising 130,000 square kilometres.
© Tony Bartholomew / National Heritage
(Above) The yearlong opportunity is offered under the English Heritage Professional Placement in Conservation scheme.
Intrepid Shona, 29, is thrilled to be learning skills that will be desirable and relevant for years to come.
“I’ve been airborne in a Cessna light aircraft and joined aerial survey sorties from Sherburn Airfield, near Selby,” she said.
“Learning to read an ordinance survey map from 2,000 feet takes a bit of practice, but thankfully I’ve got a pretty strong stomach for flying.”
