About York Archaeological Trust …

York Archaeological Trust is one of the largest archaeological units in Britain. It was founded as an educational charity in 1972, and has carried out over 1000 archaeological investigations in York. It also works routinely in the towns and countryside of Yorkshire, and offers specialist services on a national and international basis. You will find detailed academic reports on its work in York in its on-going 20-volume series The Archaeology of York. There is also a wide range of scholarly reports in specialised journals, a host of popular publications, and reports on the Internet.

The Trust operates in three divisions – Administration, Attractions (the running of Jorvik and the Archaeological Resource Centre) and Academic. There are some 40 in-house Academic Division staff including Field Officers, Artefact Administrators, Illustrators, Editors, a Photographer, Archaeological Conservators, Artefact Researchers, an Archivist, Archaeological Computing Officers, etc who between them encompass a very wide range of skills and experience. The Trust has Registered status with the professional body the Institute of Field Archaeologists, and is also a Registered Museum with the Museums and Galleries Commission.

The Trust’s Chief Executive is John Walker. John is Chairman of the Standing Conference of Archaeological Unit Managers, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and a member of the Historic Environment Forum. His other responsibilities currently include running one of the largest university training excavations in the country at Besthorpe, Notts; and publishing a number of books focusing on the archaeology of the 17th century and later.

The Deputy Director, Dr Richard A. Hall BA, PhD, FSA, MIFA, also a former Chairman of Institute of Field Archaeologists, is Hon. Secretary of the Council for British Archaeology, President of the Society for Medieval Archaeology and Consultant Archaeologist to the Dean & Chapter of York Minster.