The Later Prehistoric Norfolk Project: wellbeing, art and archaeology

Hutcheson, Andrew, Melvin, Clare, Pittaccio, Michael, Quickenden, Tony and Seeley, Carys (2026) The Later Prehistoric Norfolk Project: wellbeing, art and archaeology. Internet Archaeology (73). ISSN 1363-5387

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Abstract

The Later Prehistoric Norfolk Project (LPNP) is a partnership between the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, UEA, Cambridge Archaeological Unit, The Restoration Trust, Synergy Multi-Academy Trust and the Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society. This project consisted of archaeological fieldwork at two sites, Arminghall Timber Circle and Henge and Warham Camp Iron Age Fort. Two field seasons of three weeks each took place in September 2022 and July 2023. In all sixty-three wellbeing-related participants were involved in a series of discussions and introductory sessions about archaeology prior to taking part in the fieldwork stage. It was also a project that explored expedited community-building that improves people’s health and wellbeing by engaging in understanding past landscapes. Participants included archaeological researchers, volunteers from heritage societies, people experiencing poor mental health, students from high schools and college, many with special educational needs, and the general public. The professional researchers were international in scope coming from the UK, Japan, Nigeria and the Maldives and the participants were mainly UK based, bringing a range of experiences and perspectives together in support of the archaeological work. Initial evaluation suggests such short-term communities can be valuable for people’s lives, with the potential for ongoing connections that continue beyond the confines of the project. The project was generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Society of Antiquaries London, UEA, the AHRC IAA fund, the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts, and Culture and Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society. The work focused on two sites, Arminghall Timber Circle and Henge 3km to the south of Norwich, dating from the Neolithic period, and the Iron Age site of Warham Camp near the North Norfolk Coast. Both are scheduled ancient monuments and sit at the centre of important prehistoric landscapes. These landscapes have been transformed in recent centuries; a better understanding of which helps their appropriate management. The project worked with The Restoration Trust (a charity which works to connect heritage to positive mental health outcomes) and included the Cambridge Archaeological Unit and Synergy Multi-Academy Trust. Wellbeing was a central concern of the project and many of the participants reported enhanced feelings of wellbeing as a result of having taken part. Art and creativity were important aspects of the work that helped both to give an expression to people’s experiences in these places and to deepen our record of the work. Two books were produced by the project which showcased this art, one about archaeology and wellbeing at Arminghall and the other at Warham Camp (Fairclough and Hutcheson 2023; Fairclough and Hutcheson 2024). The project concluded with an exhibition of this art at the Forum in Norwich between 20-25 May 2024 showcasing the art and experiences of those involved, later repeated at Wighton Church just to the south of Warham Camp.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	archaeology,community,heritage,sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Psychology Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Heritage and History Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Centres > Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Gender and Its Intersections
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	14 May 2026 15:44
Last Modified:	15 May 2026 09:52
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/103039
DOI:	10.11141/ia.73.5

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