Archaeological Service
North Hertfordshire Archaeological Service is part of North Hertfordshire Museums Service
North Hertfordshire District Council has run an archaeological service since it was established in 1974, taking on expertise already provided for many years by Letchworth Museum. The first curator of Letchworth Museum, W Percival Westell, undertook the first excavations at Baldock in 1920s and his succssors carried on that tradition. From 1973, a Keeper of Field Archaeology was employed by the museum, a post which has continued to the present day. The Archaeological Service is the principal repository for the archives of archaeological investigations in North Hertfordshire and manages other finds made by individuals and groups. As well as the finds, it maintains the paper records of investigations and has an extensive library of books and journals. A major part of the collection consists of the material excavated at Baldock by Percival Westell, Ian Stead and Gil Burleigh, among others, over many years. There are also imporant collections of Lower Palaeolithic finds from Hitchin. |
Silver coin of the Iron Age ruler Andoco..., who may have been based at Baldock |
Community Archaeology
The Archaeological Service is run for the benefit of everyone, not just other archaeologists! North Hertfordshire has a very rich archaeological heritage and we believe that it needs to be promoted. Residents should be proud of what we have and visitors should marvel at it.
There are opportunities for people to become involved in the archaeology of the District, from children to adults. For 8 to 15 year olds, the Archaeological Service runs the North Hertfordshire branch of the Young Archaeologists’ Club (link opens in new window) 
, while adults can take part in other activities, such as our popular archaeological walks, or can volunteer to help at the Museums Resource Centre in Burymead Road, Hitchin.
A selection of objects from the Archaeological Service's collection can be seen online at the East of England Broadband Network's Gallery (link opens in new window) .
For further information please write to:
Archaeological Service
Museums Resource Centre
Burymead Road
Hitchin
Herts
SG5 1RT
Telephone: 01462 434896 or E-mail: service@north-herts.gov.uk 
