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Introduction

essex Archaeology has been developing an integrated
GIS and database framework for use on projects
utilising spatial information. At the core of this approach
is a reusable database that can be easily and rapidly
adapted for use in a range of projects and tasks.

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Th e S t on e h e n g e L a n d t ra i n Tra n si t Rou t e I m p a c t
Assessment was an early example of the combination of
GIS and database functionality where the GIS was used to
map the project gazetteer and geoprocess landscape data.

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During the Stansted EIA a more sophisticated approach
was applied with increased GIS and database
integration. Spatial queries of data,based upon different
development option boundaries, were carried out to
identify direct and indirect impacts. Details of these
selections were fed back into the project database.

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The Historic Environment Strategy for the Thames
Gateway region again applied an integrated GIS and
database approach. This process involved the generation
of spatial entities that were assigned a MonumentI m p ort a n c e Va l u e b a se d u p on d oc u m e n t a ry e vi d e n c e .
Along with historic mapping and other digital
data sources, these were used to aid definition
of zones of heritage character and potential.

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Framework project joint venture between Wessex Archaeology and Oxford Archaeology

Th e S a l i sb u ry Pl a i n Tra i n i n g Are a m on u m e n t
c on d i t ion su rve y h a s u t i l i se d Poc k e t G I S t o fa c i l i t a t e
data collection in the field. In this case each table
of information held within the database had a
corresponding GIS layer accessible during
data collection.

R e p r o d u c e d f r o m O r d n a n c e S u r v e y m a p p i n g w i t h p e r m i s s i o n o f t h e c o n t r o l l e r o f H e r M a j e s t y ' s S t at i o n e r y O ff i c e
© Crown copyright, Wessex Archaeology. Licence Number: AL 100006861.

Design by K.Nichols Wessex Archaeology

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We s s e x A r c h a e o l o g y

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Thames Gateway

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Monument locations are displayed within the
GIS directly from the database. Theextents of
monuments are derived from historic and modern
mapping sources and aerial photography
guided by HER descriptions and grey
literature. This has allowed
erroneous points to be
identified, addressed
and corrected.

Monuments are scored within the project
database using the Monument Importance
Va l u e sy st e m . Th i s c on si st s of t h e a g g re g a t e d
scores of eightseparate categories; Group
Va l u e ( a ssoc i a t i on ) , S u rvi va l , Pot e n t i a l ,
Documentation (archaeological),
Documentation (historical),
G rou p Va l u e ( c l u st e ri n g )
Diversity (features),
a n d Am e n i t y Va l u e .

Work fl ow
Model

Design by K.Nichols Wessex Archaeology

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Historic Environment Character
Zones are created by merging adjacent
polygonsgenerated by the union process.
This process operates by identifying
the level of commonality within the inherited
attributes of the polygons and merging these
based upon a hierarchy of value, or significance,
established for the different data sources.
For example, HER information has greater
si g n i fi c a n c e t h a n e n vi ron m e n t a l c h a ra c t e r.

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The digitised monumentextents
are mapped thematically by their
MIV scores along with an environmental
character layer generated using a
deductive modelling approach, using
historic mapping and a layer mapping broad
p ot e n t i a l for Pa l a e ol i t h i c a rc h a e ol og i c a l
resources. The extent of each of these
layers is mapped individually and then
combined using a union function.

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