Whether you’re a developer, main contractor, or consultant looking to line up fieldwork support, these are the names to know.
👉 See our archaeology site welfare case study for how modern welfare provision supports field teams in heritage-sensitive environments.
1. Oxford Archaeology
With over 350 staff and a history going back to 1973, Oxford Archaeology is one of Europe’s largest and best-known archaeological contractors. Operating from offices in Oxford, Cambridge, and Lancaster, they cover every stage from evaluation to excavation and post-excavation reporting.
2. Wessex Archaeology
Founded in 1979, Wessex Archaeology is a registered charity and one of the UK’s leading archaeological and heritage service providers. Their team works across infrastructure, housing, energy, and marine projects from seven regional offices.
3. MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology)
A leader in urban and infrastructure archaeology, MOLA has a footprint in London, Northampton, Birmingham, and beyond. Their commercial services include everything from geophysics to excavation, with a strong track record on large-scale regeneration sites.
4. Headland Archaeology / MOLA Headland Infrastructure
Specialists in large-scale linear infrastructure, Headland operates independently and also in partnership with MOLA. They support projects in transport, water, and energy, offering fast mobilisation and deep sector expertise.
5. AOC Archaeology Group
Known for combining strong academic credentials with commercial agility, AOC Archaeology delivers full-service heritage consultancy and site services across the UK. Their clients include government agencies, developers, and planning consultants.
6. Archaeology South-East (UCL)
Part of UCL’s Centre for Applied Archaeology, Archaeology South-East brings academic rigour to commercial projects. With a strong focus on Greater London and the South East, their work often feeds directly into planning submissions and heritage management strategies.
👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology-south-east
7. Allen Archaeology Ltd
Based in Lincolnshire and operating nationally, Allen Archaeology provides fast, responsive site evaluation and excavation services. Their projects range from housing developments to infrastructure and local authority-led work.
8. Canterbury Archaeological Trust
A registered charity with a long-standing reputation for excellence in historic environment work, CAT provides commercial fieldwork, heritage consultancy, and education. Active throughout Kent, they are often involved in planning-sensitive urban sites.
9. Rubicon Heritage Services
With offices in the UK and Ireland, Rubicon provides archaeological and built heritage consultancy services for major infrastructure, energy, and construction projects. Their ability to scale for national projects makes them a valuable partner.
10. Archaeology Wales
Serving the public and private sectors, Archaeology Wales supports housing, education, transport, and renewables schemes with pre-construction archaeological services. Their work includes watching briefs, desk-based assessments, and community archaeology.
Why This Matters
Construction timelines often hinge on archaeological findings. Delays in trenching, trial pits, or reports can push projects off-schedule. That’s why partnering with experienced archaeological contractors who can move quickly and efficiently is key.
For sites without mains connections or fixed infrastructure, having the right site welfare provision is also critical. Our ecowelfare units provide sustainable, solar-powered, zero-emission welfare solutions that align with both planning constraints and environmental best practices.
Want to Learn More?
If you’re planning a project in a heritage-sensitive area or looking to support archaeological field teams on site, we’d be happy to advise.
Explore our low-emission, modern welfare units or speak to our team today.
