Modern farming methods could be destroying ancient archaeological sites, according to experts who have today expressed concern that continued ploughing of land where such sites exist could lead to erosion.

Ploughing could be damaging ancient monuments and as-yet undiscovered historical treasures, according to archaeologists working with English heritage. Although money has been made available in recent years to enable farmers to protect ancient monuments on their land, concerns remain that up to 1,600 such sites could still be at risk.

However, farmers and some archaeologists have said people, rather than farming practices, are responsible for the most significant damage at such sites and that farming can be made to coexist with ancient sites relatively easily.

Over the coming months, English heritage will ask farmers to conduct a survey of any monuments on their land. These sites could be anything from prehistoric remains, such as barrows to Roman settlements or civil war defences.    

The fear is that continued ploughing could level earthworks or raised barrows, or if land is ploughed deeper each year, or subject to soil erosion then it could cause damage to anything which remains buried.

The Trust has asked for farmers and landowners’ help in surveying these sites in order to establish whether agriculture is impacting on these rich windows into the past, and if so how serious the effects are and whether they could be minimised.

Tweet