This is a history of archaeological endeavour in Norfolk set within a
national context. It covers the writer's early experiences as a
volunteer, the rise of field archaeology as a profession and efforts to
conserve the archaeological heritage against the tide of destruction
prevalent in the countryside up to the 1980s when there was not even a
right of access to record sites before they were lost. Now developers
often have to pay for an excavation before they can obtain planning
consent. The book features progress with archaeology conservation as
well as the growth of rescue archaeology as a profession both in towns
and in the countryside. Many of the most important discoveries made by
aerial photography, rescue excavations and metal detecting from the
1970s onwards are illustrated. The last section covers the recent growth
of the Norfolk Archaeological Trust as an owner of some of the most
iconic rural sites in Norfolk. The book concludes with a discussion of
some issues facing British field archaeology today.