Currently Occupied Rural Settlements

The Currently Occupied Rural Settlement (CORS) research aims to advance knowledge and understanding of the long-term development of today’s villages, small towns, hamlets and farms in England. Archaeological data from more than 2500 small ‘test pits’ excavated in 80 settlements has shown how each of these places evolved over nearly 2000 years, while syntheses are illuminating phenomena as diverse as early medieval settlement discontinuity and the impact of the Black Death plague pandemic. Inherently publicly engaged from the outset, more than 10,000 members of the public have taken part, and this itself has thrown valuable new light on the societal benefits of public participation in archaeological research. The project is now inspiring similar activity across the UK and beyond. There’s a mini-lecture about the research here  

The project is led by Professor Carenza Lewis, from the University of Cambridge 2005-15 and since 2015 here at the University of Lincoln.

Find out more about the project.