Aerial archaeology

The distinctive lozenge-shaped ramparts of Whitley Castle Roman Fort, situated north-west of Alston in Cumbria, survive as earthworks that are clearly visible in aerial photographs like this one. Due to local topography, the site’s layout deviates from the usual ‘playing card’ shape of contemporary forts like Housesteads, some 20 miles to the north. The fort’s archaeological context can be remotely investigated to an even greater extent, however, using Historic England’s new Aerial Archaeology Mapping Explorer – a freely accessible interactive map covering more than half the country. The online tool has mapped thousands of archaeological features, from early Neolithic encl