IAA project type: Partnership grant

Duration of project: August 2025 – July 2026 

Partner organisation: Northamptonshire Historic Environment Record (HER) 

MOLA staff: Chris Kolonko, Sarah Farey, Katrina Foxton

Project aims

The aim of the project is to enable citizen scientists in the county of Northampton to record surviving painted ‘ghost signs’. The recorded data will act as a definitive record for these ephemeral and vulnerable signs, with the data accessioned to the local Historic Environment Record to create a permanent record of the signs. 

The project is also developing a standard archaeological methodology to aid the recording of ghost signs. 

Audiences

Members of the public in the Northamptonshire area. 

Project plan

The project is enabling local citizen scientists to record surviving ghost signs in Northamptonshire, using archaeological recording methods. 

Using a paper and digital recording forms, a range of standardised data is being collected and photographs taken to create a record for each sign. This record will include information including a location, transcription of the sign and condition. 

Following completion of the project, all data will be accessioned to the Northamptonshire Historic Environment Record to create a definitive record for the signs which will be kept in perpetuity. This record will be used to ensure preservation by record, as a minimum, and help inform local planning.  

Project outputs

Click here to explore a map of recorded Ghost Signs, with research input from local citizen scientists. 

Project impacts

Over 60 ghost signs have been recorded with the project up to June 2026 by citizen scientists local to Northampton. The Ghost Signs team are presenting at the HER forum in July in order to share the methodology to other local authorities, potentially widening impact further. The recording form has been identified as having the potential to be used to record other heritage assets, beyond Ghost Signs, which local people feel should be recorded.