St Barts Hospital Energy Centre archaeological excavation

Our heritage consultants began advising the Barts Health NHS Trust on the heritage planning conditions for the development of St Bartholomew’s Hospital Energy Centre in 2014.  An exceptionally time and budget sensitive project, we worked closely with the Trust and main contractor, Skanska on a systematic and speedy fieldwork programme.

Watch our archaeologists excavating a section of the site over a few weeks in this time lapse...

'MOLA worked hard to achieve this completion and bought into our philosophies of collaboration and working in an injury free environment.'

Bill James, Skanska

Working at a live hospital site we developed an excavation strategy that enabled us to undertake our work in the basement of the hospital, whilst the site was still operational. Working in shift patterns, the archaeological team worked on site simultaneously with the demolition contractor Keltbray. This successful methodology was possible owing to the substantial and considered Health and Safety procedures developed in consultation with the other contractors.

Our previous investigations at the hospital allowed our teams of specialists: osteologists, geoarchaeologists and stone experts, to comprehensively yet swiftly analyse the complex archaeology on site.

For this project, which was completed within time and under budget, we employed an innovative approach to the archaeology, including multiple and concurrent area excavation, confined space work and flexible working patterns.

Subsequent archaeological research of our findings has contributed to our understanding of the little-known Western Roman cemetery, and the infamous Great Fire of London.

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  Heritage Consultancy

  We offer the full range of heritage consultancy services, helping our clients to assess and manage their sites, from site acquisition and early negotiation to planning consent.
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  Archaeological Fieldwork

  We have one of the most experienced and skilled archaeological fieldwork teams in the UK.