Ben Saunders

I joined Wessex Archaeology’s Edinburgh Office in 2015, bringing extensive terrestrial and marine experience from projects across the UK, Europe and the Indian Ocean. In addition to leading Wessex Archaeology’s terrestrial work across Scotland, I have produced desk-based assessments and carried out detailed archive research for the MoD on wrecks with pollution potential. I have also prepared Conservation Management Plans for preserved historic vessels for the National Museum of the Royal Navy and the Scottish Fisheries Museum. Over the last five years, I have contributed to multiple shipwreck recording projects, including the Denge wreck in Kent, the Bay of Greifswald wrecks in the Baltic and the Sanday Shipwreck in Orkney. The latter project, partly funded by Historic Environment Scotland, successfully combined community recording with detailed research and dendrochronological dating, identifying the wreck as the whaler Earl of Chatham, formerly HMS Hind of the Royal Navy.

I am keen to demonstrate the power of archaeology as a vehicle for recovery and improved wellbeing. My interest in this area began through involvement in several terrestrial projects with military veterans on the Defence Estate as part of Operation Nightingale. Drawing on the insight and experience gained from these projects, along with contacts within veteran support organisations across the UK, I have developed marine and maritime projects for military veterans, mariners and youth groups during and since the Covid pandemic, exploring different aspects of Scotland’s maritime heritage.

I also have experience delivering marine heritage protection work for national organisations. I led the updated desk-based assessment of the wreck and Historic Marine Protected Area of the early aircraft carrier HMS Campania, integrating existing marine geophysical data, historic photographs and plans, and the knowledge of local divers. I also planned ROV and geophysical condition surveys of historic wrecks in the Sound of Mull, including the Dartmouth and Duart Point Historic Marine Protected Areas, in collaboration with an external marine science organisation. In addition, I coordinated the geophysical survey and assessment of SS Eagle 1857 in the Clyde.