Arran Johnson

I joined Wessex as Senior Heritage Inclusion and Engagement Officer in 2025, and I am responsible for the development of collaborative, inter-disciplinary projects, partnerships, and events that bring people and the past together with lasting positive impacts. I believe archaeology is uniquely placed to inspire curiosity, connection, and creativity, and I am proud to be part of a team that welcomes communities to join us in uncovering the past to build better futures. 

Originally from sunny Barnsley, I graduated from the University of York in 2005, and spent 15 years working through the ranks in archaeological fieldwork. In this time, I led numerous significant urban excavations and discovered an enduring love for complex, deeply stratified archaeology. 

I have managed sector-leading training excavations for both adults and children, and in 2021, I co-developed the national award-winning social prescribing project, Archaeology on Prescription. The project became a case study of best practice in heritage social prescribing and enabled almost 200 people to gain new skills, social connections, and confidence; it remains my proudest achievement to date.