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. 

Away from work, I can often be found exploring the wild parts of North Yorkshire, lavishing affection on my beloved cat, setting the world to rights in my local pub, and writing and performing music that occasionally gets a tad shouty.