Fort Cumberland Laboratories, Historic England
ActiveDescription
Fort Cumberland Laboratories is Historic England's principal archaeological and heritage-science research facility, based at Fort Cumberland, an eighteenth-century scheduled monument at Eastney in Portsmouth. Its scientists carry out investigative science in support of the historic environment, with work spanning archaeological and environmental science, human and animal bioarchaeology, materials and conservation science, scientific dating, and geospatial survey, imaging and remote sensing, alongside the care of archaeological archives. The facility underwent a major refurbishment and reopened in June 2025, and its equipment and posts are supported in part by awards from the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council under the Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science (RICHeS) programme, held with partners including Birkbeck, the Victoria and Albert Museum and Cardiff University. Its staff belong to Historic England's Investigation and Analysis department, and the laboratories collaborate widely across the UK heritage-science sector.
Currently active
Yes
Offers funding
No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.
Contact details
Fort Cumberland Road, Eastney
Portsmouth
PO4 9LD
On the map
Categorisation
Type
Tags
Parent infrastructure(s)
Historic England is the public body that works with people and organisations across England to discover, protect, and bring new life to the shared historic environment. It provides advice, knowledge,… read more about Historic England
Historic England
The Engine House
Fire Fly Avenue
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN2 2EH
Partner Infrastructures
The V&A was the first museum in the world to establish a dedicated Research Department and it continues to be a core activity of the Museum today. It plays a leading role in binding together the f… read more about Victoria and Albert Museum
London
English Heritage (The English Heritage Trust) is a registered charity and AHRC-recognised Independent Research Organisation that cares for over 400 historic sites, monuments, and collections across En… read more about English Heritage
Swindon
Partner Universities
Birkbeck, University of London
Cardiff University
University of Aberdeen
University of Sheffield
University of York
Additional Partnerships
Portsmouth Museums; Hampshire Cultural Trust; MSDS Marine; Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands
Last modified:
2026-07-13 06:17:00