ASE Takes Stock: Tom Simms, Surveyor and Fieldwork Archaeologist

14 May 2020

Like many of our fieldwork team, Tom is currently furloughed. He’d usually be out on site, surveying and staking out fieldwork. What happened when he had to work from home?

Tom sitting in an archaeological feature

Current work and situation

I’m currently working on the PXA drawing for Whitehouse farm which means smoothing out and closing over 2000 postholes, the third time I would have been around them as I was the surveyor on that site. I am also using my CPD allowance on CAD tutorials to further my understanding of the programme and getting to grips with LIDAR.

Looking back on last year

I cannot pin down a favourite project as I enjoy them all in a different way, whether they’re close to my house (meaning a lie in), they have interesting archaeology, they involve taking on a challenge or working alongside a good team out on site.
My highlights were the Walberton warrior burial, a week-long CPD survey course in Winchester, the 5th wettest winter since 1862 and starting my new position within the Geomatics team.

Tom surveying out on site, looking at a rainbow

Looking forward to post-lockdown

I had been working on a site near Chichester for the last month or so and we have found some interesting archaeology, including some large intercutting ditches. I’ve got my eye on digging these, if they’ll let me - I have a tendency to break shovels! I’m also looking forward to getting back into my beautiful green site hoody.