Paul-Samuel Armour

Born in Portsmouth, I originally intended a quite different path to archaeology, but after a car accident and a phone call to Bournemouth University, what had been a general interest, became my career.

During university and a few years after I worked on a range of archaeological projects covering various locations and periods across England, France, Portugal, and Türkiye. However, in 2006 I applied for my first job in commercial archaeology and have not looked back.

Working with various companies from Wessex Archaeology, where I first excavated a site in Kent to the Partnership ‘Framework Archaeology’ between Oxford and Wessex at Stansted and then on to Oxford Archaeology where I ended up back in France, I have worked on a diverse range of sites and gained a wealth of experience.

I moved to Kent permanently in 2011 whilst working on the huge East Kent Access infrastructure project, and to raise my family. It was then I joined Canterbury Archaeological Trust (CAT). The 10+ years I spent at CAT was predominantly spent surveying and working from the Dover Office alongside Keith Parfitt, who became a mentor on Kentish archaeology.

However, in 2021 I changed direction and established, along with two colleagues, the Community Interest Company ‘Isle Heritage’. With Isle Heritage CIC I have been directing the community volunteer excavation at Lossenham, which has included work on an Iron Age Bloomery, a Carmelite Priory and the Scheduled Monument, Castle Toll.

Over the years I have been lucky enough to develop my interest in technology alongside work, this has included developing skills with GNSS equipment, Total-Stations, and survey grade 3D scanners, along with photogrammetry, GIS and AutoCAD. Additionally, for the past 4 years I have operated as drone pilot completing survey work and images or video for media outlets.

I joined the KAS in 2021 and more recently the Archaeological Research Group where I hope to offer my experience in fieldwork and technology.