Stephen Digney BSc (Hons), MLitt

 GIS & Geomatics Project Officer

 Stephen joined the survey and geomatics department of AOC in February 2020. He has provided survey processing and GIS mapping support to archaeological field teams, from all AOC Offices, particularly those working on East West Rail and HS2 projects. Before becoming a permanent member of staff, Stephen worked for AOC on a temporary basis as a field archaeologist on several projects and in 2018-19 was a core member of the India Buildings team excavating deep urban deposits in the Cowgate, Edinburgh. Prior to this he was employed by various commercial archaeology units on excavations, evaluations and watching briefs across Scotland and northern England. Notable examples include the multi-period excavations at Mid-Ross, Loch Lomond (2004-5) and supervising the excavation of bottle kilns at the Caledonian Pottery, Rutherglen (2007-8) on the M74 completion project. He has worked on other major infrastructure projects such as the Beauly-Denny powerline (2005, 2016), the Griffin Wind Farm, Aberfeldy (2010 -11), the Clyde Wind Farm (2011 and 2015-16), and was an Archaeological Clerk of Works on the Viking Wind Farm, Shetland (2019).

Stephen has been involved in field archaeology since being a member of the excavation team at the Iron Age hillfort of Castell Henlyss, Pembrokeshire (seasons 1992 and 1993). He went on to study topographic science and archaeology at Glasgow University, and graduated with an honours degree in archaeology in 2004. As a student he excavated at the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age settlement at Crossiecrown, Orkney (2000); a Neolithic timber building at Claish Farm, Perthshire (2001); the Iron Age settlement at Phantassie Farm, East Lothian (2002); was a field walker, surveyor and team leader on the multi-national and interdisciplinary Troodos Environmental and Archaeological Survey Project in Cyprus (seasons 2001-2003); and took part in the South East Melos Survey Project, Greece (2002). Following a year in commercial archaeology, Stephen returned to Glasgow University to undertake a masters degree in Medieval Scottish Studies and graduated with a Distinction (2006). From this he developed research interests in landscape archaeology, medieval and post-medieval Scottish history, and Scottish place-name studies.

From 2006 to 2012, Stephen worked for various commercial units; did research on early medieval Stirling; produced map illustrations for clients writing historical papers; and participated in walkover surveys in Ardnamurchan, Morvern and Ardgour. During this period Stephen gained experience in community archaeology and was a surveyor and excavation supervisor on excavations and geophysical surveys at Scone Palace, St. Serf's Isle, the Dingwall Thing Project, Ancrum Walls, and the King's Knot, Stirling. Stephen is also a founding member and serves on the committee of the Stirling Local History Society.

In 2012, Stephen was employed at RCAHMS as a Historic Land-use Assessment officer until the completion of the HLA map project in 2015. In 2016-17 he worked for Historic Environment Scotland in a temporary role preparing legacy RCAHMS survey data for online display. Both roles were based on GIS mapping and involved the interpretation of aerial photography, historic maps and LiDAR.  In the process he formed a detailed knowledge of the HES monument thesaurus, the development of Scottish landscapes, and survey methodologies. Since joining AOC Stephen has been given the opportunity to advance his skills in GIS, GPS survey and data processing, LiDAR processing, laser scanning survey, and photogrammetry.

Selected Bibliography

2013 Digney, S and Jones, R. 'Recent Investigations at the King's Knot Stirling', in The Forth Naturalist and Historian Vol 36, 129-147.