What CFA Archaeology does

CFA Archaeology Limited is a UK-based cultural heritage consulting and contracting firm founded in 2000 as an independent spin-off from Edinburgh University's Centre for Field Archaeology. The company provides a full-service offering across the archaeological project lifecycle, covering heritage consultancy and planning advice, historic building survey, geophysical survey, archaeological excavation (watching briefs, evaluation trial trenching, and full excavation), and post-excavation services. It operates from eight offices spanning Scotland (Musselburgh headquarters, Prestonpans post-excavation centre) and England (Leeds, Sheffield, Milton Keynes, Carlisle, Hoddesdon, Leicester), delivering projects throughout the UK from Shetland to Cornwall.

The firm's underlying capability set rests on conventional archaeological methods — non-invasive geophysical survey for subsurface mapping, field excavation, environmental sampling, finds processing, and artefact assessment — supported by proprietary features in technical photography for archival documentation and a geomatics and graphics function for mapping and visualization. Over 25 years CFA has accumulated 4,310 commissioned projects, 4,148 reports, 155 peer-reviewed publications, and 2,436 OASIS entries, with ISO 9001 quality management certification renewed in December 2025 via Lloyd's Register. The firm also participates in the CONNECT Archaeology LLP joint venture with AOC and IAC for major infrastructure works including HS2.

Revenue is generated through professional services fees on a project basis under a sales-led go-to-market motion. Target segments are construction and development companies, energy and infrastructure projects (including renewable energy and HS2), planning authorities, and historic property owners. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quoted per project according to scope and complexity. The company is privately held, has never raised external capital, and has grown organically from nine founding staff to 11-50 employees.

Name

CFA Archaeology

Legal name

CFA Archaeology Limited

Website

https://cfa-archaeology.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CFA Archaeology Limited is a UK-based cultural heritage consultancy and contractor founded in 2000, providing end-to-end archaeological services — from heritage planning advice through geophysical survey, excavation, and post-excavation analysis — to construction, infrastructure, energy, and public-sector clients across the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Archaeological Consulting Services

NAICS

Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning (BPAHAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA)

Keywords

• Archaeological consulting
• Heritage planning advice
• Archaeological excavation
• Geophysical survey
• Post-excavation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Musselburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Heritage Consultancy and Planning Services: Professional consulting services providing heritage research, documentation, and planning advice for development projects. Revenue generated through project-based fees for assessments, surveys, and advisory services.
2. Archaeological Contracting Services: Contracted archaeological fieldwork including watching briefs, evaluation trial trenching, and full excavation services for construction and development clients.
3. Post-Excavation Services: Specialist analysis services including environmental sampling, finds processing, artefact assessment, and publication production for archaeological assemblages.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CFA Archaeology is an independent cultural heritage consultancy and contractor providing a full suite of archaeological services across the UK. The company delivers pre-planning heritage advice, geophysical surveys, archaeological excavation (watching briefs, evaluation trial trenching), historic building surveys, and post-excavation analysis including environmental sampling, finds processing, artefact assessment, and publication. Services are delivered across housing developments, solar farms, and road, tram, rail, and energy infrastructure projects.

Product overview

CFA Archaeology is a full-service cultural heritage consultancy and contractor offering a comprehensive suite of archaeological services. The company operates as a unified service practice rather than a software product company, providing heritage consultancy and planning advice, historic building survey, geophysical survey, archaeological excavation, and post-excavation services. These services are delivered across all construction sectors including housing developments, solar farms, and road, tram, rail, and energy infrastructure projects throughout the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Heritage Consultancy and Planning Advice Historic and heritage research, documentation, and advice for planning applications, providing pre-planning advice and assessment services for developers, planning authorities, and construction companies.
• Historic Building Survey
• Geophysical Survey
• Archaeological Excavation
• Post-Excavation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,300 archaeological projects successfully completed across the UK
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CONNECT Archaeology LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partnership with AOC and IAC, operating as CONNECT Archaeology LLP for collaborative working on major infrastructure projects including large-scale archaeological works.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cotswold Archaeology: Established UK archaeological practice with strong regional presence and full-service heritage offering. Comparable in scale, service range, and target clients to CFA.
• Oxford Archaeology: Major UK archaeological consultancy with academic roots and national coverage, providing heritage consulting, excavation, and publication services. Closely comparable to CFA in service mix, client base, and academic publishing credentials.
• Wessex Archaeology: One of the largest archaeological practices in the UK, offering heritage consultancy, fieldwork, and post-excavation services nationwide. Directly comparable in full-service scope, target clients (developers, infrastructure, public sector), and operating model to CFA Archaeology.
• Pre-Construct Archaeology: Large UK archaeological practice providing pre-planning, fieldwork, and post-excavation services primarily to the construction and development sector. Direct competitor for the same commercial developer client base as CFA.
• York Archaeological Trust: Regional UK archaeological organization with full heritage service offering including consultancy, excavation, and research. Comparable in operating model and academic orientation to CFA.
• AOC Archaeology: UK archaeological consultancy and joint venture partner of CFA within CONNECT Archaeology LLP. Offers heritage consultancy, fieldwork, and built heritage services to developers, infrastructure, and public-sector clients — closely comparable service mix.
• Headland Archaeology: UK-wide archaeological contractor and consultancy providing fieldwork, heritage advice, and post-excavation services. Direct peer with similar mid-size scale and developer/infrastructure client base as CFA.
• MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology): Large UK archaeological practice delivering heritage and archaeology services across planning, fieldwork, and post-excavation. Directly competes with CFA for developer, infrastructure, and public-sector commissions.

Others

• Historic England: Public-sector body that advises on and regulates heritage protection in England, sets standards for archaeological work, and is a key client/referral source for firms like CFA. Not a direct competitor but a structural counterparty in the market.

Broad incumbents

• RSK Group: Diversified UK environmental and infrastructure consultancy that has acquired multiple archaeological and heritage practices. Broader incumbent that competes for infrastructure project heritage work as part of a larger environmental services portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cfaarchaeology
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cfa-archaeology-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/cfaarchaeology

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CFA Archaeology