Laura Bailey

Laura is an archaeologist with over 20 years’ experience in commercial archaeology, specialising in archaeobotany and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Her expertise includes charcoal analysis, charred plant remains, waterlogged wood identification, and the interpretation of complex environmental datasets from Mesolithic to post-medieval contexts.

Since joining Headland Archaeology in 2006, Laura has developed extensive experience across both fieldwork and post-excavation. She has worked on major infrastructure and development projects, as well as complex urban sites, including the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, A4/A5 Northern Ireland, Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, Forth Replacement Crossing and Clyde Windfarm, alongside urban projects such as Lochrin Basin, Edinburgh, Linlithgow Bus Station and Castle Hill, Banff.

Now a Senior Environmental Specialist, Laura undertakes the assessment and analysis of archaeobotanical remains from a range of site types, including complex urban and wetland environments. She coordinates radiocarbon dating programmes.

Her project experience includes work on rare and high-profile assemblages, such as plant remains from the Cashel and Moydrum bog bodies for the National Museums of Ireland, and contributions to palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the Neolithic Humberhead Levels.

Laura has a particular interest in wetland and coastal environments and is currently undertaking an MRes focused on intertidal peat deposits at the Bay of Skaill, Orkney, further developing her expertise in waterlogged plant remains and intertidal palaeoecology.

She also has experience in outreach and public engagement.