Collaborative Doctoral Opportunities

AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Award - call for expressions of interest 2026

Historic England and the English Heritage Trust, as the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (HBMCE),  are delighted to announce our Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Award.

The first 4 Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Award studentships will start in October 2027. We are inviting expressions of interest (EOIs) from academic supervisors for these projects. Up to 8 EOIs will be invited to submit final-stage proposals later in autumn 2026. Studentship proposals must be explicitly aligned with 1 of our 5 Priority Research Areas. 

The deadlines for 2027 projects are as follows:

• 4pm on Thursday 15 October, 2026: expression of interest (EOI) deadline
• Week commencing 26 October, 2026: EOI applicants are notified of outcomes. Successful EOI applicants are sent the final-stage form, which will invite them to expand on their EOI answers.
• 4pm on Wednesday 9 December, 2026: final-stage proposal deadline
• January 2027: Historic England and English Heritage nominate 4 successful studentships. These studentships will start in October 2027 and will be funded by the AHRC, subject to UKRI training grant terms and conditions. 

Please download the documents below for the Priority Research Areas and guidance, and the EOI form. 

If you have any questions about the scheme, please contact CDLA@historicengland.org.uk (Historic England) or Research-EH@english-heritage.org.uk (English Heritage).

The award is funded through the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Awards scheme. The awards are designed to support the next generation of arts and humanities researchers through partnerships between higher education institutions (HEIs) and non-HEI organisations such as galleries, libraries, archives and museums. The training partnerships aim to identify and address short and long-term skills challenges and foster interdisciplinarity between the cultural, creative and heritage sectors, academia and other employers.

How we identify Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Award research topics

The Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Award succeeds the Collaborative Doctoral Partnership Scheme.  

Each year, we open a call for proposals which invites university academics to develop a PhD project proposal, in collaboration with a named member of Historic England or English Heritage staff who will act as the co-supervisor for the eventual PhD student. 

These project proposals must match one of the priority research areas we have identified for that year's call; and will:

• Advance the protection of the historic environment
• Advance understanding and interpretation of the nationally important sites in the care of English Heritage (for English Heritage partnership projects)
• Be an area where we would not otherwise be able to carry out research ourselves alone.  

An expert panel assesses all proposals received, and 3 to 4 successful proposals will be taken forward as PhD studentships, which are then advertised to potential students to start in October of the relevant academic year.

The programme provides the perfect opportunity to align practical research with heritage protection outcomes. It also provides skills-sharing to students planning careers in heritage research and management. By doing that, it helps to address skills shortages in the heritage profession.

Priority research areas for Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Award projects starting in 2027 are published in our 2026 call for proposals.  

Summaries of PhD research projects already in progress can be found at the bottom of the page.

Published PhD theses from our CDP alumni

• Archaeological palaeoenvironmental archives: challenges and potential. Paul Flintoft, University of Reading, September 2023
• Livestock and Landscape: Livestock Improvement and Landscape Enclosure in Late and Post-Medieval England. Tamsyn Fraser, University of Sheffield. August 2020
• Monarchy, power, and place in the Victorian age: a historical geography of Osborne House, circa 1845-1901. Lee Butcher, Kings College London. November 2019
• Re-evaluating the use of dental wear as a tool for estimating age at death in British archaeological skeletal remains. Sammy Field, University of Southampton. September 2019
• Factors Affecting The Survival Of Metal Ploughsoil Assemblages: An Assessment Of Lead Bullets From 17th-Century Fields Of Conflict. Sam Rowe, University of Huddersfield. June 2017
• Lithic Scatters and Landscape Occupation in the Late Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic: A Case Study from Eastern England Lawrence Billington, University of Manchester. August 2017
• Religious Heritage in Transition: Sikh Places of Worship in England Clare Canning, University of Leicester. June 2017

CDP Cohort 1 (2013 to 2015)

Defining the Potential of Ploughzone Lithic Scatters for Interpretation of the Final Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Landscape
Research Student: Lawrence Billington
Lead Supervisors: Dr Jonathan Last, Landscape Strategy Manager (Historic England) and Dr Chantal Conneller, Dept. of Archaeology (University of Manchester)

Application of Covers to Conserve Historic Marble and Metal Monuments
Research Student: Melanie Keable
Lead Supervisors: David Thickett, Senior Conservation Scientist (English Heritage) and Dr Matija Strlic, Institute for Sustainable Heritage (University College London)

Religious Heritage in Transition: Sikh Places of Worship in England
Research Student: Clare Canning
Lead Supervisors: Dr Linda Monckton, Historic Environment Intelligence Analyst: Social Impacts (Historic England) and Dr Ruth Young & Miss Deirdre O'Sullivan, Dept. of Archaeology (University of Leicester)

CDP Cohort 2 (2014 to 2017)

Interpreting Loss of Data from Metal Artefact Decay (rates, reasons and conservation management implications)
Research Student: Samantha Rowe
Lead Supervisors: Dr Amanda Chadburn, Senior National Rural & Environmental Adviser (Historic England) and Dr Glenn Foard, Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Huddersfield

English Office Buildings c1900 to 1939
Research Student: Jon Clarke
Lead Supervisors: Kathryn Morrison, formerly Assessment Team Manager East (Historic England) and Dr Frank Salmon, Dept. of History of Art, University of Cambridge

Westminster on Sea: the political and cultural significance of Osborne House, Isle of Wight
Research Student: Lee Butcher
Lead Supervisors: Dr Andrew Hann, Properties Historian's Team Leader (English Heritage) and Professor David Green, Dept. of Geography, Kings College London

CDP Cohort 3 (2015 to 2018)

A Reassessment of Tooth Wear for Determining Age at Death in British Archaeological Remains
Research Student: Sammy Field
Lead Supervisors: Dr Simon Mays, Human Skeletal Biologist (Historic England) and Dr Sonia Zakrzewski, Dept. of Archaeology, University of Southampton

Livestock and Landscape: changing husbandry, livestock improvement and landscape enclosure in late and post-medieval England
Research Student: Tamsyn Fraser
Lead Supervisors: David McOmish, Development Analyst and Polydora Baker, Senior Zooarchaeologist (Historic England); and Dr Umberto Albarella, Dept. of Archaeology, University of Sheffield

Paving a Way for Deaf Heritage
Research Student: Gemma Shannahan
Lead Supervisors: Rosie Sherrington, Policy Adviser-Social Inclusion and Diversity (Historic England); Dr Claire Shaw, Dept. of History, University of Warwick and Dr Mike Gulliver, Dept. of History, University of Bristol

CDP Cohort 4 (2016 to 2020)

Heritage BIM: new ways of digital data management for the historic built environment
Research Student: Joanna Hull
Lead Supervisors: Paul Bryan, Geospatial Imaging Manager (Historic England) and Dr Ian J. Ewart, School of the Built Environment, University of Reading

'Beyond the List': critical examination of impact of statutory and non-statutory heritage lists on the national management of heritage in England
Research Student: Claire Smith
Lead Supervisors: Dr Joseph Flatman, Head of Listing Programmes (Historic England) and Dr Gill Chitty, Dept. of Archaeology, University of York

Army communities at Roman Richborough: an analysis of the Roman military assemblage
Research Student: Philip Smither
Lead Supervisors: Joanne Gray, Collections Curator: Dover (English Heritage) and Dr Ellen Swift, Dept. of Classical & Archaeological Studies, University of Kent

CDP Cohort 5 (2017 to 2021)

Archaeological Palaeoenvironmental Archives: Challenges and Potential
Research Student: Paul Flintoft
Lead Supervisors: Duncan H Brown - Head of Archaeological Archives (Historic England), Dr Zoë Hazell – Senior Palaeoecologist, Investigative Science Team, Historic England and Professor Martin Bell, Dept. of Archaeology, University of Reading, with Dr Rhi Smith, Director of UMASCS Academic Learning and Engagement, University Museums and Special Collections Services, University of Reading.

The Evolution of Audley End
Research Student: Caitlin Scott
Lead Supervisors: Charlotte Newman, Collections Curator (English Heritage) and Dr Hugh Willmott, Dept. of Archaeology, University of Sheffield)

Optimisation of Environmental Control in Museum Collections of Bone and Ivory 
Research Student: Chloe Pearce
Lead Supervisors: Dr David Thickett, Senior Conservation Scientist (English Heritage) and Dr Marianne Odlyha, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College London

CDP Cohort 6 (2018 to 2022)

Heritage Data Analytics - Sustainable Strategies for large and complex stratigraphic and chronometric data
Research Student: Bryony Moody
Lead Supervisors: Keith May, Heritage Information Strategy Advisor (Historic England); and Prof. Caitlin Buck Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield

Managing archaeological loss in the face of coastal change
Research Student: Tanya Venture
Lead Supervisors: Dr Hannah Fluck, Head of Environmental Research (Historic England) and Dr Caitlin DeSilvey, Dept. of Geography, University of Exeter

Roman Coins from Hadrian's Wall and the Northern Frontier Zone 
Research Student: Doug Carr
Lead Supervisors: Frances McIntosh, Curator of Collections, Corbridge (English Heritage); Dr James Gerrard, Dept. of Archaeology, Newcastle University and Dr Peter Guest, Dept of Archaeology, Cardiff University

CDP Cohort 7 (2019 to 2023)

Making marks, changing values: The contemporary significance of graffiti at historic sites
Research Student: Emma Bryning
Lead Supervisors: Dr Megan Leyland, Senior Properties Historian (English Heritage) and Prof. John Schofield, Director of Studies and Cultural Heritage Management, University of York

Using chorography to shape diverse visiting experiences by revealing interpretive layers of Hadrian’s Wall
Research Student: Hannah Taylor
Lead Supervisors: Dr Andrew Roberts, Properties Historian (English Heritage) and Prof. Daniela Petrelli, Professor of Interaction Design, Sheffield Hallam University

Conservation of Late 19th and 20th Century Artillery Pieces
Research Student: William Smith
Lead Supervisors: Dr Paul Lankester, Climate Resilience Lead (English Heritage) and Prof. David Watkinson, Professor of Conservation (School of History, Archaeology and Religion) Cardiff University

CDP Cohort 8 (2020 to 2024)

Agency and Identity in the Urban Built Environment in the Histories and Heritage of Minority Religious Communities
Research Student: Jessie Clark
Lead Supervisors: Dr Linda Monckton, Head of Wellbeing and Inclusion Strategy (Historic England) and Prof. Robert Proctor, Dept. of Architecture and Civil Engineering (Centre for Advanced Studies in Architecture), University of Bath

A window onto the medieval world: illuminating the role of the English glass industry in glazing between AD 1100 and 1600
Research Student: Bronwyn Stone
Lead Supervisors: Dr Sarah Paynter (Historic England), Senior Materials Scientist and Prof. Caroline Jackson, Dept. of Archaeology, University of Sheffield

Exploring the value of coastal heritage to different sectors of society using discrete choice experiments
Research Student: Hannah Cocks (Started 2022)
Lead Supervisors: Dr Antony Firth, Head of Marine Heritage Strategy (Historic England) and Prof. Danny Campbell, Dept. of Economics, University of Stirling

CDP Cohort 9 (2021 to 2025)

Mahogany, Enslaved Africans, Miskito Indigenous People at Chiswick House, Kenwood and Marble Hill, North London
Research Student: Hannah Cusworth
Lead Supervisors: Dr Tessa Kilgarriff, Curator of Collections and Interiors (North and West London) (Historic England) and Prof. Joy Porter, Professor of Indigenous History & PI, Treatied Spaces Research Cluster, University of Hull.

Geophysical surveys in England: Using digital data to inform heritage management and promote collaboration
Research Student: Lucy Parker
Lead Supervisors: Thomas Cromwell, Archaeologist (National Specialist Services) (Historic England) and Prof. Timothy Darvill OBE, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology (Faculty of Science and Technology) Bournemouth University.

Informing our Heritage Future(s): Preserving our Digital Past(s)
Research Student: Alfie Talks
Lead Supervisors: David Andrews, Geospatial Survey Analyst (Historic England) and Dr Kate Giles, Senior Lecturer (Department of Archaeology), Co-Director (Centre for the Study of Christianity & Culture) University of York.

CDP Cohort 10 (2022 to 2026)

Data-driven climate change risk assessment for heritage in England
Research Student: Helen Thomas
Lead Supervisors: Claire Hedley, Strategic Head of Climate Change (Historic England) and Dr Scott Orr, Programme Director for the MSc in Data Science for Cultural Heritage (Bartlett School Env, Energy & Resources), University College London

Conserving ruined masonry: Managing water regimes to enhance resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions
Research Student: Vrinda Jariwala
Lead Supervisors: Karen Gwilliams, Senior Historic Building Surveyor (English Heritage) and Prof. Heather Viles, Resilient Buildings and Landscapes Lab Director, University of Oxford

Spaces of femininity: Making art and craft in the English country house, c.1750-1900
Research Student: Libby Horsfield
Lead Supervisors: Dr Peter Moore, Curator (Audley/Wrest) (English Heritage) and Prof. Kate Retford, Professor of History of Art, (Dept. of History of Art), Birkbeck, University of London

CDP Cohort 11 (2024 to 2028)

Coatings past, present and future
Research Student: Natasha Waddell
Lead Supervisors: Dr Marc Masen, Reader in Tribology and Mechanical Engineering Design (Imperial) and Dr David Thickett, Senior Conservation Scientist (English Heritage)

Historic landscape character and climate change adaptation: modelling impacts and opportunities
Research Student: Jodie Vaughan
Lead Supervisors: Prof Sam Turner, Professor of Archaeology (Newcastle) and Dr Jonathan Last, Landscape Strategy Adviser (Historic England)

Curating Armageddon: revealing the heritage significance of Dover Castle's Cold War collections
Research Student: Lily Green
Lead Supervisors: Prof John Schofield, Director of Studies, Cultural Heritage Management (York) and Dr Kathryn Bedford, Curator of Collections and Interiors (English Heritage)

CDP Cohort 12 (2025 to 2029)

The inclusive potential of creativity to positively engage both under-represented and established audiences
Research Student: Lauren Campbell
Lead Supervisors: Dr Tamsin Silvey, Participation Programmes Manager (Historic England) and Dr Laura Hodsdon, Associate Professor in Heritage, Culture and Society (Falmouth)

Understanding the performance and durability of paint systems for external traditional lime-based substrates
Research Student: Dorée Carrier
Lead Supervisors: Dr Richard Ball, Professor of Construction Materials (Bath) and Dr Francesca Gherardi, Senior Materials Scientist (Historic England)

Compound climate hazards and the future of vegetation management on built heritage in England
Research Student: Sarah Paterson
Lead Supervisors: Prof Heather Viles, Professor of Heritage Conservation (Oxford) and Dr Paul Lankester, National Sustainability Lead (English Heritage)  

CDP Consortium

We are a member of the CDP Consortium. This is the group of museums, libraries, archives and heritage organisations who support collaborative doctoral research students funded through the AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership scheme.

We work together to offer joint training and cohort development opportunities for our students, develop common procedures and promote the scheme.

You can find out more on the CDP Consortium website.

Contact us

Please contact CDP@historicengland.org.uk if you have any queries.