This illistrated guide, written by experts, offers up-to-date descriptions and plans of all the major and minor archaeological sites in England, dating from prehistoric times to the end of the middle ages. There is extensive background information on each site and on the general history and archaeology of England in these periods.

An area excavation was undertaken in December 2004-May 2005 within the western part of the interior and defences of Metchley Roman fort, Birmingham (central England) in advance of proposals for a new hospital development. This was the largest single excavation of the fort interior undertaken at Metchley, comprising an area of approximately 0.4ha, equivalent to approximately 9% of the total internal area of the Phase 1 and Phase 3 fort. This volume, the fourth in the reports, concentrates on the researches into the western fort interior, defences, and post-Roman activity.

This excavation report details work carried out as a result of the A34/M4 Junction improvement. The finds were somewhat fragmentary but showed activity in the Mid to Late Bronze Age, then a gap followed by renewed activity in the Late Iron Age and Roman periods, with only a scattering of later, Saxon, finds. Finds included worked and burnt flint, pottery and some Roman metal finds such as coins and spoons.