Archaeology at Historic London Town and Gardens is conducted by the Anne Arundel County Lost Towns Project.

The Anne Arundel County Lost Towns Project is an archaeological research and public education program sponsored by Anne Arundel County and the Anne Arundel County Trust for Preservation, Inc. in cooperation with Historic London Town and Gardens.

The Lost Towns Project, created by the county's Department of Planning and Code Enforcement in 1991, locates and explores colonial period sites throughout Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The professional staff of archaeologists, historians, and lab technicians works closely with history enthusiasts and the general public to involve them in the excitement of discovery and the joy of learning about the county's past.  It has been our experience that public participation in original archaeological research strengthens the connection between past and present, increasing awareness and promoting historic and environmental preservation and conservation.

At London Town, intensive archival research identifies the 17th- and 18th-century lots of the original town. The archaeological field team excavates the plow zone (the top six to twelve inches of soil which has been plowed) and screens it for artifacts while exposing the subsoil beneath. In this subsoil, evidence of Colonial period buildings still exist.

Several buildings have been identified at London Town which date from this period. Carpenters built the "earth fast" structures upon wooden posts which were sunk three to four feet into the ground. Discolorations in the clay subsoil are the identifiable remains of these support posts. Archaeologists locate and outline these structures by mapping post holes.

Archaeological evidence is used to determine the kind of structure that once stood on the site.

Individuals interested in volunteering with the Lost Towns Project can contact their volunteer coordinator via email or 410-222-1318.

London Town’s education and interpretation programs also need volunteers interested in interpreting archaeology to the public. Individuals interested in volunteering for Historic London Town and Gardens can contact us at 410-222-1919 or via email.