Magna Excavations
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Magna Excavations
Overview | Typical Day | Eligibility | Ticket Types & Prices | Release Dates | How to Book
In 2023 we started a new Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC) at Magna. You can learn more about our research and where we’ll be excavating throughout The Magna Project: 2023-2027 Excavations. The current area of excavations is in the south east of the visible fort platform adjacent to the Roman Army Museum. If you would like to find out more about what is being uncovered you can subscribe to our YouTube Channel for video updates or explore our Dig Diary where we have weekly updates from the Magna trenches.
Typical Day
9:30 am – Meet the archaeologists outside the Roman Army Museum and walk through to the Archaeology Centre. Here you will receive more information on what is happening each day and be guided on to the excavations.
9:30 – 12 noon – Excavation/Post Excavation
12 noon – 1 pm – Lunch Break
1 pm – 2:30 pm – Excavation/Post Excavation
2:30 – 3:00 pm – Tea Break
3:00 – 4:00 pm – Excavation/Post Excavation
During the 2 weeks we also take a team photo which we will share on social media but also with the team.
On the last Friday of each excavation period work will stop early to give you time to tidy your tools and belongings and the archaeological staff will deliver a summary tour of the excavations, to recap what has been achieved in the two weeks.
In the event the excavations are called off due to extreme weather alternative activities will be arranged at the discretion of the site teams. These can include; walks, lectures, post excavation, visit to the Vindolanda excavations.
Eligibility Considerations
If you wish to have more information, please do not hesitate to contact our staff on 01434 344 277 or email info@vindolanda.com before you make your booking.
Ticket Types & Prices
The Vindolanda Excavation programme is much more than an opportunity to dig it is a fully supported archaeological field experience. The excavation fee paid by volunteers contributes towards the substantial costs of running a professional research excavation, ensuring everyone receives expert supervision, training, and access to facilities throughout their experience.
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Ticket Type
Price
Excavate Only
Two weeks of excavation
Excavation T-shirt
Training and supervision by professional archaeologists
£290
Excavate & Stay — Carvoran Cottage
Excavate Only place(s) for the named excavators
13 nights at Carvoran Cottage next to the Roman Army Museum for up to 3 people
£1300
Excavate & Stay — Carvoran House
Excavate Only place(s) for the named excavators
13 nights at Carvoran House next to the Roman Army Museum for up to 6 people
£2750
Excavate & Stay places include self-catered accommodation adjacent to the Roman Army Museum at Carvoran House or Cottage, reserved for excavators during the excavation season. Click the link to find out more about the Carvoran facilities.
Alternatively, you can book one of our two self-catering holiday homes at Codley Gate, adjacent to Vindolanda. These properties can be booked alongside your excavation but do not include an excavation place, which must be booked separately.
If you would prefer to arrange your own accommodation, visit our Local Accommodation page for information on other places to stay nearby.
Friends of Vindolanda
You do not need to have a Friend’s Membership to make a booking, but all excavation volunteers must become a Friend before arriving on site. This is in addition to the excavation cost and not included as many of our excavators are already Friend’s of Vindolanda.
Membership gives you:
- Entry to Vindolanda and the Roman Army Museum outside excavation hours
- Shop discounts
- Invitations to Friends events
- Annual excavation and Trust updates
2027 Magna Excavation Dates
Period 1: 5th April – 16th April 2027
Period 2: 19th April – 30th April 2027
Period 3: 3rd May – 14th May 2027
Period 4: 17th May – 28th May 2027
Period 5: 31st May – 11th June 2027
Period 6: 14th June – 25th June 2027
Period 7: 28th June – 9th July 2027
Period 8: 12th July – 23rd July 2027
Period 9: 26th July – 6th August 2027
Period 10: 9th August – 20th August 2027
Period 11: 23rd August – 3rd September 2027
Period 12: 6th September – 17th September 2027
Period 13: 20th September – 1st October 2027
How to Book:
Priority booking
Veteran booking for the Magna Excavations
The Veteran Draw offers previous Vindolanda or Magna excavators the opportunity to book a place on the Magna excavations before the main launch. Please follow the link if you would like to find out more or be included in the 2027 Veteran Draw.
Follow this link for more information about booking onto the Vindolanda Excavations or Post Excavation.
Release Dates:
Magna Veteran Launch: 6th October 2026
Priority booking for anyone who has previously excavated with the Vindolanda Trust. Limited number of places available.
Magna Main Launch: 13th October 2026
Release of all remaining Magna Excavation places.
Booking Your Place
Bookings are online only. We cannot take excavation bookings by telephone or email.
We anticipate high demand when bookings open. To ensure the process is as fair as possible, a virtual queue will be activated five minutes before launch. Visitors on the ticketing website (once you have clicked on Book a Place) at that time will be placed into the queue and assigned a random position before being admitted to the booking system. Anyone arriving on the booking website after this point will join the end of the queue.
Once on the website there are 5 steps to purchasing your place:
1. Choose your ticket type
Select Excavate Only, Excavate & Stay, Philanthropic, or Post-Excavation
2. Select your excavation period
Choose the two-week slot you would like to attend (from a calendar – know the start date for your preferred period – the accommodation arrival date will be the Sunday before but the date picker will show start date of the period)
3. Enter your details
Complete the booking form and choose your T-shirt size.
4. Pay online
Excavate Only places are paid in full; accommodation and Philanthropic places require a £290 deposit. All tickets are non-transferable & non-refundable. Please ensure you are purchasing the correct ticket before you pay.
5. Receive your confirmation
You’ll receive a confirmation email and a separate volunteer information form within seven days.
Booking FAQs
Magna main launch opens on 13th October, followed by Vindolanda and Post-Excavation on 3rd November. All bookings open at 12 noon UK time on the published dates.
Before launch: tickets are not yet available.
After launch: the period may be sold out or temporarily reserved in another customer’s basket.
No formal waiting list operates. Any cancelled places are released through the Late Availability page and announced in the Trust newsletter.
No. Tickets are non-transferable and cannot be moved to another period or converted between accommodation and non-accommodation options.
Excavation Bookings are non-refundable, except in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Vindolanda Trust. This does not affect your statutory rights as a consumer. All deposits are non-refundable.
We strongly recommend you take out your own personal insurance.
If you saw the on-screen confirmation, check your spam/junk folder first, then contact the Trust and we can resend your confirmation email.
Within seven days you will receive:
- a confirmation email,
- a link to the Volunteer Form,
- information about emergency contacts, T-shirt sizes and arrival details,
- payment instructions if you paid a deposit.
Before you book
Please make sure you can answer yes to the following:
- I can commit to two consecutive weeks.
- I have read the physical requirements and understand excavation is active outdoor work.
- I know which ticket type I want (Excavate Only, Excavate & Stay, Post-Excavation, etc.).
- I have read and understood the cancellation policy.
- I will become a Friend of Vindolanda before arriving on site.
Please note: Our excavation programme is extremely popular, and demand for places exceeds availability. We work hard to make the booking process as fair as possible, but unfortunately not everyone will be successful.
Our staff are here to help, and we ask that they are treated with courtesy and respect at all times. Abusive behaviour will not be tolerated.
A booking link will be added to this page closer to the launch time.
