Neil was an archaeologist, a historian, and a political activist. 

​

Neil set up SHARP in 1996 with plans to explore ideas regarding democracy and accessibility in archaeology. SHARP was to be a democratically run, open to all project that would give the same opportunities to an inexperienced novice as to a professional archaeologist. From the beginning, the excavator who discovered a find or feature of great importance was always the one to excavate and record it. Neil believed that archaeology is for the many, not the few. 

​

SHARP continues to operate this way today and is now one of the largest and longest-running archaeological research and training projects in Britain. 

​

Neil is missed deeply by all who knew him, but his legacy lives on through SHARP.