Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club & Archaeological Society

Excavations at Viables Two, Jays Close, Basingstoke, revealed evidence of a Late Iron Age -- Roman sub-rectangular enclosure with a number of internal features including gullies, pits and postholes. No evidence for houses was recovered, but it would appear that the ditches and pits represent domestic and burial activity. Specialist reports include

Three ring ditch sites observed on aerial photographs were excavated in advance of gravel extraction during autumn 2001. Site A comprised two Early Bronze Age ring ditches with an associated complex cremation burial deposit and two pottery vessels. The monument was reused for a single burial in the Middle/Late Bronze Age. Site B also comprised a double ring ditch with clear evidence for the presence of mound material. No burial deposits were associated with this but a food vessel was found within the interior. The finds from the ditch were notable for the presence of flint knapping debris indicating the procurement of raw materials. Site C comprised a single ring ditch with a causeway. It was not associated with burial deposits but did indicate some procurement of flint. Linear features of Roman and post-medieval date were also examined and represent field boundaries. Specialist reports include

A site just to the north of the Roman, Saxon and medieval walled town of Winchester was investigated. It lay within the historic suburbs, on the line of the Roman road from Winchester to Silchester and partly within the outer precinct of the medieval Hyde Abbey. Evaluation confirmed that well-preserved and deeply stratified archaeological remains of Roman, medieval and post-medieval date survived over much of the site. Consequently, a mitigation strategy, designed to allow the preservation of archaeological remains in situ wherever possible, was developed by Wessex Archaeology in consultation with the developer and the planning authority's archaeological advisors. An accompanying programme of archaeological fieldwork mapped the remains of medieval buildings in the outer precinct of Hyde Abbey, prior to their preservation in situ, and recorded any other remains unavoidably disturbed during development. Findings included the Roman road to Silchester, evidence of structures fronting onto this and cremation burials of both early and late Roman date, together with new evidence for the extent of the Outer Court of Hyde Abbey and the character of occupation within it. Specialist reports include

A phased programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Wessex Archaeology at a site adjacent to Goch Way, near Charlton, Andover. A total area of c.0.8ha was stripped of topsoil to reveal three Early Saxon sunken-featured buildings. In addition to pottery of fifth- to seventh-century AD date, artefacts recovered include spindle-whorls, glass beads, whetstones and part of a copper alloy bowl. Artefacts of Romano-British date were also retrieved during the course of the work. Additionally, at least one pit of Late Neolithic date was recorded, and over 400 pieces of worked flint of Later Mesolithic date were collected from naturally deposited aeolian silts. Specialist reports include

The paper establishes the size and composition of Winchester College as a household. The College, founded in 1382 by William Wykeham, was an independent, self-governing institution where seventy scholars (all boarders) and a varying number of commoners were taught grammar and prepared for further studies at Oxford; it was a large residential household and an important landowner. The author looks at the paid personnel, including household servants, required for the running of the household, and the feed officials and visitors such as attorneys, auditors, notaries and stewards, who would have been part of the College community from time to time.

Article on the first mansion house at Hurstbourne Priors, which was demolished in the late-eighteenth century. Its appearance is known from visitors' descriptions, a map by Isaac Taylor and two paintings by Jan Griffer the younger. Geophysical survey and visual inspection of the topography suggest that the house was neither as large nor as perfectly aligned with the surrounding landscape features as the paintings indicate, and the author argues that artistic licence has led to misunderstanding of the house's situation.

Note on an excavation at Middle Wallop Airfield which uncovered features and finds indicating later prehistoric settlement, and two World War II trenches.