Wilkinson, K. N. (2022). Central Winchester Regeneration Project: final integrated geoarchaeological report with PCA report.. ARCA. https://doi.org/10.5284/1113561. Cite this using datacite

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Title:		 Central Winchester Regeneration Project: final integrated geoarchaeological report with PCA report.
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Series:		 ARCA unpublished report series
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arca1-514170_209759.pdf (10 MB) : Download
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https://doi.org/10.5284/1113561
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Publication Type:		 Report (in Series)
Abstract
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Abstract:		 Assessment of lithology, geochemistry, palaeobotany, hydrology and archaeology of borehole cores and test pits A geoarchaeological borehole survey was carried out of the Central Winchester Regeneration (CWR) site by ARCA and its partners in August 2020. Thirteen boreholes were drilled (ARCA CWR BH01–13) through the base of 1.2m deep archaeological test pits and to the base of the Quaternary (the last 2.6 million years) sediment stack. Continuous 112mm diameter cores were collected from each and which were later photographed, described and sub-sampled at the University of Winchester. Sub-samples were then assessed for palynology (n = 51), molluscs (n = 15) and plant macroremains (n = 22) while laboratory-based sedimentological and geochemical measurements were made on a further suite of sub-samples (n = 193) and artefacts >20mm identified. Ground water monitoring was carried out of the boreholes at weekly and contamination measurements made at monthly intervals between September 2020 and September 2021. The stratigraphy of the site was divided into five major and four minor stratigraphic units (SU). These comprise Chalk of the Lewes Nodular Chalk Formation (SU1), which subcrops at between 7.63 and 10.80m below ground level (bgl). This Mesozoic (c. 90 million year old) stratum is overlain by sands and gravels of River Terrace Deposits 1 (SU3), a late Pleistocene stratum (possibly 70,000 years old) which extends upwards to between 4.20 and 6.85m bgl. In turn alluvial deposits (sands and silt [SU4a], peat (SU4b], tufa [SU4c] and silt/clay [SU4d]) continue the sequence until between 4.2 and 2.1m bgl. Although not dated as part of this project, the alluvium likely dates from the Early Holocene (perhaps as early as 8500 BC) through to the Iron Age, and indeed in some parts of the site continued to form even after the foundation of Venta Belgarum. Preservation of biological remains in the alluvium of SU4 is variable, but such sub-fossils might in the future provide useful palaeoenvironmental information to better understand prehistoric and early historic human activity in the area that is now Winchester. The primary focus of the present project was on archaeological deposits (SU5) which subcrop above the SU4 alluvium and continue the sediment sequence to within 0.50–2.05m of the present ground surface. The thickness of archaeological strata increases from 2–3.5m in the west of the CWR area to >4m in the east (i.e. beneath the present bus station), while the deposits are a heterogenous mixture of poorly sorted gravels to clays with a high artefact concentration, through organic-rich silts and clays to structural remains. Biological preservation is good to moderate in SU5 across the entire CWR site, while the nature of that preservation is dependent of sediment property rather than depth. The SU5 Archaeological strata have high archaeological and palaeoenvironmental significance – locally and nationally. One borehole drilled in Kings Walk passed through 4.6m of alluvial sediments containing artefacts, as well as geochemical and sedimentological evidence of human activity, to reach River Terrace Deposits 1 at >6m bgl. It is highly likely that these Holocene alluvial strata are fills of an artificial channel, possibly that once running along Middle Brook Street. The hydrogeological monitoring exercise demonstrated that groundwater levels fluctuate in the range 1.5–2.9m bgl, i.e. within the SU5 Archaeological strata. Organic remains were mostly encountered below 1.5m bgl, where they are frequent and well preserved. Groundwater on the site is part of a continuum with that of the underlying Chalk and is therefore unlikely to be affected by construction, except through compartmentalisation. A much greater risk to the archaeological resource as a result of construction and given the proximity of archaeological layers to the ground surface, is likely to be mechanical damage.
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Author:		 Keith N Wilkinson
Publisher
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Publisher:		 ARCA
Other Person/Org
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Other Person/Org:		 Winchester HER (OASIS Reviewer)
Year of Publication
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Year of Publication:		 2022
Locations
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Locations:
Parish: Winchester, unparished area
Country: England
County: Hampshire
District: Winchester
Grid Reference: 448379, 129479 (Easting, Northing)
Subjects / Periods
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Subjects / Periods:
BOREHOLE SURVEY (Event)
ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING (Event)
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OASIS Id: arca1-514170
Report id: 2122-5
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Created Date:		 19 Oct 2023