Series: Southampton Archaeology Unit unpublished report series

Groundworks for the construction of a block of flats, two houses and refuse and cycle stores at 179 to 183 Fratton Road were observed on behalf of PMC Construction and Development Services Ltd. Trenches exposed natural deposits, a pit dating to between AD 1550 and 1900 and modern contexts. Medieval Fratton was not identified at this watching brief but much of the site had been disturbed by modern building work.

A subterranean brick chamber beneath Portsmouth High Street was discovered by workmen erecting a lamp post in January 2009. Archaeological recording was carried out by the Southampton City Council Archaeology Unit on behalf of their client, Portsmouth City Council. The site was located on the south side of Portsmouth High Street, adjacent to numbers 13, 14, and 15 George Court. The area was badly bombed during the Second World War and George Court is a post-war development that occupies the site of the bombed George Hotel and the buildings adjacent. The chamber consisted of two adjacent rooms each with a passageway leading off. The brick sizes suggest a mid- to late-19th century date. The chamber perhaps was probably for delivery of coal or was perhaps associated with the use of the building as a bank.

The Archaeology Unit of Southampton City Council carried out an archaeological evaluation excavation at East Shore School, Eastern Road, Portsmouth on behalf of George Wimpey Southern Counties Ltd. Boreholes had shown that in the northern part of the site the old ground surface was generally between 1.3m and 2m below the present surface, but in the southern part of the site proposed groundworks were likely to extend into the old ground surface. The southern part was therefore evaluated. Three trenches were opened in the south-west part of the site covering a total of 60m2 - comprising a 2% sample of that part of the site. The evaluation uncovered a scatter of prehistoric evidence followed by evidence for the post-medieval and early modern use of the area as fields before the area was developed in the 20th century. Unstratified and residual finds included burnt flints, a flint flake, and a sherd of 16th or 17th century Normandy stoneware. Other ceramics comprised 18th to 20th century pottery, tobacco pipes, and building material. The low level of finds at the East Shore School evaluation suggests that further archaeological work will not be necessary.

Portsmouth Housing Association wished to construct flats on land to the north of the vicarage associated with St Mary's Church Fratton, Portsmouth, Hampshire (NGR 6500 0090). The site was adjacent to the Glebe Hall. An archaeological watching brief was required by Portsmouth City Council (planning reference 07/01233/FUL) to ensure that any archaeologically significant remains uncovered by the development were recorded. Southampton City Council Archaeology Unit carried out the work on behalf of Brymor Contractors Ltd. The site is within Local Area of Archaeological Importance 3. This area is a long north-south strip along Fratton Road covering the area of the medieval settlements of Fratton at its south end and Buckland/Kingston at its north. The area is defined principally as one of importance for medieval and post-medieval archaeology. Fratton is thought to take its name from a Saxon 'Frodda'. The mother church for the whole Portsea Island area was St Mary which was endowed in 1164. The Manor of Fratton was in existence by the mid-13th century. The site was situated within the glebe lands of the nearby parish church, thought to have Saxon origins, but nothing of great archaeological interest was observed. The London Clay was situated 0.6m below the surface and was at least 1.1m thick. The weathered natural contained a fragment of burnt flint and above it the topsoil contained finds from the 19th century.

The Archaeology Unit of Southampton City Council carried out an archaeological watching brief at 6 Kent Street, Portsea, Portsmouth, on the groundworks for the construction of a block of 7 flats, on behalf of their clients Latimer and Ayles Partnership Limited. The site lies in Area 2 of the Local Areas of Archaeological Importance as defined by Portsmouth City Council. Area 2 covers the area of the naval dockyard, founded by 1495, and its defences. It includes the area of the settlement, housing dockworkers and their families, which became known as Portsea, and also the defensive circuit that protected the dockyard and settlement by the late 18th century. The area is defined principally as one of importance for post-medieval archaeology. No features or deposits of archaeological significance were observed.

The Archaeology Unit of Southampton City Council carried out an archaeological watching brief on the installation of a toilet for disabled people and a sewage treatment plant at Bastion 4, Hilsea Lines, Scott Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth (fig 1) on behalf of their client, CASEMATES. The works were carried out under scheduled monument consent. The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument (County Monument No 330) and lies in Area 15 of the Local Areas of Archaeological Importance as defined by Portsmouth City Council. Area 15 covers the area of the Hilsea Lines, a rampart and moat built in the mid-18th century, on the line of earlier but ill-defined defensive works, probably centred on the bridge over Portscreek, which had been built in stone by 1510. The area is defined principally as one of importance for post-medieval archaeology. Work revealed evidence of 19th century brick walls, a sunken brick feature and a possible ditch of uncertain date.