Search results for ""Wessex Archaeology""

Excavations at Collingbourne Ducis revealed almost the full extent of a late 5th7th century cemetery first recorded in 1974, providing one of the largest samples of burial remains from Anglo-Saxon Wiltshire. The cemetery lies 200 m to the north-east of a broadly contemporaneous settlement on lower lying ground next to the River Bourne.

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Excavations just outside a large Late Bronze Age ringwork at Queen Mary's Hospital, Carshalton, in the London Borough of Sutton, revealed a settlement which was occupied possibly continuously from the Early Iron Age into the early Romano-British period. Originally an open settlement, by the Late Iron Age parts of it had been enclosed by an arrangement of small ditches, which underwent some modification over the next two centuries, while keeping their overall layout.

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This volume presents the results of a series of fieldwalking surveys and excavations of Iron Age and Romano-British sites in two areas of the Salisbury Plain Training Area. Altogether some 18 new settlement sites were discovered of which 13 were Romano-British, three were predominantly Iron Age, and two produced evidence of Middle-Late Bronze Age occupation. Small-scale excavation was undertaken at eight enclosures and field systems, accompanied by targeted environmental sampling.An increase in enclosure through to the later Iron Age was revealed, when there was evidence for settlement abandonment followed by a further development of unenclosed settlement and the emergence of nucleated villages such as Chisenbury Warren in the Late Iron Age and through the Romano-British period.

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An excavation in 201012 on the site of the former Ministry of Defence (MoD) Headquarters in Durrington, Wiltshire, revealed evidence spanning the post-glacial to the post-medieval periods. It lies immediately north-east of the Stonehenge part of the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites World Heritage Site. The significant discoveries made during the excavation include a relatively deeply buried Late Glacial Allerød soil, and a zone of Late Neolithic activity centred on a number of natural solution hollows, posthole alignments and pit groups. The Late Iron Age defences, probably constructed in the immediate pre-Conquest period and decommissioned soon after, influenced the layout of early Romano-British fields and settlement activity.

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Excavations in advance of housing development at Longforth Farm, Wellington revealed limited evidence for late prehistoric settlement, but the principal discovery was the remains of a previously unknown high status medieval building complex. This is thought to have been a manor house and though heavily robbed, key elements identified include a hall, solar with garderobe and service wing. A forecourt lay to the north and a service yard with at least one ancillary building and a possible detached kitchen to the south. To the east was a complex of pits, enclosure and field ditches and a pond. ere was a restricted range and number of medieval finds, but together these suggest that occupation spanned the late 11th or 12th century to probably the 14th century. There was a notable group of medieval floor tiles and roof furniture, but documentary research has failed to identify the owners and any records relating specifically to this important building. One possibility is that it belonged to t

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Excavations at Cliffs End Farm, Thanet, Kent, undertaken in 2004/5 uncovered a dense area of archaeological remains including Bronze Age barrows and enclosures, and a large prehistoric mortuary feature, as well as a small early 6th to late 7th century Anglo-Saxon inhumation cemetery. An extraordinary series of human and animal remains were recovered from the Late Bronze AgeMiddle Iron Age mortuary feature, revealing a wealth of evidence for mortuary rites including exposure, excarnation and curation. The site seems to have been largely abandoned in the later Iron Age and very little Romano-British activity was identified. In the early 6th century a small inhumation cemetery was established. Very little human bone survived within the 21 graves, where the burial environment differed from that within the prehistoric mortuary feature, but grave goods indicatefemales' and males' were buried here. Richly furnished graves included that of a female' buried with a necklace, a pair of brooches

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If the real Wessex, with its counties, towns, villages and topography, was no mere readily available template upon which Hardy could carve a fictional pattern, Dorchester provided a very different model, though at the level of local colour and detail, Casterbridge really is Dorchester 'by any other name.'' In this study, Martin Davies examines the role which Thomas Hardy’s involvement with the past plays in his life and literary work. Hardy’s life encompasses the transformation of archaeology out of mere antiquarianism into a fully scientific discipline. Hardy – once described as ‘a born archaeologist’ – observed this process at first hand, and its impact on his aesthetic and philosophical scheme was profound. Dr Davies’ study offers a different route to a fuller understanding of Hardy’s novels, poems, and short stories. How much was Hardy concerned with archaeology per se amongst his plethora of interests? How much did he actually know about it? Did his Classical education, architectural training, and visit to Italy impinge on his perception of the mysterious traces of British prehistory and the Roman occupation with which he had grown up? How does reference to archaeology fit in with his overall narrative, aesthetic, and philosophical scheme? These are the questions posed by Martin Davies in his study of the role played by archaeology and the past in the life and works of Thomas Hardy. The answers are far reaching and profound.

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Archaeological excavation during the construction of a new supply line for the electrification of the Great Western Railway Main Line, uncovered part of a large, previously unknown, Romano-British settlement along the main road between the Roman towns of Aquae Sulis and Cunetio. The full extent of the settlement is unknown but evidence from metal detector finds and field names suggests that it may have extended for at least 0.9 km along the Roman road.

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Excavations at the former County Hospital site, Dorchester have provided a rare opportunity to examine a reasonably large area of the south-western corner of the Roman town of Durnovaria . Evidence for a series of buildings, including a late Roman town house complete with fine mosaics, was recovered as well as working areas and probable barns. A wide range of largely domestic objects and evidence for local produce was recovered as well as important evidence for allec or fish sauce and for imported wine or vine fruits, olive oil, grain and lentils. The results of the excavations are presented here in an easy to read format accompanied by many colour photographs and illustrations. Technical reports will be available on Wessex Archaeology's website (www.wessexarch.co.uk).

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This book examines over 900 years of archaeology, tracing the development of the historic town of Kingston-upon-Thames from its beginnings as a planned town in the 12th century, to the urban shopping centre it has developed into. Using the evidence available, the authors are able to illuminate the finds, the buildings and even the people who ran the businesses, drank in the inns, and turned this Medieval village into a modern town.

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