Wessex Archaeology

Land at Appleridge, Northfields, Twyford,

Hampshire
Report on Archaeological Watching Brief

WINCM SITE CODE: AY 373

Ref: 70260.01

September 2008

LAND AT APPLERIDGE, NORTHFIELDS, TWYFORD,

HAMPSHIRE, SO21 1NE
REPORT ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

WINCM SITE CODE: AY 373

Prepared on behalf of:

Planning Control
City Offices
Colebrook Street
Winchester
Hants SO23 9LJ

by
Wessex Archaeology Ltd
Portway House
Old Sarum Park
Salisbury
Wilts
SP4 6EB

Reference 70260.01
September 2008

Wessex Archaeology Limited 2008 all rights reserved

Wessex Archaeology Limited is a Registered Charity No. 287786

Appleridge, Northfields, Twyford, Hants

Archaeological Watching Brief

Contents
Summary ........................................................................................................ ii
Acknowledgements ...................................................................................... iii
1
1.1
1.2
2
3
3.1
4
4.1
5
5.1
5.2
6
7

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................1
Project background.............................................................................1
Site location, topography and geology .............................................1
ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ....................................................2
AIMS.........................................................................................................2
General.................................................................................................2
METHODOLOGY .....................................................................................2
Groundwork monitoring .....................................................................2
RESULTS .................................................................................................3
Observed Deposit Sequence..............................................................3
Conclusion...........................................................................................3
ARCHIVE..................................................................................................3
REFERENCE............................................................................................3

Figure 1

Site and Watching Brief Area location plan

Plate 1
Plate 2

General view of the Site

Typical section through footings

Report Reference 70260.01

Appleridge, Northfields, Twyford, Hants

Archaeological Watching Brief

Summary
Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Winchester City Council
(Planning Control) to conduct an archaeological watching brief during
development of land east of the house Appleridge, located in Northfields,
Twyford, Hampshire, NGR 448454 125179, in keeping with Condition 10 of
planning permission for the development.
The Sites principal archaeological potential derived from its proximity to the
recent discovery of part of a 5th to 8th Century Anglo-Saxon cemetery in the
grounds of Twyford School, and the apparent discovery of human remains,
possibly derived from the same cemetery, found in the course of building work
north of Bourne Lane; both sites lie within 200m of Appleridge.
The watching brief was carried out between the 10th and 16th of September
2008 and monitored ground work for two of the proposed houses. Natural
chalk was observed in all the foundation trenches. This lay beneath a layer of
subsoil 0.3m deep, comprising greyish-brown loam containing small chalk
fragments, which in turn lay beneath modern overburden or, sparsely, topsoil.
The observed deposits contained no discernible archaeological components,
features, deposits or finds.
Following monitoring of the two house plots and consultation with Winchester
City Councils Historic Environment Officer, it was concluded that the Site
retained no archaeological potential and the watching brief was consequently
halted.

ii

Report Reference 70260.01

Appleridge, Northfields, Twyford, Hants

Archaeological Watching Brief

Acknowledgements

Wessex Archaeology is grateful to Winchester City Council for commissioning

the watching brief. The advice of the Councils Historic Environment Officer
Tracy Matthews was gratefully received.
The project was managed on behalf of Wessex Archaeology by Paul
McCulloch. The watching brief was undertaken by Julia Sulikowska. This
report was prepared by Paul McCulloch. The report illustrations were
prepared by Linda Coleman.

iii

Report Reference 70260.01

Appleridge, Northfields, Twyford, Hants

Archaeological Watching Brief

LAND AT APPLERIDGE, NORTHFIELDS, TWYFORD,

HAMPSHIRE
REPORT ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF

INTRODUCTION

1.1

Project background

1.1.1

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Winchester City Council

(Planning Control) to conduct an archaeological watching brief during
development of land east of the house Appleridge, located in
Northfields, Twyford, Hampshire, NGR 448454 125179 hereafter the
Site (Figure 1).

1.1.2

Planning permission for the development, comprising four houses, was

obtained from Winchester City Council, (Planning Ref: 08/01207/FUL),
subject to the following archaeological condition (10):
x

The developer shall afford access at all reasonable times to any

archaeologist nominated by the Local Planning Authority, and shall
allow him to observe the excavations and record items of interest
and finds. If, in the opinion of the Local Planning Authority (taking
account the views of the nominated archaeologist ), the nature
and/or extent of any items of interest and finds revealed during the
excavations are sufficiently important to warrant detailed
archaeological works, and the Local Planning Authority certify as
such, no further work shall take place unless and until the developer
has secured the implementation of a programme of archaeological
work in accordance with a written scheme of investigation which has
been submitted by the developer and approved in writing by the
Local Planning Authority.

1.1.3

In keeping with the condition, as the nominated archaeological

contractor, Wessex Archaeology carried out the watching brief during
the excavation of foundation trenches for the first two of the proposed
four houses between the 10th and 16th of September 2008.

1.2

Site location, topography and geology

1.2.1

The Site of Appleridge is in Northfields, an area of housing some 0.5km

north of Twyford and to the east of the B3335. The development
occupies land to the east of Appleridge that was formerly occupied by
garages.

1.2.2

The Site lies 0.5km east of the River Itchen in a locally elevated position
at approximately 55m above Ordnance Datum. Land to the south slopes
down toward the site of Twyford School, some 200m distant. The
underlying geology is Upper Chalk.

Report Reference 70260.01

Appleridge, Northfields, Twyford, Hants

Archaeological Watching Brief

2.1.1

2.1.2

2.1.3

ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND
Prehistoric (12,000BC AD 43)
Sites and find spots of prehistoric date have been recorded in the area
of the Site. Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement and funerary
monuments occur in the surrounding Downland landscape e.g. on
Twyford Down, which lies some 2 km north of the Site, close to the Iron
Age hill fort at St Catherines Hill.
Roman AD (43 410)
The Site lies south of the Roman town of Venta Belgarum, later historic
Winchester, and west of the Roman road linking Venta to the south,
now followed by the Morestead Road. Lying some 500m to the south is
the site of a Roman courtyard villa and bath house.
Saxon and medieval
The Sites principal archaeological potential derived from its proximity to
the recent discovery of part of a 5th to 8th Century Anglo-Saxon
cemetery in the grounds of Twyford School (Wessex Archaeology
2008), and the apparent discovery of human remains, possibly derived
from the same cemetery, found in the course of building work north of
Bourne Lane; both sites lie within 200m of Appleridge.

2.1.4

Twyford (two-fords) was one of the Hundred Hides of the Chilcomb

estate granted to the church at Winchester in the 7th century. It is
recorded in Domesday as in the possession of the King but held by the
Bishop of Winchester. The church of St Mary, Twyford, is thought to
have been a Norman, or conceivably earlier, foundation and four mills
are recorded in Twyford in the 11th century Domesday survey.

AIMS

3.1

General

3.1.1

The aim of the watching brief was to monitor construction groundwork in

order to establish the presence or absence of archaeological remains
on the Site and if present, establish their date, nature, extent and
significance in order to advise Winchester City Council of any
subsequent archaeological works deemed necessary in respect of the
development of the Site.

METHODOLOGY

4.1

Groundwork monitoring

4.1.1

Monitored ground work comprised mechanical stripping of modern

surfacing and debris to subsoil level at approximately 0.3m depth below

Report Reference 70260.01

Appleridge, Northfields, Twyford, Hants

Archaeological Watching Brief

existing ground level and the excavation of foundation trenches (c. 1m

deep) for two of the proposed house plots immediately east of
Appleridge. The area monitored measured approximately 30m eastwest and 8m north-south
4.1.2

Spoil generated by ground work was scanned for artefacts by Wessex

Archaeology.

RESULTS

5.1

Observed Deposit Sequence

5.1.1

Natural chalk was observed in all the foundation trenches. This lay
beneath a layer of subsoil 0.3m deep comprising greyish-brown loam
containing small chalk fragments, which in turn lay beneath modern
overburden or, sparsely, topsoil.

5.1.2

The observed deposits contained no discernible archaeological

components, features, deposits or finds.

5.2

Conclusion

5.2.1

Following monitoring of the two house plots, and consultation with

Winchester City Councils Historic Environment Officer, it was
concluded that the Site retained no archaeological potential and the
watching brief was consequently halted.

ARCHIVE

6.1.1

The Site archive will be prepared to the relevant standards set out in
Appendix 3 of English Heritage (1991) Management of Archaeological
Projects and by and for the Winchester Museums Service. It is
anticipated that the archive, comprising a day book and digital images,
will be deposited with the latter. Geo-referenced Site information will be
supplied digitally to the Historic Environment Officer in a suitable format
(e.g. currently ESRI shapefile or .dxf formats).

REFERENCE
Wessex Archaeology, 2008, Twyford School, Twyford, Winchester: Postexcavation and Report and Updated Project Design, Ref. 67470

Report Reference 70260.01

Plate 1: General view of the

Site

Plate 2: Typical section through footings

This material is for client report only Wessex Archaeology. No unauthorised reproduction.

Date:

Wessex
Archaeology

Scale:
Path:

25/09/08
N/A

Revision Number:
Illustrator:

0
LJC

Y:\PROJECTS\70260\Drawing Office\Report Figures\WB\08_09_25\70260plates.cdr

Plates 1 & 2

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