Central Winchester Archaeology Day – latest findings revealed
Winchester City Council hosted an Archaeology day on the Central Winchester Regeneration site last week, offering local residents the chance to see some of the tools used in the investigations that have been undertaken far, as well as some of the items that have been found, including animal bones and pottery fragments.
At the event, held on Wednesday 6 October, Keith Wilkinson from ARCA, University of Winchester spoke to over 50 interested local residents on site during an informal drop-in session in the morning. This was followed by a presentation hosted online highlighting some of the findings so far, and a Q&A session with the Central Winchester Regeneration Archaeology Advisory Panel.
The day also offered the opportunity for the Archaeology Advisory Panel to discuss the findings and to review their recommendations made to the council regarding the best way to address the archaeology on the site.
Speaking as Chair of the panel, Professor Martin Biddle said:
“We now have a powerful body of evidence about the area. This reinforces the recommendations we, as a panel, made to the council before the work commenced and we encourage them to continue to follow them.
We are now able to document deposits on the site and this can be used to ensure that any foundations proposed as part of any new development take the archaeology into account, and that appropriate excavation be undertaken beforehand if required.”
Cllr Kelsie Learney, Cabinet Member for Housing and Asset Management said:
“Whilst we are very excited about working towards creating a vibrant new part of town here on the Central Winchester Regeneration site, we are also mindful of protecting its past. We have followed ‘best practice’ here, as we take our role in ensuring the site is treated with the consideration it deserves very seriously.
The heritage of our beautiful city is part of what makes it so special and this will inform all the decisions we make about its future. It was fascinating to hear the thoughts of both the panel and the public today and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to join us either on site or online.”