Council arranges assessment works on historic wall
Historic and archaeological materials from a collapsed Listed Winchester wall are currently being assessed.
Winchester City Council has arranged for the assessment of fabric from the collapsed wall, which is located alongside the mill stream in Hyde and contains material from the medieval monastery of Hyde Abbey. The collapsed material includes fine architectural fragments as well as plain worked blocks.
Hyde Abbey was demolished in 1539 following the Reformation. It is likely that the wall formed part of a boundary wall from a large mansion and grounds built on the abbey site in the late 1540s.
The assessment, which is being carried out by local company Pre-Construct Archaeology (PCA) and independent specialist Kevin Heywood, is part of advance work to inform a Listed Building application for the wall’s reinstatement.
Volunteers from the local Hyde900 community project have also been involved in helping the PCA team on site.
Winchester City Council’s Cabinet Member for Business and Culture, Councillor Lucille Thompson, said: “These are important works and a key step in the proposed repair of this historic wall, which forms a valuable part in the heritage of our district. We’re grateful for the input of the local community as we undertake this work ahead of proposed restoration.”