News & Projects
March 2024
We recently attended the Wiltshire Archaeology Conference at Devizes, Kerry Donaldson presented the results of our surveying near Highworth where we located 11 previously unknown Highworth Circles forming a group of 20, approximately 60 circles have been discovered so far. They range from 50m - 100m in diameter and have an internal ditch with an external bank. They appear to be unique in the country, so far no parallels have been discovered, only limited excavation has been carried out but it seems likely that they date to the 13th or 14th centuries. Although their exact purpose is unknown, it would seem likely that they are related to holding animals and it's possible they were related to droving or sale of stock but we just don't know. Further info in Wiltshire Archaeology Conference (archaeological-surveys.co.uk).
Preliminary survey work was undertaken at Aldbourne in March ahead of excavations on the Band of Brothers site. Our initial magnetometry on the site several years ago produced surprisingly good results revealing the location of most of the former Nissen huts built and initially used by British forces but which later became a base for the American Band of Brothers or Easy Company. The western part of the magnetic survey was heavily disturbed by modern steel objects and this part of the site has become the focus of attention for this year's excavations so we decided to try ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey, the results of which are visible above (time slice representing around 0.5m depth). We now have much more precise information on the location of the huts which will assist in targeting the excavations. Furth information at Magnetometry locates 'Band of Brothers' huts (archaeological-surveys.co.uk)
Finally, for anyone interested in early wireless sites, which are an ongoing research theme for us, we have a small number of signed copies of Larry Bennett's "Portishead Radio" for £10 +p&p and "The Marconi Beam Wireless Stations of Somerset" for £14 +p&p, contact us on info@archaeological-surveys.co.uk. See Devizes Wireless Station (archaeological-surveys.co.uk) Wroughton Wireless Receiving Station (archaeological-surveys.co.uk)
Cheers, Dave Sabin
Magnetic debris is located by virtually all magnetometry surveys and often dismissed as modern topsoil junk. However, we shouldn't be too hasty in considering this material insignificant, it represents something and perhaps could be the only archaeological evidence of a past event, activity, settlement, etc. This article considers sources of magnetic debris and what sort of archaeological information may be derived from it.
My day of work with Archaeological Surveys LTD carrying out a ground penetrating RADAR survey.
Magnetometry undertaken at Tysoe, Warwickshire in 2017 and 2018 has revealed further evidence for extensive Romano-British and prehistoric settlement. Several sites previously identified by fieldwalking in the 1990s, and geophysics in 2010/2011, were chosen for additional wide area magnetometry survey. The results indicate numerous enclosures, field systems and track ways surrounding core settlement areas. The complexity of many of the sites infers long periods of settlement, possibly from the Bronze Age to the end of the Roman period.
The Stonehenge Chubb Centenary Day, at Shrewton near Stonehenge, included several cricket matches between teams of archaeologists and Shrewton village. Cecil Chubb, born at Shrewton and a cricketer for the village, bought Stonehenge at auction in 1915 and gifted the monument to the nation in 1918. The cricket matches were played in good spirit with some of the archaeologists dressing for the period.
A geophysical survey was undertaken within a single arable field at East Kennett Manor Farm near Marlborough, at the request of landowners Mr and Mrs James Cameron. The survey was carried out over the site of a scheduled bowl barrow, 200m east of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a barrow cemetery (Monument No: 1014036 (SM 28103)) under the Environmental Stewardship Higher Level Scheme, which aims to protect the underlying archaeology within the field.