ROMAN pottery and Anglo-Saxon slag have been found on the site of a housing development in Odiham. Archaeologists found the fragments on a site at 23, High Street, where there is a plan to demolish a cottage and build 14 retirement homes in its place.
Other finds unearthed at the site by the Thames Valley Archaeological Services (TVAS) include bits of iron slag, thought to have been from an Anglo-Saxon foundry, and prehistoric trenches.
The work was carried out after a desktop study identified the site as a possible area of archaeological interest.
The Beechcroft Trust and Genepi Odiham Ltd won permission to build on the site following an appeal at the end of 2009. As a condition of that permission, TVAS dug three trenches in the autumn and have since come up with more than 20 finds.
Dr Steve Ford, TVAS director, said pieces of pottery and foundations indicated there could be a Roman farm nearby. He told The Gazette that the site was smaller than many they worked on but still intriguing. He said: “We are trying to work out which bit of the Roman site we are on.”
He added: “It is not surprising that we found something but the range of stuff is more interesting than we could have hoped for.”
Members of The Odiham Society visited the site last Sunday to look at the findings. Chairman Barbara Igra said: “All of our members found it very interesting.”
It is hoped that the work will finish in the next few weeks, although heavy rain has flooded some of the trenches.
Dr Ford said that artefacts will be handed to Hampshire Museums Service, and TVAS will publish a report in the Hampshire Studies journal.
Author:
Chris Gregory | Source: Gazette © [January 29, 2011]