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The University of Southampton Geophysical Survey Team under Kristian Strutt carried out resistivity and magnetometry tests on the two sites over the three week period.
On the Roman site they found evidence suggesting the existence of a roman-british farmstead among the vestiges of celtic fields on the hillside. There are also indications of the site extending beyond the boundaries of Tidgrove into adjacent farmland. This suggests that the existing celtic farms were taken over in Roman times. The survey shows ditches and walls and possible hearths
On the Royal Hall site they found evidence of a defensive ditch with palisade fence enclosing building remains consonant with a Norman royal hall. The intriguing discovery is the existence of the foundations of a large older building through which the defensive ditch passes.
Once the survey of the Royal Hall site had been completed, over 100 children from local schools fieldwalked the site and found and mapped a large number of artefacts including neolithic arrows and tools and medieval remains. There was great excitement when a very rusty key was found but it turned out to be Victorian. They also found some interesting fossils.
Children also carried out a hedgerow survey of the hedge bordering the ancient trackway known as the Kings Way (now part of Wayfarers Walk). Although hedgerow surveys are not an exact science they found 7 hedgerow species in a 30m length confirming this as an ancient hedge.
During all this work, a small team from the Association scripted and filmed a video of these activities.
Finally, when every one else had left, 35 members of the Basingstoke College of Technology Archaeology field walked both sites and recovered over 100 items from the Royal site alone. They are now cataloguing everything.
We intend to hold a one day exhibition about the project during Local History Month in May 2004 which will inform local people and hopefully will encourage lots of volunteers to join an excavation project in Aug.
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