Event/Activity EPM173 - Watching brief at Portsmouth Grammar School, High Street, Portsmouth

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Development Archaeology Services during ground works for the construction of a new three-storey building at Portsmouth Grammar school. The work included the monitoring of the removal of pre-existing concrete foundations belonging to a 20th century building which was demolished as part of the development programme. Each phase of excavation was carried out using tracked 360 excavators, and surfaces hand cleaned for examination and recording where necessary. A number of finds were recovered across the site, although these were mainly contained within residual contexts. There was evidence of moderate to severe truncation and disturbance of all stratigraphic units overlaying basal gravels throughout most of the site, which was attributed to previous foundation installation and bomb impact. Two brick ‘bee-hive’ water tanks were the only archaeological features recorded. Accession number: 2013/745