Event/Activity EPM244 - Archaeological Evaluation at King Richard School, Allaway Avenue, Paulsgrove

An archaeological evaluation was carried out by Wessex Archaeology at King Richard School, Paulsgrove, between the 25th and 28th January 2016. The work was commissioned as a condition of a planning application for the construction of a replacement three-storey building (with lower ground floor) and the laying out of a reconfigured playing field space, with associated landscape, access and ancillary works. The development would also involve the demolition of existing school buildings. A total of six evaluation trenches were excavated within the footprint of the proposed development using a tracked 360 excavator with toothless bucket. The trenches were excavated in spits until they reached the top of the archaeological levels or the natural deposits (whichever was higher). Each trench measured 30m long x 30m wide. Hand cleaning was carried out where appropriate. The trenches were targeted using results from an earlier geophysical survey (EPM155). No archaeological features were identified during the evaluation. A modern post hole and modern service trench were present within one of the trenches. A handful of residual prehistoric finds were recovered, including Bronze Age and Iron Age pottery. The evaluation found that although some landscaping and levelling had been carried out when the playing fields were created during the 1940s, large scale soil stripping had not taken place. A watching brief was to be carried out following the removal of a large earthwork bund situated partially within the footprint of the new building, which could not be investigated during the evaluation. However, following the results of the evaluation all archaeological conditions were discharged and no further investigation took place at the site. Museum Accession No: 2015/463