Event/Activity EPM280 - Archaeological watching on Ground Investigation Works for the Portchester Coastal Frontage Flood and Erosion Risk Management Scheme

An archaeological watching brief was carried out by Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd during groundworks for geotechnical investigations associated with the Portchester Coastal Frontage Flood and Erosion Risk Management Scheme between the 24th April and 9th May 2017. Archaeological monitoring was undertaken as a condition of Scheduled Monument Consent as the south-western extent of the works fell within the area of the Scheduled Monument of Portchester Castle. The watching brief took place along a section of the frontage and foreshore on the northern and western sides of Paulsgrove Lake (Portsmouth Harbour) in areas adjacent to Southampton Road (A27) and around Portchester Castle and along the nearby shoreline. The majority of the works were situated within the boundary of Portsmouth City Council (Unitary Authority) but part of the western extent of the works around Portchester Castle lay within the boundary of Fareham Borough Council. The work comprised the archaeological monitoring of eight boreholes and 13 hand excavated trial pits. Each borehole was started by the digging of a hand excavated pit approximately 0.40m x 0.40m and 1.2m deep and then drilled to a maximum depth of 10m. The trial pits varied in size but they were all excavated to a depth of 1.2m. A general sequence of deposits was recorded across the site, but no significant archaeological deposits, features or finds were identified. Archaeological finds recorded during the works comprised a residual sherd of Roman pottery recovered from a borehole within the Scheduled Monument area of Portchester Castle and 19th and 20th century material recovered from made ground deposits. 2022/101