Event/Activity EPM309 - Fort Widley, Portsmouth, Geophysical Survey

Headland Archaeology Ltd carried out a geophysical (magnetometer) survey on Portsdown Hill on the 6th and 7th May 2025. The work was undertaken on behalf of Neo Environmental in connection with a development proposal for a Battery Energy Storage Site. The survey site was centred on SU 64642 06722, immediately northeast of the B2177 Southwick Road and approximately 1km west of Fort Widley. It comprised a roughly square area of approximately 2.5 hectares within an arable field. The survey detected three anomalies of uncertain origin, but did not record any anomalies interpreted as being of archaeological potential. However, although considered unlikely, an archaeological origin for one of the anomalies could not be completely ruled out. The archaeological potential of the site was assessed as low based on the results of the survey.