Event/Activity EPM34 - Watching Brief at 35-37 Claremont Road, Rear of 32-34 Fratton Road, Portsmouth

Archaeological watching brief on the groundworks of a new development of a block of four flats at 35-37 Claremont Road, at the rear of 32-34 Fratton Road, Portsmouth. A total of six foundation trenches were excavated by machine, exposing natural deposits, deposits of uncertain date and modern contexts. It was thought that buried soil containing small quantities of cultural material had probably formed the ground surface before the area was developed. A semi-cellar, part of the remains of a modern building, occupied the middle of the site. Two layers of uncertain date contained flecks of charcoal, shell and other cultural material, although none of this was datable. A dark soil (layers 7 and 8) containing charcoal and shell, may have been evidence of medieval Fratton, but no certain dating evidence was recovered. The lack of archaeological finds was attributed to the disturbance by modern building works, and no definite conclusions could be made. Accession number 2004/961