PCA Winchester was commissioned to undertake archaeological mitigation on land to the east of Sun Lane ahead of a proposed mixed-use development due to comprise 320 houses and a new industrial estate.

The works followed two previous, extensive phases of trial trenching which comprised 142 trenches distributed across the site which revealed prehistoric agricultural activity and the presence of three possible lynchets, as well as post-medieval activity.

Based on information gained through similar evaluation works predating PCA’s involvement on the site, the recent programme centred on the excavation of human burials as well as focussing on several geophysical anomalies which were reminiscent of prehistoric round barrows, near the north-east corner of the site. The topsoil strip revealed three truncated Bronze Age round barrows. Associated with these earthworks, over 130 inhumation burials dating to the Saxon period, as well as two Bronze Age cremations, three prehistoric burials, and one Roman burial, were also uncovered. This is a particularly interesting and important site archaeologically because it presents evidence of long-term continuous use of a mortuary site over multiple time periods.
The Anglo Saxon burials on the site may also indicate that religious change was happening in the area at that time, with potential Christian practices inferred in the alignment of the bodies, with heads placed to the west, and their supine positions. They were also organized in neat rows, in small groups, with few intercutting graves, suggesting a well-managed burial site, indicative of an organized society.

Artefacts from this site drew widespread public attention as a result of their significance. Grave goods such as a Saxon sword and a gold pendant were especially exciting discoveries and the latter was featured on ‘Digging for Britain’ on the BBC in January 2024.
Outreach was an important aspect of the project and also included three presentations to primary and secondary aged children as well as the Young Archaeologist Club. Additionally, PCA’s site supervisor and project manager hosted a site visit from the University of Winchester’s archaeology students and two talks were also conducted for local historical societies.
The programme of fieldwork was concluded in early 2024, post-excavation assessment work is ongoing and the results will be published in due course in line with planning policy.