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Roman Road Research & Excavations

The machine excavations at the Roman site thought to be CLAUSENTUM by A32 at Exton was completed in 2023, with all Streets and Roman Road Lanes in the positions and widths suggested by the LIDAR. Map and positions of the excavations available here. The Streets are near N - S and E - W, the Roman Road Lanes run diagonally across the site.

With little evidence of Roman development over these Streets, a search indicated that Shavards Lane leading to the Farm at the NE corner of this Map was Roman, and a Roman Street running parallel to this Lane was excavated. Our magnetometer tuned to tile suggest blocks of floor or collapsed roofs around Shavards Lane and the Roman Road Lanes, which were probably used as Streets for the original early settlement.

Attendance at our four 2023 digs was low, thought due to the cost of living crisis, so will not have further digs on the Chichester Roman Road until this crisis has waned. A fourth Roman site has been established on Chidden Down, and field work will occur here to find the Chichester Road's route our of Coombe Wood. We are also planning a conference on the Chichester Road and Clausentum in the Summer 2024.

We returned to the Winchester - London Roman Road in September 2022, where a strange feature had been found on the edge of Chawton Park Wood. It was a 60 Roman foot wide ditch with running lanes on both edges. But air photos suggested a light line in the middle of this ditch - not found in excavations in the wood. An excavation in the field in September 2022 found a large amount of crushed flint, but disturbed by the plough. We will attempt a careful excavation in the Wood when cropping arrangement allow in September 2024.

Dig Details. Visit on-line dig information and Booking Form for 2023.

Experienced and novice excavators welcome. A training course is available.

Survey slams Field Schools including Universities

Less than 20% of students get to draw a Section, less get to do other common tasks according to a recent survey. Yet all people coming on our dig will help to draw a section and do other tasks. We have written an article showing how we do it, and why professionally run field schools fail to provide these experiences.

Fieldwork over the Autumn, Winter and Spring

There will be field work on Roman Roads from Winchester to London and Chichester, generally on Saturdays or Sundays. The Chichester Road survey has reached the Chidden Down and Coombe Wood east of Old Winchester Hill. It was found that the Iron Age Hill Fort there had extensive outer defences. We have found the same at Caesar's Camp near Farnham - where similar evidence has been found. We are now looking at a small Hill Fort near by. See the Caesar's Camp page. To join the Email Field Programme, Email us through Contact Us button above.

New Projects

New Project launched is Roman Road Winchester - Chichester which is being mapped from Winchester to the county boundary. It is turning out to be a huge two or three lane highway. Excavations started towards Winchester in 2014. Other Roman Roads round Winchester are being examined - some are showing multi-lanes. Visit the New Projects site for details of these and others - and sign-up for projects which interest you. See the Projects and Contact Us Buttons at the top of the page.


Roman Road Abstracts. Ice Ages. Photos. Our Committee.