Summary

Part of a pagan Anglo-Saxon inhumation cemetery, a possible post hole structure and a Bronze Age ring ditch.

Source: Historic England

Details

SUMMARY OF MONUMENT: part of a pagan Anglo-Saxon inhumation cemetery, a possible post hole structure and a Bronze Age ring ditch.

DESCRIPTION:
The site is located in a field north of a housing development between the A32 and Marlands Lane, and lies on a gently south-west sloping chalk spur overlooking the River Meon and the village of West Meon. The field is under grass, but has been ploughed in the past as evidenced by the marks of ploughing in the field seen in a 1974 oblique air photograph.

Although no features can be seen on the ground, the excavation of part of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery immediately to the south of the scheduled area showed that there was a cluster of burials at the north edge of that excavation. A geophysical survey by the Liss Archaeology Group in early 2014 showed that the cemetery continues into the field to the north of the housing estate, with at least three further burials and possibly grave goods identified just to the north of the ring ditch. The survival and potential of this part of the cemetery can be expected to be equally as good as that found in the southern, excavated, part of the cemetery. The resistivity plot also showed other areas of disturbance, notably towards the north-east end of the field.

The geophysical survey by ArchaeoPhysica Ltd in 2008 identified an enigmatic possible structure, about 50m to the north of the excavated ring ditch, giving the impression of a ring 31m in diameter. This was thought to be some sort of discontinuity in the subsurface, marking the site of a possible structure suggested to be a set of small closely spaced post holes. The presence of this feature was also identified in the Liss Archaeology Group survey in early 2014.

At the north end of the scheduled field is a ring ditch, the remains of a Bronze Age barrow, identified from air photographs in the English Heritage Archive. This ring ditch is beyond the extent of the geophysical survey and is of a similar size to the 28m diameter ring ditch excavated in the former field to the south.

EXTENT OF SCHEDULING
The scheduling aims to protect the Anglo-Saxon inhumation cemetery, the possible structure and the ring ditch. The full extent of the surviving field is included because of the random nature of the distribution of Anglo-Saxon graves and the presence of the ring ditch at the north end of the meadow. The monument has a maximum length of about 125m long NE-SW and width of about 100m WNW-ESE.

All fencing is excluded from the scheduling.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Part of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery, possible post hole structure and a Bronze Age ring ditch at land between the A32 and Marlands Lane, West Meon, Hampshire are scheduled for the following principal reasons:

* Period/Rarity: both the ring ditch and Anglo-Saxon cemetery are representative of their respective periods and there is a presumption in favour of designation when they survive to any substantive degree, as is the case here. They will provide a valuable source of archaeological information about past populations, material culture and ritual;

* Survival: air photographic evidence for the ring ditch shows that it survives well as a buried feature. The good survival of the ring ditch and part of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery to the immediate south has been demonstrated by excavation. In addition the geophysical survey identifying further burials within the scheduled area indicates that good survival can be expected;

* Potential: excavation of the ring ditch and Anglo-Saxon cemetery to the immediate south of the scheduled area proved that there can be expected to be considerable archaeological potential remaining in the features located in this field.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
Air photograph library No 14658 OS/94026 20 MAR 1994,
Air photograph SU6424/7 NMR 704 /418-420 07 MAR 1974,
Hampshire County Council Heritage Environment Record,
Southampton Archaeology Unit Report 1045 Archaeological evaluation excavation at land opposite the Recreation Ground, Marlands Lane, West Meon, Hampshire WINCM:AY464 June 2011,

Source: Historic England