Category: News

George Shepherd’s Winchester with views of Andover, Basingstoke & Christchurch: A Calendar for 2022 

Bill Hoade has compiled a selection of George Shepherd watercolours featuring scenes from Winchester, Andover, Basingstoke, and Christchurch to form a beautiful calendar for 2022.

Some of George Shepherd's watercolours were first published in our Atlas volume, WS 11. These images are the copyright of Winchester College, who kindly provided them for this use.

Designed by Tim Underwood, compiled by Bill Hoade of Hoade-ink, and printed by Dr Tony Hill at the Sarsen Press, Winchester, you can purchase a calendar for 2022, for £15.00, here: https://www.winchesterstudies.org.uk/product/shepherd-calendar-2022/ 

Digger's at Hursley Park have uncovered some great finds during WARG's week-long Annual Big Dig (Monday 23 August – Sunday 5 September 2021).

Stuart Rippon (WARG's Membership Secretary) updates:

Firstly I want to pass on all our thanks to IBM for letting us dig on this wonderful lawn. IBM and the Club      have been wonderful, with the Cheesy Chips getting the diggers top prize for lunch… plus a cold drink at the end of a hot day.  Seriously, IBM have provided great facilities for us which has gone a long way to making this dig so much fun. The sunken secret garden to chill in was magic and we all gathered there at breaks to chat and eat.

Then I want to thank all those people who came along today [WARG's Open Day, Sunday 5 September].  I’d expected 71 but I think we were nearer 100 and people were still arriving at 5pm. I know the children enjoyed the spoil heaps and we had a great time explaining why there were so many oyster shells and as usual their sharp eyes found some finds we had missed.

So the question always is “did you find anything”… Well yes most definitely. Our finds team worked tirelessly to clean, document and label all of the items we dug from the trenches. There were some great [finds] and you could hear whoops and hollers across the site when a digger uncovered one.

WARG were hoping to excavate the large Tudor house, which they knew was under the ground from the geophysics carried out. Stuart updates:

The features we have uncovered are not really in alignment with that representation but they also tell us so much more…We believe that the house was built in the mid 1500’s and was demolished in the 1720’s but what we did not know was that it was also knocked down sometime between those two dates.

The archaeology shows that an earlier house was largely demolished, in some places to the foundations.  These were then widened and strengthened (probably to support a taller building) particularly in the middle of the house. The floor surface in some areas looks to be around 1m above the current ground level – very like the current Hursley House that has a garden level with the family rooms reached by steps above.

There are indications that the historical records might confirm this redevelopment theory but there is much work to do before that can be confirmed. Reused stone (possibly from Merdon Castle) appeared from time to time, some of it very fine. Then excavating in the domestic area we uncovered wall like structures that resemble medieval walls and represent an earlier building on the site. Whether this was a timber building on top of these foundations, or a wall of some form we cannot tell.

Keep an eye out of WARG's website for any further details: http://www.warg.org.uk/ 

WARG (Winchester Archaeology and Local History society) are hosting an Open Day on Sunday 5 September at 13:00 to present the findings of their Annual Big Dig at Hursley Park.

The tour of the site is expected to last around an hour and following this refreshments will be available from the IBM Club House, closing at 16:00.

To confirm your place please email membership@warg.org.uk .

Parking is available in the South Car Park. From there it is a short walk up hill towards the house and WARG’s dig site. There is limited visitor parking in front of the main house too, reserved  for visitors with disabilities. WARG suggest arriving at 12:45 to allow for the short walk to the site. 

SUMMER SALE! The Search for Winchester's Anglo-Saxon Minsters is available at 30% off its regular price (£15.00) until end-of-day, Sunday 12th September. Make the most of this unique opportunity and purchase your copy HERE. 

About the publication:

The ancient cathedral of Old Minster and the abbey church of New Minster once stood at the heart of Anglo-Saxon Winchester. Buildings of the first importance, honoured by Anglo-Saxon and Norman kings, these great churches were later demolished and their locations lost. Through an extensive programme of archaeological excavation begun in 1961, and as a result of years of research, the story of these lost minsters can now be revealed. Written by Martin Biddle, Director of the Winchester Excavations Committee and Research Unit, and marvellously illustrated by Simon Hayfield, The Search for Winchester’s Anglo-Saxon Minsters traces the history of these excavations from 1961 to 1970, and shows how they led to the discovery of the Old and New Minsters, bringing back to life the history, archaeology and architecture of Winchester’s greatest Anglo-Saxon buildings.

Hyde900's fifth community dig is set to take place 19 – 22 August  following the success of previous years' events. This year’s dig returns to what was the Inner Precinct of Hyde Abbey, exploring the remains of the abbey’s medieval cloisters.

It is hoped that this year's finds will once again help to illuminate the life of the inhabitants of the abbey, which flourished from 1110 to the Dissolution in 1538/9.

Full training will be given and the event is open to all! Please note that under 18s need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.

The cost per 2 hour session is £12 unless you are a member of Hyde900, in which case the cost is £8. Children 11 and under are free.

To book your place on the Hyde900 2021 Community dig visit: https://www.hyde900.org.uk/about/the-archaeology-of-hyde-abbey/communityarcheology/2021-community-dig/2021-dig-booking/

* You can take advantage of the reduced fees for Hyde900 members by joining online when you make your booking(s).

Hyde900 are running an Open Day for their Community Dig on Saturday 21 August, so be sure to drop by then. For further details please see: https://www.hyde900.org.uk/