Eastpoint Centre, Bursledon Road, Southampton (SOU1652). Archaeological Evaluation

Six evaluation trenches were excavated on the site of a proposed building. The main aims of the evaluation were to determine the extent, condition, nature, character, quality, and date of any archaeological remains encountered, as dictated by current best practice. Prehistoric remains had previously been found on land to the west of the site (SOU1521), consisting of nine probable prehistoric features, marked by charcoal, burnt flints, and flint flakes. One feature was dated by the radiocarbon method to 160BC to 60AD at 95% probability. The evaluation conducted as SOU 1652 revealed less certain prehistoric features, the only definite one being a 3m length of ditch, but spreads of burnt flint and charcoal were found, suggesting some sort of prehistoric activity at perhaps the same period as that found on SOU 1521. Neither site produced any pottery, so what sort of activities were going on is unclear. The presence of burnt flint and charcoal in the top of a tree disturbance suggests the prehistoric activity was taking place after, or perhaps during, the removal of tree cover. If so this is useful information relating to the human alteration of the environment of Southampton some 2000 years ago. The landscaping associated with the construction of Hightown Secondary School in the 1960s appears to have involved considerable movement of earth, including archaeological deposits, and what little is left of the archaeology survives buried between 800mm and 1900mm of modern deposits. A few finds were kept and along with the site records form the archive.