Concrete found on the Chilcomb Zig Zag Two surveys are reported in this issue from Exton to east of Old Winchester Hill. We have had a three lane highway for much of the way from Winchester, but two lanes since Exton. It had been hoped to obtain a photo showing both lanes - one was taken without realising it:
The photo was intending to take the causeway - seen in the drill lines running up and over it near the hedge at the bottom of the valley. This feature is shown in Survey 11 in this issue. The Roman Road has just turned nearly due E - W from its long alignment from Exton - to avoid three steep valleys - the first of which is in the above picture. The causeway is off the northern lane here. What was not realised was that the other lane is also clearly visible in the drill lines quite near the bottom of the picture - look at the first dozen or so drill lines. These show a cut-back and the build-up further away - a ploughed out terrace on the valley side. This photo was taken at maximum telephoto - which has revealed the second lane. It has not been entered on Survey Map 11 - but will be on Survey Map 12.
Hill Fort outer defences
Survey 11 has also indicated that the northern lane is re-using an outer defence of the Iron Age Hill Fort on Old Winchester Hill. These stretch quite a long way from the traditional ramparts, and are quite well preserved in woodland as fighting terraces. A level way was cut on sloping ground, and a palisade would have been erected on the build-up edge. They were probably designed to hold and defend live stock of the those using the Hill Fort. A project has been established to map these outer defences and their interaction with the Roman Road - it could be an important find.
In a similar vain, this issue contains a report on a new Hill Fort on the other side of the Meon Valley. The defences here are probably all fighting terraces.
Concrete at Chilcomb
Back at Winchester, the first excavation on the Chilcomb Zig Zag has found concrete. There are a number of strips, and its not clear if they are strips surviving from wheel ruts penetrating the concrete, or are repairs. A greater area will be opened down to the concrete over August Bank Holiday, details & Booking Form.
While working at the Chilcomb excavation site we found a third lane to the Roman Road. Three lanes were found coming out of Winchester. But Survey 2 only found two lanes leading up to the Zig Zag. The third lane was recognised as a level way with a ditch in the field immediately north of the causeway (and modern lane) before the quarry, which appeared to be carried on by a substantial terrace upon which the house Hillacre is built. In Survey 3 we thought there might be a third lane taking a different route up Telegraph Hill from the Zig Zag. We excavated across this terrace feature in the garden of Hillacre but here it turned out to be a relatively modern landscaping using rubble from the quarry. Such a route may however have existed.
Click here for full size Map then check your margins 9mm and set to Landscape [File - Print Set-up - Landscape, Margins 9mm. File - Print..]. After printing reset to default margins and Portrait. Thick blue line indicate 2 or 3 lanes.