2022
2022 was the sixth year of the Hyde900 programme of community digs exploring the site of the church and cloisters of Hyde Abbey.
The excavations took place in local gardens thanks to the generous assistance of residents of Hyde, and the support of the advisors to the programme, Dr David Ashby (University of Winchester), Dr Dave Stewart and Dr John Crook.
To date over 600 volunteers of all ages have taken part in the excavations.
The 2022 programme comprised digs in April and August and was supported by a grant from local estate agents Belgarum, with graphic design from Adam Architecture and the loan of equipment from Winchester Archaeological and Local History Society (WARG)
The gardens in the 2022 programme revealed a 12th century water culvert, medieval walls and other structures plus a large number of finds.
These included Roman pottery, medieval tiles and other building materials, as well as a large number of oyster shells and animal bones.
Trench 33 - King Alfred Place
In 2020, two trenches had been dug to try to establish the location and fabric of the north wall of Hyde Abbey church. Whilst excavations carried out on the eastern end during 1995 to 1999 had provided information on the approximate position and orientation of the wall of the church, the excavations in 2020 by Hyde900 in this and an adjacent garden failed to find evidence of it. However, a geophysical survey (undertaken with the help of the University of Winchester) subsequently yielded a strong response located between the two trenches of the 2020 dig.
The trench encountered a layer of demolition material from the 18th century county Bridewell (built over the site of the church and cloisters) followed by Abbey demolition deposits.
These deposits included a beakhead ornament of exceptional quality, with a reddish hue possibly attributable to exposure to fire. It may have been part of a voussoir from the arch of the west door to the church and is now on display in Winchester City Museum.
Trench 34, 35 and 36 - King Alfred Terrace
This garden is next to a channel of the Itchen known as the Mill Stream as shown on Godson’s map of Hyde dated 1769. It is located just upstream of the Abbey mill and in the area southwest of the range of cloister buildings.
Due to the fall of the land (approximately 1 metre over the 100-metre length of King Alfred Terrace) it seemed likely that water to supply buildings to the south would have come from the stream at a position just upstream from the mill. In addition, the householder told of a rumour, dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, of a cellar in the garden.
The discovery of the rumoured cellar - an intact 12th century structure formed of Quarr stone, roofed with chalk voussoirs - was the find of the event.
Hyde900 were fortunate to have the dig’s architectural consultant, Dr John Crook, to supervise the second phase of the trench excavation.
Trench 35
This trench was located in the middle area of the garden where an area of significant GPR response was found. It yielded significant quantities of finds including Roman and medieval pottery, Quarr and other non local stone, bone, oyster shell and slate.
Trench 36
As with trench 35, this trench was not fully excavated due to pressure of time. The trench revealed a level surface of small flints, rammed and compacted tightly together, with numerous oyster shells scattered on the surface. It was interpreted as a yard or path associated with the 19th century house. Below this was a surface of medieval yellow mortar with chalk and flint inclusions, related to the demolition of the abbey.
Trench 37 and 38 - King Alfred Terrace
The dig returned to a garden where the 2020 excavations uncovered the remains of a two-storey building with a major find of 5 kilos of medieval window glass next to the inner side of the wall foundations (currently being evaluated by Historic England).
The garden also yielded 20 kilos of oyster shells and other crustaceans on the outer side of the wall. The garden was unusual compared with other gardens dug by Hyde900, in that it yielded significant quantities of medieval brick. Two trenches were put in to investigate the strong GPR responses.
Trench 37
The trench revealed a huge hearth possibly associated with a kitchen, or to provide warmth to the building. Also found was the possible medieval stone wall which abutted the fire place. This may have been a continuation of the wall in trench 38. Finds included a fragment of glazed medieval roof tile and a complete medieval brick.
Trench 38
This trench revealed a medieval wall running east to west, with two in situ facing stones showing traces of plaster on the south-facing side. The function of an interesting square masonry feature at the base on the south side of the wall has yet to be established. Finds also included significant quantities of medieval glass.
Trench 39 - King Alfred Terrace
This trench found a continuation of the wall, possibly from the refectory building, that had been found in the garden next door, with a thin layer of burnt material adjacent to the wall.
A wealth of finds included dressed flint and non-local stone chunks (some with masons' tooling marks), window glass, oyster shell, animal bone, decorated and plain tile fragments.
