Posted by: Blog Administrator
on Mar 31, 2009
I am Helena Cave-Penney the Assistant County Archaeologist. I have been dealing with the residential development on the south-eastern side of Amesbury for well over ten years. Over these years the site has produced some the spectacular finds including the ‘Amesbury Archer', a large timber circle and a woman and child in a stone sarcophagus, complete with shoes. Prior to each phase of houses being built a team from Wessex Archaeology has been examined the areas striped of topsoil and excavated any archaeological features found. The most northern phase of the housing was nearing completion last year when the announcement was made of the economic crisis in America. Overnight the development at Amesbury stopped which had an immediate effect on the archaeological team. Since September of last year work has now continued, but only at a slow pace leaving insufficient work for the archaeological team. However work is continuing on the post-excavation analysis of the site.

The photo shows a series of prehistoric pits on the left-hand side, in the northern part of the development where it meets the existing houses.