Angmering Village Life
News Archive
February 2021
Now that the trees screening the east side of St Margaret's churchyard have been cut down, you can get a view of the church from Station Road. Here's a photo taken this morning from the Village Hall carpark on a beautiful sunny but really cold day.
Further to our article on 12 February (below), we have received this really helpful additional information from Thames Valley Archaeological Services:
"As you are probably aware, we only started the excavation last week, and progress has been rather slow largely due to the weather.
However, we have uncovered a number of archaeological features already, including ditches, gullies, pits and post-holes. These have not been dated accurately yet, but the large amount of pottery we have already recovered suggests at least two phases of occupation, in the prehistoric and Roman periods.
Under normal circumstances we would welcome interested visitors to the site, and we usually arrange for an 'open day'. We have also invited volunteer diggers from local archaeological sites to assist us in the past. Unfortunately, the present Covid restrictions have made this impossible for a number of reasons. However, we are expecting the project to continue until the end of March at the earliest, and there is a possibility that some Covid restrictions may be eased by the time we have done most of our digging. If this is the case, we may be able to offer a tour of the site to limited numbers of people, with appropriate Covid measures in place. "
Angmering Parish Council closed the skate bowl and BMX track yesterday (Tuesday) and have issued the following statement:
" On advice from Arun District Council, local COVID Marshalls and with reports of continued use by large groups despite the government guidelines regarding social distancing and exercise rules, we have taken the decision to close the skate bowl and BMX track at Mayflower Park. They will remain closed until restrictions have been lifted. We appreciate that many people will be disappointed but our main aims are to keep people safe and adhere to government guidelines."
Despite fencing being erected around the facilities and a prominent notice of closure being displayed, youths were still finding ways to get past the fencing this evening (Wednesday) and use the skate bowl.
This week, developers Barratt David Wilson Homes received the final go-ahead to build 175 homes on land south of Water Lane. Arun District Council gave permission for the development to proceed despite opposition from Angmering Parish Council, the South Downs National Park, Campaign to Protect Rural England and some 201 residents.
In the meantime, on Monday this week, machines were brought in on large low loaders to undertake archaeological excavations in the field north of The Spotted Cow PH where most of the new houses will be built. It is understood that, based on some previous trial trenching in which there was evidence of Bronze Age and Roman activity, the whole surface of the field will be removed to a depth of 60cm (2ft). Where there are finds at that stage, a team of archaeologists from Thames Valley Archaeological Services will move in to probe deeper.
When the Angmering by-pass route was excavated in 2001, the Water Lane site showed evidence of a Middle Bronze Age settlement (C. 1700 BC) and finds included ditches, post holes, pottery fragments, burned flints, and an indication of a cremation. A little further south, the Ecclesden site showed evidence of settlements in the Mid-to-Late Bronze Age (C.1500 BC), Iron Age (C. 750 BC to 0 BC), and a Saxon inhabitation (C. 450 AD to 800AD). Similar items were found on this site but part of a copper alloy broach, possibly Late Bronze Age, was also discovered.