Hampshire South Downs NMP

The Hampshire South Downs is a landscape of recognised and designated natural beauty to which the historic environment is a key contributor. The variety and extent of the archaeological remains of the South Downs represent one of the richest cultural landscapes in England. Much of this landscape, however, is masked by current land uses and the incomplete knowledge of the archaeological resource is identified as a key issue in the South Downs Management Plan consultation draft. The Hampshire South Downs NMP project is being carried out as part of English Heritage’s National Mapping Programme (NMP) covering that part of the proposed South Downs National Park that lies within the county of Hampshire. The project has been funded by the Historic Environment Enabling Programme (Project No. 5174). Mapping began in December 2007 and is being carried out by the Historic Environment Service of Cornwall County Council. Data resulting from the survey will be incorporated into the National Monuments Record and the Hampshire Archaeology and Historic Buildings Record (AHBR) database and Geographic Information System (GIS).

The archaeological survey is being undertaken principally as a curatorial tool and its key aim is to facilitate decisions regarding strategic planning, management, preservation and research of archaeological sites and historic landscapes within the Hampshire South Downs, which will assist in the implementation of the historic environment elements of the South Downs Management Plan.

The landscape is mostly intensively farmed arable with very little unimproved downland. Amongst the various archaeological features found so far there are a considerable number and wide range of banjo enclosures. These two at Bridget Farm (right) are of particular interest because they are sited adjacent to one another. The fact that both are contained within outer enclosures which respect each other, and that they both share common features indicates that they are likely to be contemporary.

Elsewhere there are extensive remains of what are assumed to be prehistoric fields. In several cases where there are gaps in the field systems there is evidence for settlement as here at Worthy Park (left) where there a series of complex settlement enclosures.

The images used on this page are copyright English Heritage unless specified otherwise. For further details of any photographs or other images and for copies of these, or the plans and reports related to the project please contact the NMR English Heritage's public archive.

For further information on a project or any other aspect of the work of the Aerial Survey team please contact us at: AerialSurvey@english-heritage.org.uk.