News - Nine homes for Roman remains site (Southwell)

Nine luxury, three-storey homes could be built on a site in Southwell believed to contain Roman remains of national importance. 

 

New plans for the Church Street site, which contains the remains of a Roman villa and a Saxon burial ground, have been submitted to Newark and Sherwood District Council.

It comes more than a year after previous plans for 29 homes, including apartments, were rejected on the grounds they were unsuitable for a site next to the minster and in the town’s conservation area.

The new application shows large homes, most with five bedrooms, and each with a garage. There appears to be no lower-cost housing included.

It said: “The site is sustainably located in Southwell and will enable the redundant Minster School land to be brought into an appropriate alternative use, delivering high-quality housing and positively contributing to and reinforcing the historic character of the area.”

Heritage groups in Southwell have been vehemently opposed to any kind of development on the site and wish to see it preserved as a heritage park.

They have submitted plans for a heritage park to the district council.

Mr Mike Kirton, on behalf of Southwell Heritage Park Campaign, said: “Our views are shared by the 3,000-plus people who signed the petition in 2011.

“The report from the archaeological survey has reinforced our views that this site should be saved from development and become a heritage park.

“This is one of the most important historical sites in the county and we have urged English Heritage to re-appraise the area covered by the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

“We hope the district council will take the new evidence into account when considering this latest application for nine substantial properties.”

The plans will also be considered by Southwell Town Council and Southwell Civic Society.

The chairman of the civic society, Mr Brendan Haigh, said: “This application has just come in and we giving urgent consideration to it.” 

 

From:  http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Nine-homes-for-Roman-remains-site

Video - Southwell garden dig unearths "very rare" Saxon remains

Hundreds of Roman and Saxon relics have been unearthed during an excavation of 25 gardens in Southwell.

Experts from the University of Nottingham spent two weeks digging one sq m (11 sq ft) test pits in the minster town to learn more about its Roman settlement and how it developed.

Finds included "very rare" Saxon remains which archaeologist Dr Chris King said might help explain Southwell's "missing" history between Roman villa and the medieval minster.

The team of scientists plan to return to Southwell in 2012 to continue the dig.

From http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-13810057

Save Roman Southwell - Hundreds sign up to save remains

More than 1,500 people have signed a petition calling for Roman remains to be protected.



The petition has been organised by the Save Roman Southwell group who are campaigning to stop development of the former Church Street site of the Minster School.

Buried under the site are the remains of what is believed to be one of the largest Roman villas in the East Midlands.

They fear the remains could be lost forever if permission is granted by Newark and Sherwood District Council to build 29 homes on the site.

Campaigners have been collecting signatures in Southwell on Saturday mornings and are also encouraging residents to write letters of opposition to the council.

The campaign has the backing of the town’s MP, Mr Patrick Mercer, and Southwell’s county, district and town councillors.

A campaign spokesman said: “We have been greatly encouraged by the level of interest and enthusiasm people have shown for the idea of preserving Southwell’s nationally important heritage.

“The emergence of an Anglo-Saxon church and the later Norman minster from a high status Roman villa complex presents a unique tourism, heritage and educational opportunity that must not be lost.

“We shall be continuing our efforts to get more people, both in the town and from elsewhere, to support us.

“This is not just about Southwell, it is about an important and unique part of Nottinghamshire’s heritage.”

The campaign group is trying to convince the district council and its advisers at English Heritage and Nottinghamshire County Council that the whole site is of national significance in the context of the villa and minster, and for the application to be rejected.

It hopes the site could eventually be brought under public ownership and a Roman Heritage Park created.

The campaign was set up by Southwell Heritage Trust, Southwell Archaeology Group, Southwell Civic Society and Southwell Local History Society.

For more information go to www.facebook.com/SaveRomanSouthwell

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Hundreds-sign-up-to-save-remains

Event - Experts to debate Roman remains (Southwell)

Archaeology experts will take part in a conference about the national significance of the Roman remains in Southwell.

The event has been organised by Southwell Heritage Trust, Southwell Community Archaeology Group, Southwell Local History Society and Southwell Civic Society.

They hope to raise awareness of the importance of the remains on Church Street before a planning application for 31 homes on the site is considered by Newark and Sherwood District Council.

The Rev Dr Martin Henig, of Oxford University, Mr Bryn Walters, the director of the Association For Roman Archaeology, archaeologist to Southwell Minster Professor Philip Dixon, and Dr Will Bowden, of Nottingham University, will take part in the debate.

Mr Peter Kent, secretary of Southwell Community Archaeology Group, said it would examine Southwell’s origins and place in the country’s national heritage.

He said: “The relationship between the minster and the earlier villa is clearly of significance in understanding the origins of the town, its subsequent development as an ecclesiastical centre, and the organisation of the surrounding parishes.

“The fact that the minster precincts and their surroundings have seen considerably less post-medieval development than is the case at other cathedrals in Britain and elsewhere, gives the archaeology of Southwell a particular place in our national heritage.”

The archaeology group and others in the town want the site to be preserved so further investigations can take place.

Roman remains were first discovered on the site in 1959.

During recent investigations a large Roman wall was found, leading archaeologists to believe the site either housed a large villa or a temple.

Experts believe the remains may still hold clues as to the links between the remains and the building of the minster.

The meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 29, at 7.30pm, at Southwell Methodist Church.

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Experts-to-debate-Roman-remains

 

Quite simple really - don't let them build on it and finally show some of Nottinghamshires fine archaeology off instead of wasting cash on Robin Hood!