The October edition of Worksop life has now been published and our article on the Romans around north Nottinghamshire is on pages 36 and 38. An online version of the magazine is available at http://www.life-publications.com/worksop-life/magazine-viewer
Showing posts with label Villa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Villa. Show all posts
Monday, 3 October 2011
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
News - Excavation calls for homes site (Southwell)
Calls have been made for an archaeological investigation on a site earmarked for housing in case it contains Roman remains.
A planning application has been submitted for three houses at Platts Orchard, Southwell. It is near the former Church Street site of the Minster School, which contains the remains of a Roman villa.
The plans were approved on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate about three years ago but permission must be renewed because work has not started within the allotted time.
Mr Roger Dobson, of the town council’s planning committee, said Roman remains had been found in the area.
He said: “It is very close to the Roman villa across the road and in 2002 Severn Trent were working on the road just outside Normanton Prebend and discovered the north wing of the villa so we do know the villa buildings go across the road.
“We should insist that if development goes ahead we must have a preliminary investigation because of the proximity to the villa.”
The council will object to the application on the grounds that the site originally had one house and so should be replaced with only one, the increase in traffic on Church Street, and the impact on views.
A letter will also be sent to the district council asking for an archaeological assessment to take place before development starts and for a mitigation strategy to be implemented if remains were discovered.
The district council will decide the application.
For more on this and other stories buy the Southwell Advertiser every Thursday.
The plans were approved on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate about three years ago but permission must be renewed because work has not started within the allotted time.
Mr Roger Dobson, of the town council’s planning committee, said Roman remains had been found in the area.
He said: “It is very close to the Roman villa across the road and in 2002 Severn Trent were working on the road just outside Normanton Prebend and discovered the north wing of the villa so we do know the villa buildings go across the road.
“We should insist that if development goes ahead we must have a preliminary investigation because of the proximity to the villa.”
The council will object to the application on the grounds that the site originally had one house and so should be replaced with only one, the increase in traffic on Church Street, and the impact on views.
A letter will also be sent to the district council asking for an archaeological assessment to take place before development starts and for a mitigation strategy to be implemented if remains were discovered.
The district council will decide the application.
For more on this and other stories buy the Southwell Advertiser every Thursday.
Friday, 1 April 2011
News - Experts urge Roman remains protection (Southwell)
Development is being put ahead of archaeological research on the site of Roman remains, according to experts.
A symposium of archaeological experts spoke to more than 250 people at Southwell Methodist Church yesterday about the importance of the remains on the former site of the Minster School.
Rev Dr Martin Henig, of Oxford University; Mr Bryn Walters, director of the Association For Roman Archaeology; archaeologist to Southwell Minster Professor Philip Dixon; and Dr Will Bowden, of Nottingham University; discussed the importance of the site, which has plans for 31 homes.
The event was organised by Southwell Heritage Trust, Southwell Community Archaeology Group, Southwell Local History Society and Southwell Civic Society to raise awareness of the importance of the issue before the planning application is considered by Newark and Sherwood District Council.
Dr Bowden said the symposium agreed it was everyone’s responsibility to protect the site for future generations.
He said: “It is a site of unique and national significance.
“If you get a small Roman farmstead being destroyed in the course of development it doesn’t matter too much because we have got thousands of those, but we have only got one of these. This is the only opportunity we have so we cannot mess it up.
“History will judge us very poorly if development goes ahead. In years to come people will look back on this episode and think: ‘What on earth were they doing.’”
Dr Bowden said there was still a lot that could be discovered from the site.
He said: “It’s the whole assembly of villa and minster and whatever goes between that. We don’t know what that was because the only confirmed thing we have in between are 7th Century bodies. They might be all over the place but we don’t know that because we have only the evidence we have found so far.”
Dr Bowden said that it would be better for the remains to be reburied, instead of development taking place.
He said: “If it was to be buried completely it would be sad but defendable, but with this, it won’t be buried completely. Parts will be excavated and parts will be simply watched as trenches are dug for building foundations.”
He said because so little was known about the site, it would be hard for archaeologists to say what was significant without looking at the site as a whole.
Dr Bowden said groups in the town were facing an uphill struggle against the development.
He said: “One of the problems is that English Heritage has accepted the principle of development. They accepted this in 2002. The situation has changed since then. We now know that there would be significant archaeological implications of the development.”
Rev Dr Martin Henig, of Oxford University; Mr Bryn Walters, director of the Association For Roman Archaeology; archaeologist to Southwell Minster Professor Philip Dixon; and Dr Will Bowden, of Nottingham University; discussed the importance of the site, which has plans for 31 homes.
The event was organised by Southwell Heritage Trust, Southwell Community Archaeology Group, Southwell Local History Society and Southwell Civic Society to raise awareness of the importance of the issue before the planning application is considered by Newark and Sherwood District Council.
Dr Bowden said the symposium agreed it was everyone’s responsibility to protect the site for future generations.
He said: “It is a site of unique and national significance.
“If you get a small Roman farmstead being destroyed in the course of development it doesn’t matter too much because we have got thousands of those, but we have only got one of these. This is the only opportunity we have so we cannot mess it up.
“History will judge us very poorly if development goes ahead. In years to come people will look back on this episode and think: ‘What on earth were they doing.’”
Dr Bowden said there was still a lot that could be discovered from the site.
He said: “It’s the whole assembly of villa and minster and whatever goes between that. We don’t know what that was because the only confirmed thing we have in between are 7th Century bodies. They might be all over the place but we don’t know that because we have only the evidence we have found so far.”
Dr Bowden said that it would be better for the remains to be reburied, instead of development taking place.
He said: “If it was to be buried completely it would be sad but defendable, but with this, it won’t be buried completely. Parts will be excavated and parts will be simply watched as trenches are dug for building foundations.”
He said because so little was known about the site, it would be hard for archaeologists to say what was significant without looking at the site as a whole.
Dr Bowden said groups in the town were facing an uphill struggle against the development.
He said: “One of the problems is that English Heritage has accepted the principle of development. They accepted this in 2002. The situation has changed since then. We now know that there would be significant archaeological implications of the development.”
Thursday, 10 February 2011
News - An insult to our history (Southwell Roman Villa)
Opposition to homes on a historically-important site in Southwell has been reiterated as one councillor branded the plans an insult to the people of the town.
Slightly amended plans for 31 homes on the former Church Street site of The Minster School have been submitted by Caunton Properties Ltd to Newark and Sherwood District Council.
As members of Southwell Town Council’s planning committee discussed the application, there was further dismay that the plans were even being considered.
The site contains Roman remains believed to be those of a large villa or a temple.
Experts believe the remains are of significant national importance.
The planning committee chairman, Mr Brendan Haigh, said the new plans were no better than those first submitted.
He said: “I really do think this is an insult to the people of our town and their history and it does nothing whatsoever to enhance or protect the conservation area. In fact it does the exact reverse.
“We confirm our previous objections and say this building has done nothing whatsoever to make us change our minds on that.”
Mr Haigh said he did not think the buildings proposed were suitable.
He said: “I think they are unsuitable for a heritage site such as this, in a conservation area, right next to Southwell Minster and on the site of Roman remains.
“These are the sort of buildings you expect to see in a city. They are more like a big block of flats near the city centre.
“They are totally out of character and totally out of keeping.”
Mr Andy Gregory said he did not see the point in the committee discussing the plans for a second time.
He said: “We have made our objections so I don’t see any need for any further discussion.
“If these plans were next to York Minster or Beverley Minster or any other cathedral in the country these wouldn’t be considered so for the district council to even consider it is ridiculous.”
Mr Roger Dobson said it was disappointing that plans had been submitted for any development on the site.
He said: “It is a site of national archaeological importance so surely our views are that any development is unacceptable.”
The committee agreed to object to the plans for the reasons agreed when they were first discussed in July.
The reasons included that the site contained important archaeology and that the design and number of houses were not suitable.
There was also concerns about highways and flooding.
As members of Southwell Town Council’s planning committee discussed the application, there was further dismay that the plans were even being considered.
The site contains Roman remains believed to be those of a large villa or a temple.
Experts believe the remains are of significant national importance.
The planning committee chairman, Mr Brendan Haigh, said the new plans were no better than those first submitted.
He said: “I really do think this is an insult to the people of our town and their history and it does nothing whatsoever to enhance or protect the conservation area. In fact it does the exact reverse.
“We confirm our previous objections and say this building has done nothing whatsoever to make us change our minds on that.”
Mr Haigh said he did not think the buildings proposed were suitable.
He said: “I think they are unsuitable for a heritage site such as this, in a conservation area, right next to Southwell Minster and on the site of Roman remains.
“These are the sort of buildings you expect to see in a city. They are more like a big block of flats near the city centre.
“They are totally out of character and totally out of keeping.”
Mr Andy Gregory said he did not see the point in the committee discussing the plans for a second time.
He said: “We have made our objections so I don’t see any need for any further discussion.
“If these plans were next to York Minster or Beverley Minster or any other cathedral in the country these wouldn’t be considered so for the district council to even consider it is ridiculous.”
Mr Roger Dobson said it was disappointing that plans had been submitted for any development on the site.
He said: “It is a site of national archaeological importance so surely our views are that any development is unacceptable.”
The committee agreed to object to the plans for the reasons agreed when they were first discussed in July.
The reasons included that the site contained important archaeology and that the design and number of houses were not suitable.
There was also concerns about highways and flooding.
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