Geophysical survey will form a major component of the winter fieldwork, and we will be using both magnetometry and resistivity to investigate all suitable areas of the farm throughout the duration of the Project.

For 2002, all surveys were targeted on an area of the farm that had been provisionally set aside for the reconstruction of the Iron Age farmstead later in the summer.

During February and April, both magnetometry and resistivity surveys were used to check that there were no significant archaeological remains in the vicinity. The investigations were carried out by Alex Turner from the archaeology department at King Alfred's College, Winchester with Richard McConnell and Kayt Matthews (CAP project staff).

The magnetometry results (below) emphasise a pattern of linear plough lines that are probably remnants of 19th century steam ploughing as we know that the farm was one of the first in the region to adopt this practice. Deep furrows are associated with this technique which often penetrated the ploughsoil and scored the deposits below. The 2 linear features running from west to east and north-east to south-west represent redundant water pipes. Again, this is a relatively modern feature and we understand that a network of pipes like these once served the entire farm. The remaining magnetic anomalies occur in the south-western and south-eastern sectors of the survey and appear as amorphous areas of disturbance. The former probably relates to continued rutting of agricultural machinery around a now demolished 19th/20th century water tower just outside the survey grid. We also believe that the tower itself was on the site of a sheep pond known to have existed in the 18th century, and amongst a network of similar watering holes along a droveway. The latter area of disturbance appeared more enigmatic and we looked to the resistivity survey for possible clues...

Magnetometry data	Interpretive diagram

To compliment the magnetometer survey, we re-surveyed a proportion of the area using resistivity. To our surprise, this revealed a sub-circular feature in the south-eastern sector of the grid which is not evident on the magnetic plot. Measuring approximately 55m across, this feature encloses an area of disturbance that ties in with the activity recorded by the magnetometer. Although it appears to be man-made, and it is tempting to speculate that it represents a prehistoric enclosure, the feature as a whole did not produce a strength of response to provide an accurate interpretation at this stage. However, a working hypothesis is that we may be seeing the vestige of an ancillary enclosure such as an animal stockade, although the date is unclear. Further resistivity at a higher resolution is planned for May when we hope to make a more informed interpretation.

Resistivity data	Interpretive diagram

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