Appendix B - SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENTS (SAMs) and OTHER SITES or BUILDINGS OF HISTORIC INTEREST

All six villages and hamlets forming the parish of Micheldever have impressive historical associations. Small communities of Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman, Saxon, Medieval and post-Medieval people have settled in the Micheldever area over successive centuries, each leaving their distinctive marks on the landscape.

There are four Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) sites in the parish - one each at Norsebury and Bazeley Copse and two at Micheldever Forest. Norsebury Ring hill fort (SAM 34140) is an Iron Age hill fort. Bazeley Copse (SAM 525) contains the site of a Roman settlement, and to the west of the copse SAM site is evidence of an earlier Celtic field system and an Iron Age banjo enclosure. Micheldever Forest has two SAM sites (one of which has a number of elements to it) within which have been found remains and settlements dating from the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman periods, including an excavated Roman villa. An Iron Age settlement (SAM 512) is within the western fringe of Micheldever Forest, while another SAM site there (SAM 588) consists of round barrows and earthworks.

It should be noted that these SAM sites could be revised as part of the ongoing Monuments Protection Programme carried out by English Heritage. Additional sites may also gain Scheduled Status in the future as a result of this programme. Further information may be sought from the Hampshire County Archaeologist and from Winchester Museums Service.

The Sites and Monuments Record maintained by Winchester Museums Service records details of 314 historical items within Micheldever parish. These comprise archaeological sites, find spots and historic buildings. Records of particular interest include:

• Reference to a Royal Palace in Micheldever in the 9th and 10th century - did Alfred the Great, who held Micheldever during his reign, live in this palace?
• West Stratton contains the site of a shrunken medieval village
• East Stratton contains the site of a fully deserted medieval village
• There is a Saxon cemetery at Weston Colley, where a Saxon brooch, ring, bead, sword, spear, knife, shield and tweezers were found during excavation
• At Micheldever Station there are several Bronze Age round barrows, an Iron Age enclosure and field systems
• There is evidence of Iron Age settlements at Woodmancott
• There have been Iron Age and Roman finds at Stratton Park and East Stratton
• At Northbrook Farm, Micheldever, a recent dig revealed Saxon and Roman finds

A survey of 1730 (held by the County Record Office) indicates that remnants of the medieval system of common fields survived at that time. The boundaries of these common fields are still reflected in the existing hedgerows in parts of the parish.

In addition to these very ancient finds and sites, there are well over a hundred individual buildings of historical interest, which have been granted a Grade II Listed category. (These are recorded in Appendix C)

The Grade II Listed buildings and structures, the SAM sites and the Conservation Areas of Micheldever and East Stratton are recorded on the map.

Enquiries regarding the archaeological resource of Micheldever parish should be directed to the Sites & Monuments Officer, Winchester City Council, at the Historic Resources Centre, 75 Hyde Street, Winchester.