Professor wants Roman site saved

A leading archaeologist has branded the development of a site known for its Roman remains as cultural vandalism.

Professor Warwick Rodwell, consultant archaeologist and architectural historian at Westminster Abbey, made his views known about Church Street, Southwell, in an email to Southwell Community Archaeology Group.

He said the site, formerly the Minster School, was outstanding in terms of historical value and its erosion should be halted.

Newark and Sherwood District Council gave permission for 13 homes, and English Heritage did not object.

It is understood permission could be sort for more homes.

Commenting on building at the site, Professor Rodwell said: “That would be an inexcusable act of cultural vandalism, and it must be opposed vigorously.

“The core of Southwell is an archaeological and historical site of national importance, and should be protected from the greed of modern development.”

An archaeological dig on the site, ordered prior to development, has unearthed a possible Roman temple.

Professor Rodwell said the Southwell site was one of only a handful of its type in the UK and there was great potential to study how the minster was linked to the Roman remains.

“The insidious, piecemeal erosion of this exceptional archaeological complex should be halted permanently,” he said.

“This is emphatically not a site to be tackled on the back of a planning consent, by a drafted-in archaeological contractor, working to a developer’s timetable and his funding.”

Southwell Community Archaeology Group, Southwell Civic Society, Southwell Heritage Trust and Southwell Local History Society want to preserve land close to the site, known as the orchard, where the most important Roman remains are.

The chairman of Southwell Civic Society, Mr Mike Struggles, said: “We want politicians in the area to be aware that the site is of national importance not just a local issue.”

The chairman of the archaeology group, Mr Trevor Wight, said the district council was recommending that the group be consulted by architects on any future plans.

He said the groups were working with the local MP, Mr Patrick Mercer, to see if they could get English Heritage to reconsider its decision.

Mr Wight said: “They admit there has been a huge change in the archaeological information now available which in our opinion justifies a review of their decision in 2002 not to oppose building.”

The district council’s planning services manager, Mr Peter Wilkinson, said permission was granted in 2005 with a condition that archaeological investigations be carried out before building work started.

He said the council expected a further application for a different scheme and consequently archaeologists had been working on the site in discussion with the county archaeologist and English Heritage.

“Ultimately, these findings are likely to form part of a subsequent planning application to the district council when such details will be publicly available,” Mr Wilkinson said.

The results are expected by September.