We arrange events of archaeological interest for our members, including study days and visits to places of interest. Unless otherwise stated, to book a place please contact the activities coordinator at . Please also refer to the latest Chairman's monthly newsletter (available via the Newsletter link) for up to date information on forthcoming events.
Guided Walk - Old Idsworth
led by Mark Seaman
Date: Saturday 20th June, 10.30am
Meeting Point: The entrance to the footpath up to St Huberts Church. There’s limited parking along the side of the road or opposite. Post code: PO8 0BE
Cost: Members £1.00, non-members £6.00 (if places are available) payable in cash on the day. Please book your place in advance by emailing Mark at
Recent archaeological work by CDAS has revealed that the church of St Hubert’s Idsworth (The Little Church in the Field) is built on top of much older buildings and has potentially been used as a sacred site for thousands of years. In the Bronze Age there were numerous round barrows in the area. A complex series of boundary ditches have been found in the field by CDAS. These date to the Iron Age and indicate that there is a pagan temple under the church. When the Romans arrived, they built their own temple on the Iron Age site. Then, with the arrival of Christianity, a wooden church was built on the site. This was followed by the current stone-built church, the western wall of which has a foundation of Roman pilae. A considerable amount of Iron Age, Roman, Saxon and Medieval pottery has been found by CDAS in the field.
It is known that Roman religious cults and then the early church "appropriated" significant locations from previous religions to convert or suppress them, and Idsworth would appear to support this theory. The walk will include Old Idsworth Gardens where permission has been obtained to see its dovecot, icehouse and walled garden. We will also see the unusual and intriguing medieval wall paintings in the church and discuss the interpretation of these.
The walk will be illustrated with Geophys images, other documents and samples of pottery. There will also be a display of the finds by Bart Smith, a metal detectorist. He has found some intriguing items which we can discuss.
The total length is less than a mile. The going is easy with one style (though this can be avoided) and should take about an hour and a half. There are no facilities. Dogs are welcome – St Huberts is dedicated to hunters and hunting dogs! Afterwards, if you would like some refreshment, we can meet in The George, Finchdean, and have a closer look at some of the finds.
Tour – The history and historic building stones of Boxgrove Priory
led by David Bone and Tim Pullan
Date: Saturday 5th September
Meeting Point: Meet at 2pm by the south porch of Boxgrove Priory (the Church of St Mary & St Blaise), just east of Chichester (https://www.boxgrovepriory.co.uk/), SU 9082 0750, postcode PO18 0ED. Use the church car park (at the rear of the church, do not park in Church Lane). If the church car park is full, there is a public car park nearly opposite across the main road (The Street). Good footwear is adequate, wear clothing appropriate for being outside. Toilets are available in the adjacent St Blaise Centre.
Duration: 2 hours, starting at 2pm
Cost etc: For more details see the May 2026 Newsletter
