The Southsea Coastal Scheme team came across the bell while constructing a trench to supply electricity to Castle Field.
Five meters distant from a Victorian cobblestone road that was also unearthed at the same depth during the construction, the artifact was located at a depth of 60 cm.
Archaeologists investigating the discoveries believe the route served a military role, raising the possibility that the bell was affixed to a wall on a military station.
Given that Castle Field originally housed a military parade area, the bell could have been part of that development. An iron piece appears to have been added to the bell in order to fasten it to a wall.
Following gentle cleaning to remove corrosion from the bell’s fragile copper elements, archaeologists conducted x-rays to see if any identifying marks could be seen to pinpoint its exact date and purpose.
Because no marks were uncovered, the origins of the bell remain unknown for the time being.
Guy Mason, Southsea Coastal Scheme project director said: ‘We are committed to working closely with on-site archaeologists to ensure that any historic remains are identified and recorded appropriately, as well as allowing our construction programme to continue without significant delays.’
‘This intriguing and beautifully preserved find has provided further concrete evidence of the military history of Southsea and contributes to the picture that we are beginning to build up from our ongoing archaeological finds on site,’ said Alex Godden, chief consultant with Wessex Archaeology.
The bell’s discovery has now been documented, and it is planned to display it at the Southsea Coastal Scheme in the future. The portions of Victorian road that were uncovered have been fully recorded and covered up, preserving them in situ.
Wessex Archaeology, Historic England, and Portsmouth City Council are in constant contact to decide on the best recording methods as new remains are discovered. This complies with the project’s Historic Environment Mitigation Strategy, planning guidelines, and consent from scheduled monuments.
The Southsea Coastal Scheme is the UK’s largest council-led coastal defences project, worth more than £130m. It will stretch almost three miles from Old Portsmouth to Eastney, and help to reduce the risk of flooding to more than 10,000 homes and 700 businesses.