Aldermaston Soke

infobox UK place
country = England
static_

static_image_caption=
latitude= 51.36
longitude=-01.12
official_name =Aldermaston Soke
population =
shire_district=
shire_county= Hampshire
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Basingstoke
post_town=
postcode_district =
postcode_area=
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= SU6163

Aldermaston Soke is a hamlet in England that lies on the county boundary between Berkshire and Hampshire, and is administratively part of the civil parish of Mortimer West End, which was transferred from Berkshire to Hampshire in 1879. [M.J. Crawley, [http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/pls/portallive/docs/1/587938.PDF "The Botanist in Berkshire: A Plant Hunter's Guide"] , p. 44. Accessed 10 February 2008.]

Archaeological interest

The settlement lies on marshy ground at the bottom of a valley, very near Silchester (Roman Calleva Atrebatum). The modern road follows the course of a Roman road through the hamlet, diverging either side of it. [Ivan Donald Margary, "Roman Roads in Britain". 3rd edition, London: J. Baker, 1973. p. 131. ISBN 0212970011] It has been suggested that the dampness of the ground led to a short section of Roman road remaining in use in Aldermaston Soke as a causeway through the valley bottom. [George C. Boon, "Roman Silchester: The Archaeology of a Romano-British Town" (1957), p. 203.]

Botanical interest

The damp ground also makes the location of interest to botanists, as a number of plant species that are rare in Britain have been attested here: [Michael J. Crawley, [http://www.bsbi.org.uk/Berkshire_Rare_Plant_Register_2005.pdf Rare Plant Register Berkshire and South Oxfordshire] (2005), pp. 27, 30, 72, 137, 138, 208.]
* "Hypericum maculatum" (a species of St John's wort)
* "Viola palustris" (Marsh violet)
* "Lythrum portula" (a species of Loosestrife)
* "Hieracium umbellatum" and
* "Hieracium acuminatum" (two species of Hawkweed)
* "Dactylorhiza praetermissa" (Southern Marsh-orchid)

References

ee also

*Aldermaston

External links

*Ordnance survey map showing Aldermaston Soke and course of the Roman road, at [http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=461715&y=163250&z=3&sv=461715,163250&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf www.streetmap.co.uk] . Accessed 10 February 2008.