THE unplanned revealing of historical road building techniques is set to be covered over within weeks.

Several potholes on Hyde Street in Winchester have shown the wooden setts, the bricks that once made up road surfaces of busy roads until the 19th century and the introduction of tarmac.

The setts were laid to minimise road noise, help preserve cart and carriage wheels and be easier on the hooves of workhorses and oxen.

Cllr Rob Humby, Hampshire County Council executive member for economy, transport and environment, said: “The potholes in Hyde Street, Winchester, have been reported to us. We have prioritised these repair works and work will start in March. Exceptional rainfall this winter has taken its toll on the road surfaces and our Highways teams work all year round to repair and protect the 5,500 miles of road across Hampshire.

“Around 200 years ago Hyde Street was the main road north out of Winchester and the potholes have revealed that it was surfaced for this heavy traffic with wooden setts.

“This is a fascinating glimpse of a past road surfacing more common in towns during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were protected with pitch before they were put in place which preserved them from the elements, and in this case, were buried when the road was relayed using new bitumen-based road surfaces. It is very interesting that this wooden road in Hyde has survived, hidden for so long.”

It is not known if the wooden setts lie under the tarmac on other roads in the city or whether they have been removed over the years.