EDO4928 - 14 Wick Lane, Christchurch; evaluation (Trench 2)

Poole Museums Service Archaeological Unit conducted an archaeological evaluation during January 1991, for Priory View Properties Limited, in advance of development at 14 Wick Lane, Christchurch. The site comprised a roughly rectangular area measuring 26m 28m within the confines of the Saxon burh and medieval town of Christchurch. The evaluation comprised the machine excavation of three trenches and a further 2m x 2m hand dug trench. They were positioned to duplicate part of the proposed groundwork. A number of mainly post-medieval pits, ditch and post-holes were identified as well as a couple of pits containing exclusively medieval pottery. The following watching brief confirmed the disturbed nature of the Wick Lane frontage. Trench 2 measured approximately 6m x 1m and was located in the centre of the site, parallel to Wick Lane, aligned NE-SW and extending north eastwards from the northern part of Trench 1. It was machined to a depth of c. 0.7m and then hadn cleared to a depth of 0.90m. A large post-medieval pit of c. 2.7m diameter was partially revealed, continuing under the southern section of the trench. It was interpreted as a sand extraction pit. An undated sub-rectangualr feature was also partly revealed in the NE corner of the trench, aligned N-S, and terminating within the trench. Hants County Museum Service accession number 1990-30.