EDO4998 - Magistrates Court, Bargates, Christchurch; evaluation 2005

Wessex Archaeology were commissioned by Dr A F Somerville Ford to carry out an archaeological evaluation of the site of the Magistrates Court, Bargates, Christchurch in advance of the extension of the car park. The evaluation comprised the machining of 40m of trenches. Trenches 1 and 2 in the western part of the site contained 0.9m of overburden overlying natural valley gravel. The only archaeological features recorded were four postholes in the eastern part of the site (Trench 3). No artefacts were recovered from the post holes but the degree of compaction of their fills suggested that they were medieval or earlier in date. Their function could not be determined but they may be part of a structure or fence line. Unstratified artefacts from Trench 2 suggested the dumping of 18th century domestic watse had occurred in the gardens of proerties fronting on to Barrack Road or Bargates Road. Mesolithic and neolithic worked flints utilising local gravel were recovered from residual contexts in Trenches 2 and 3.