Monument record MDO19302 - Millhams Street, Christchurch; undated features in Trench 2

An archaeological evaluation of land adjacent to Millhams Street, Christchurch, during 1999, revealed undated features in Trench 2. These include a clearly defined N-S ditch, two pits, a narrow gully and a post-hole. The fills of these features were indistinct and it was not possible to establish a sequence of events in this area.

AC Archaeology conducted an archaeological evaluation of land adjacent to Millhams Street, Christchurch, during 1999 in advance of proposed redevelopment. It was subsequently published as a short note in the PDNHAS vol. 122 (Hudson 2000). Much of the following description is derived from an unpublished client report (Hulka and Hudson 1999).

Three trenches were excavated and a a number of undated features were revealed in Trench 2, which was located in the central part of the site. [F211], running across the central part of the trench, was a N-S aligned ditch, 0.90m wide and 0.50m deep with steeply sloping sides and a rounded base. Its fill comprised mid grey-brown sandy silt with moderate small gravel fragments.

[F213] was a post-hole located in the centre of the trench east of [F211] with a diameter of 0.30m. It was not possible to establish a relationship between this feature and gully [F215] in the same location due to the indistinct nature of the fills.

[F215] was a N-S aligned gully running across the centre of the trench. It was 0.60m wide, 0.14m deep, steeply sloping on the eastern side, shallower on the western side with a flat base. It was filled with a grey-brown sandy silt with gravel patches.

[F217] was a probable pit partially under the northern edge of the trench. It was c. 0.7m wide and 0.4m deep with steeply sloping sides and a rounded base. It was filled with a grey-brown sandy silt.

[F219] was a shallow scoop into the natural alluvium, also partially under the northern edge of the trench and immediately east of [F217]. It was 1.30m wide, 0.18m deep with gently sloping sides and a rounded irregular base. It was filled with a light grey silty sand. A small quantity of iron slag was recovered from the bottom of this feature.

These features lay below the post medieval overburden but contained no datable artefacts and so cannot be positively attributed to the medieval period. These features do not represent a great density of archaeological activity. This is consistent with other excavations in the vicinity which suggest that this part of the town was not occupied until relatively recently.

Hulka, S, and Hudson, A, 1999, An Archaeological Field Evaluation of the Proposed Development of Land Adjacent to Millhams Street, Christchurch, Dorset
An archaeological Field Evaluation of the Proposed Development of Land Adjacent to Millhams Street, Christchurch, Dorset. (Unpublished document). SDO10139.

Hudson, A, 2000, Christchurch, Millhams Street (Article in serial). SDO10138.

Record last edited

Oct 29 2024 4:16PM