Monument record MDO19317 - 14 High Street, Christchurch ( site W37); medieval timber building

Excavation at 14 High Street, Christchurch, during 1982 (site W37), revealed evidence for a two phase medieval timber building at the High Street end of the site. The back of this structure was represented by two successive linear slots. The building would have fronted on to High Street which was much narrower than today.

Wessex Archaeological Committee conducted an excavation at 14 High Street, Christchurch, during 1982 (site W37) in advance of the Saxon Square development. The results were subsequently published in PDNHAS volume 105 (1).

The excavation revealed evidence for a two phase medieval timber building at the High Street end of the site. This comprised two, fairly substantial linear features. They were not contemporary, but it was not possible to establish which came first. The slot nearest the High Street [21] was 1m wide and 0.4m deep, running N-S. the eastern edge of this slot was 0.5m west of the western edge of the second slot [19], running parallel with the first. [19] measured 1.2m wide and 0.3m deep in profile [21] was V- shaped and [19] was more squat and vertically sided. These features were sealed by a layer containing 13th-15th century pottery.

These slots are interpreted as representing the back of a two phase timber structure. The building would have fronted on to High Street which was much narrower than today.

National Monuments Record, Unknown, 14 HIGH STREET (Index). SWX9095.

<1> Davies, S M, 1983, Excavations at Christchurch, Dorset, 1981 to 1983; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 46-53 (Article in serial). SWX4065.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1152671 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 3 2023 12:49PM