Monument record MDO19328 - Medieval pits, Town Hall Garden (Site W7), Christchurch

Excavation in the Town Hall Garden, High Street, Christchurch, during 1981 (site W7), revealed two medieval pits [134 & 43]. Both were dated to the 12th-13th century by pottery in their fills. [134] may have been a cess pit and [43] may have been a gravel quarry.

Wessex Archaeological Committee conducted an excavation in the Town Hall garden, High Street Christchurch, during 1981(site W7) in order to examine the High Street frontage. The results were subsequently published in PDNHAS volume 105 (Davies 1983).

The excavation revealed two medieval pits [134 & 43]. Both were dated to the 12th-13th century by pottery in their fills. [134] had been cut through by the post medieval cellar [232]. It was 2.1m deep but its other dimensions had been removed by the cellar. The fill implied deliberate infilling over a relatively short time span, probably as a cess pit and it contained relatively little domestic debris. It lay some 12m to the east of the High Street frontage.

Pit [43] was cut into the gravel on the north side of the trench, some 3m away from pit [134]. It was irregular but approximately conical with sharply overhanging sides. It measured 1.3m deep and approximately 2m diameter. The fill comprised an apparently deliberate, very homogenous series of sand layers and the pit may have had a short period of use. The function of the pit is uncertain but it may have been a gravel quarry. (Davies 1983)

Excavations intended to investigate the Early Medieval and Medieval frontage of the High Street, located few structures. Two 12th/13th century pits, undated post-holes and a late Medieval and post-Medieval cellar were recorded. As at SZ 15839287 (SZ 19 SE 103) the evidence attests to the sparseness of Medieval and post-Medieval occupation in the northeast sector of the town. <2>

National Record of the Historic Environment, 884798 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Davies, S M, 1983, Excavations at Christchurch, Dorset, 1981 to 1983; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 33-6 (Article in serial). SWX4065.

Record last edited

Oct 29 2024 4:28PM