Monument record MDO19339 - Keith Motors, Christchurch, Archaeological Watching Brief; medieval ditch A

A watching brief at the Keith Motors site High Street, Christchurch, during 1979-80, revealed evidence for the terminal of a medieval ditch A. This ditch had a V-profile and was aligned parallel to High Street. Auguring demonstrated that the ditch extended south for some distance and subsequent excavations picked it up as far south as Wick Lane.

P. Aitken conducted a watching brief at the Keith Motors site, High Street, Christchurch, during 1979-80. The results were subsequently published as a short note in DNHAS monograph 5 (1).

The observations revealed evidence for the terminal of a medieval ditch A. This ditch had a V-profile and was aligned parallel to High Street. It was over 2m deep with a filling of clean buff sand. The ditch was undated at this point but subsequent work suggested it was 13th century or earlier in date. P. Aitken augured the line of this ditch and showed it to extend for some distance. Subsequent excavations (W42, W43) picked it up as far south as Wick Lane.

<1> Jarvis, K S, 1983, Excavations in Christchurch 1969-80, 52 (Monograph). SWX4028.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2011 11:56AM