Monument record MDO19341 - Bargates, Christchurch (site X17); late medieval ditches

Excavation at Bargates, Christchurch, during 1977 (site X17), revealed a complex of ditches [66, 85, 107, 144, 186, 276, 342] usually containing small amounts of 13th-15th century pottery. Three ditches [73, 166-7] contained 14th-16th century pottery, whilst many more were undated. There was also a group of eight medieval or undated ditches in the NE trial trench. Interpretation of the ditches is complicated in the late medieval period due to the influence of the round barrows. This is simplified in the early post medieval period into tenement plots following the destruction of the barrows.

K. Jarvis directed an excavation at Bargates, Christchurch, during 1977-8 (site X17) in advance of development. The results were subsequently published in DNHAS monograph 5 (1).

The excavations revealed a complex of ditches [66, 85, 107, 144, 186, 276, 342] usually containing small amounts of 13th-15th century pottery. Three ditches [73, 166-7] contained 14th-16th century pottery, whilst many more were undated. There was also a group of eight medieval or undated ditches in the NE trial trench.

The detailed interpretation of the ditches poses problems since it is difficult to establish contemporaneity. However, the complex situation of the later medieval period in part due to the barrows clearly resolved into a simpler tenement pattern in the post medieval period as the Tithe map suggests. In the medieval period the Bargates area was probably an extra-mural settlement of the Christchurch.

<1> Jarvis, K S, 1983, Excavations in Christchurch 1969-80, 102-141 (Monograph). SWX4028.

Record last edited

May 4 2007 2:18AM