Monument record MDO19343 - Bargates, Christchurch (site X17); late Bronze Age-Early Iron Age occupation

Excavation at Bargates, Christchurch, during 1977 (site X17), revealed evidence for late Bronze Age occupation. This consisted of a cluster of small pits and post-holes which post-dated two enclosure ditch alignments. There is also a scatter of sherds from the weathered natural sand which form a small pottery group of the 8th-mid 6th century BC.

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 evidence for late Bronze Age occupation. This consisted of a cluster of 5 small pits and 59 post-holes which post-dated two enclosure ditch alignments. Four post-holes cut the enclosure ditch and suggested that the majority of the settlement post-holes were later than the enclosure ditches. The post-holes averaged 0.15m deep with occasional examples exceeding 0.35m. The pits were all less than 0.5m deep, with ‘basin’ profiles. Charcoal was rare in the fills and no carbonised grain was evident.

Of the 63 features only 12 contained pottery and four contained worked flint. One pit [360] contained 30 sherds, but the remaining features totalled only 22. There is also a scatter of sherds from the weathered natural sand which form a small pottery group of the 8th-mid 6th century BC. Other finds from the site include worked flint, burnt flint and daub.

The pottery suggests that this phase might be more correctly described as Early Iron Age. Nevertheless it is attributed to the late Bronze Age in the publication (1).

These artefacts provide little insight into the economic basis of the settlement. Nevertheless, the site is well situated to take advantage of large areas of adjacent summer grazing on the flood plain of the River Avon. Other contemporary sites in the area have a riverine distribution. Marine and estuarine resources were also available nearby.

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

Record last edited

May 4 2007 4:07AM