Monument record MDO19390 - Dolphin Development, Church Street, Christchurch (site X11.1); late medieval activity

A trial excavation in the garden behind the Dolphin Hotel, Church Street, Christchurch, during 1974, revealed evidence for late medieval activity. This included a 13th century pit, a 15th century pit containing 8 ox skulls with the horns removed and a 16th century or earlier robber trench and raised area of compacted sand. The latter features may represent a structure, tenement boundary or robbed drain and raised area.

M. Fox for Poole Museums, directed the excavation of a trial trench in the rear garden of the Dolphin Hotel, Church Street, Christchurch, during development of the area in 1974. The excavation was subsequently published in DNHAS monograph 5 (1).

The excavations revealed evidence for late medieval activity. There were two medieval pits cut into natural. This included a 13th century pit [F13], sub-rectangular with sloping sides measuring 1.5m long and 1.2m deep. SE of this was a large oval 15th century pit [F14], 2.8m long x 1.2m deep, also with sloping sides. This pit contained 8 ox skulls with the horns removed, probably for use elsewhere. A shallow medieval post-hole [F8] 0.4m deep, was also recorded.

SW of the pits was an undated robbing trench [F12], 0.6m wide which was cut by the 16th century pit [F7]. There was also a raised area of compacted sand [F6] with no finds but stratigraphically 16th century of earlier. These features may represent a structure, tenement boundary or robbed drain and raised area.

Further evidence of medieval occupation was suggested by the large quantities of 13th-15th century residual pottery in the post-medieval layers.

Jarvis, K S, 1983, Excavations in Christchurch 1969-80, 40-42 (Monograph). SWX4028.

Record last edited

Nov 23 2023 5:48PM