Monument record MDO19391 - Sainsbury's Watching Brief, Christchurch; Medieval town defences

Observations during the development of the Sainsbury’s area in 1973-4, in the north-east corner of the Saxon burh and medieval town of Christchurch, revealed three ditches and a possible timber revetment. The innermost ditch had a V-profile and seems to correspond with the medieval re-cut of ditch 1, seen elsewhere on Pound Lane (sites X2, X15). The other ditches correspond with multiple ditches seen at site X2.

P. Aitken conducted archaeological observations and a small excavation at Sainsbury’s in the north-east corner of the Saxon burh and medieval town of Christchurch, during development of the area in 1973-4. These observations were subsequently published as a short note in DNHAS monograph 5 (1).

The excavations revealed three ditches but there were no datable finds. Observation of a builders trench revealed a feature suggesting a timber revetment and the V-profile ditch 1, seen elsewhere on Pound Lane (sites X2, X15). At site X2 the V-profile ditch represents a medieval re-cut of an earlier Saxon ditch. The ditch was filled with clean sandy soil derived from the collapse of the bank. Overlying the bank and in the very latest silting of the ditch was mortar, chalk and stone debris corresponding to the demolition of the medieval town wall.

About 2m beyond this ditch were another two poorly defined ditches similar to those seen at site X2. Neither contained demolition debris derived from the town wall. At one point the two ditches were separated by a thin cusp of gravel An undated linear gully, on the same alignment as the town defences, 1.0m wide and 0.5m deep, was also recorded, along with several undated pits.

Jarvis, K S, 1983, Excavations in Christchurch 1969-80, 51-2 (Monograph). SWX4028.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2011 11:54AM