Monument record MDO19395 - Druitt Gardens, Christchurch (site X5); Saxon Town Defences

Excavation at Druitt Gardens (site X5), Christchurch, during 1972-3, revealed evidence for the Late Saxon town defences. A ditch [F9] was sealed beneath 13th-14th century layers, including rubble derived from the medieval town wall. Saxo-Norman pottery was recovered from the top of this ditch, but it was only partially excavated due to waterlogging. Neither the width or the depth of the feature was ascertained. It is not clear if a bank was associated with this ditch.

R. A. Hills conducted an excavation at Druitt Gardens, Christchurch, during 1971 in advance of the construction of the Wick Lane car park. These excavations were subsequently published as a short note in DNHAS monograph 5 (1).

A machine-dug trench approximately 70m long and 1.8m wide revealed evidence for the Late Saxon town defences. A ditch [F9] was sealed beneath 13th-14th century layers, including rubble derived from the medieval town wall. Saxo-Norman pottery was recovered from the top of this ditch, but it was only partially excavated due to waterlogging. Neither the width or the depth of the feature was ascertained.

It is not clear if a bank was associated with this ditch, although there is slight evidence for a timber revetment in the form of two possible post-holes set approximately 9m apart. It is possible that these represent a timber structure at the front and rear of a bank 9m in width, although the evidence is scant at best, this does correspond with the width of bank seen elsewhere on the defensive circuit (site X1).

<1> Jarvis, K S, 1983, Excavations in Christchurch 1969-80, 30-32 (Monograph). SWX4028.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2011 11:53AM