Monument record MDO19403 - Pound Lane, Christchurch (site X1); medieval occupation behind the town defences

Excavations at Pound Lane car park in the north-east corner of the Saxon burh and medieval town of Christchurch, during 1970-1, revealed evidence for a considerable number of post-bank features at the rear of the town defences dating from the 13th century. Only a few were excavated, including a clay built elliptical oven and two pits.

Keith Jarvis directed excavations at Pound Lane car park in the north-east corner of the Saxon burh and medieval town of Christchurch, during 1970-1, in order to better understand the line of the Saxon burh defences. These excavations were subsequently published in DNHAS monograph 5 (1). The excavations revealed evidence for a considerable number of post-bank features at the rear of the town defences dating from the 13th century.

A medieval oven and four dish-shaped features associated with a chalk or mortar-lined setting were located. The latter interpreted as major supports for a barn-like structure.

The work, over two weekends, was not enough to make a proper study of these features, except to point to considerable occupation in that area of the site immediately to the SW of the tail of the bank. Only a few features were excavated, including a clay built elliptical oven and two pits.

The oven [F35] comprised a clay-built elliptical oven, the walls of which had been strengthened with osiers set into the clay. The firehole was still in place. Two pits [F41] & F47] were sampled. [F47] produced a lump of metal from its upper layers. On X-ray examination this was shown to be a barrel lock.

From a cursory examination of the finds, now lost, one would date the period of intensive occupation of this area to the 13th century.

<1> Jarvis, K S, 1983, Excavations in Christchurch 1969-80, 22-7 (Monograph). SWX4028.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 884747 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 3 2023 11:58AM