Monument record MDO6819 - Remains of medieval building, Thames Street, Poole

The remains of a substantial medieval building was found during excavations in Thames Street. It appears to date to the beginning of the 14th century and was similar in construction to the Town Cellars. It was demolished in the 15th century.

SZ 00829032: Excavations have located the plan of two 16th century cottages sealing one or more 13th/14th century buildings. The site is bordered by the King Charles Public House and Saint Clement's Abbey.

Excavations by Poole Museum on a site on the west side of Thames Street in 1974 revealed the remains of a substantial medieval stone building of probable early 14th century date. The building was over ten metres wide and constructed of substantial sandstone walls 1.4m thick. The front wall contained the remains of an entrance with an internal splay and a low set window with external splay. The floor comprised a thin layer of hard yellow mortar and a thin spread of fine yellow sand. The surviving remains suggest this was a building of considerable size. Its extent along the street frontage is not known but it is possible that it extended south to meet the Town Cellars. Both buildings were of similar construction and built at about the same time in c. 1300.

The building appears to have had a relatively short life span and become derelict during the 14th century. A deposit of iron-smithing waste may point at secondary industrial reuse. It was demolished in the 15th century. (1) (2)

Coy, Jennie, 1977, Small Mammal and Bird Bones from Thames Street, Poole, Dorset. Ancient Monument Laboratory Report (Unpublished document). SDO17133.

Coy, Jennie, 1985, Animal Bones from Poole, Dorset. Medieval and Post-Medieval Layers from Sites PM2, PM3, PM7, PM9, PM10 and PM11 (Unpublished document). SDO17159.

Williams, D F, 1991, A Note on the Petrology of some Mediaeval Floor Tiles from Poole and other sites (Unpublished document). SDO17160.

<1> Dowdell, G, 1974, Interim Notes on Archaeological Discoveries in Poole Dorset, 1973-74, p63-64 (Article in serial). SWX3767.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1975, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1974, 63-64 (Serial). SDO74.

<2> Horsey, I P, ed K Jarvis, 1992, Excavations in Poole 1973-1983, 25-30 (Monograph). SWX3766.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 888468 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 29 2024 3:38PM