Monument record MDO8707 - Trokes Garden, Wick Lane, Christchurch (site X7); medieval town defences

Excavation to the NW of Wick Lane, Christchurch, during 1973, revealed stone rubble from the robbed medieval town defences and evidence which suggested a defensive ditch. Little dating evidence for the defences was recovered, although the stone rubble was cut by a 13th-14th century gully.

D. J. Markell conducted a small excavation to the NW of Wick Lane, Christchurch, during March 1973. This excavation was subsequently published as a short note in DNHAS monograph 5 (1).

The 4m x 3m trench was located on the projected line of the town defences in order to investigate them further. The topsoil and subsoil were removed to reveal a stone rubble layer [F3] at a depth of approximately 1.3m. the stone consisted of ironstone, heathstone, large flints and some greensand, randomly distributed but only one or two stones deep. Only the SW edge of the rubble was revealed in the small trench, where the stones were fronted by what appeared to be a ditch [F6] filled with fine silty sand. The stone and mortar were densely packed but no stones could be identified as part of a wall in situ. The stone rubble was cut by a gully which contained 13th-14th century pottery. This rubble, in line with similar deposits along the defensive circuit, appears to represent the collapse and robbing of the medieval town defensive wall during the 13th century.

The area of the ditch [F6] was only partly excavated due to water seepage but the upper fills contained 12 sherds of 12th-13th century pottery. Neither the width or depth of this feature could be determined but it appears to be medieval rather than Saxon in date, although the small size of the area excavated precludes any degree of certainty. It is perfectly possible that a Saxon ditch here has been re-cut during the medieval period.

<1> Jarvis, K S, 1983, Excavations in Christchurch 1969-80, 32-4 (Monograph). SWX4028.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2011 11:41AM