Monument record MDO8722 - Druitt Gardens, Christchurch (site X5); Medieval Town Defences

Excavation at Druitt Gardens (site X5), Christchurch, during 1972-3, revealed evidence for the medieval town defences. A ditch [F9] was only partially excavated but had nearly completely silted up by the end of the 11th century. This was sealed by an undated layer of rubble [F8] which comprised mainly large fragments of ironstone with some heathstone and a little flint and soft red fossiliferous stone. This was associated with a compacted chalky mortar layer [F6 & F7] and both were sealed by a 13th-14th century sandy layer. These layers are probably derived from the medieval town wall demolished and robbed in the 13th century.

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 (Jarvis 1983).

A machine-dug trench approximately 70m long and 1.8m wide revealed evidence for the Medieval town defences. A ditch [F9] was only partially excavated but had nearly completely silted up by the end of the 11th century. This was sealed by an undated layer of rubble [F8] which comprised mainly large fragments of ironstone with some heathstone and a little flint and soft red fossiliferous stone. This was associated with a compacted chalky mortar layer [F6 & F7] and both were sealed by a 13th-14th century sandy layer.

These layers are probably derive from the medieval town wall demolished and robbed in the 13th century. The excavation records only survive in the form of a problematical section and it is not clear if there was a bank associated with the ditch or the medieval town wall. One has been postulated however, inside the line of the wall, placing the wall on a wide berm between bank and silted up ditch.

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

Bellamy, P, 2018, Druitt Gardens, Christchurch, Dorset. Archaeological Observations and Recording during Installation of New Fencing (Unpublished document). SDO16458.

Record last edited

Oct 29 2024 4:08PM