Monument record MDO8730 - 14 High Street, Christchurch (site W37); late Saxon town defences

Excavation at 14 High Street, Christchurch, during 1982 (site W37), revealed a 25m length of Saxon burh ditch. Four sections of it were cut and revealed an originally V-shaped profile, which may have been purposely back-filled after being open for no more than 100 years. Slight evidence for a contemporary bank was found.

Wessex Archaeological Committee conducted an excavation at 14 High Street, Christchurch, during 1982 (site W37) in advance of the Saxon Square development. The results were subsequently published in PDNHAS volume 105 (Davies 1983).

The excavation revealed a large ditch [30] running E-W. It was cut into natural sand and gravel and truncated by modern deposits. It was exposed for a length of 23m, was 3m wide and 1.3m deep. The surviving ditch profile was pitched at an approximate 45 degree angle, although it would originally have been much steeper and more V-shaped. The northern slope was steeper than the south. Weathered gravel on the sides and base suggested a relatively long period of use, although not long enough for any re-cutting.

Four sections of the ditch were carefully excavated to reveal a fill comprising three or four dark brown, very sandy deposits, almost pure sand at the bottom and becoming more loamy towards the top. The fill was sterile and comprised thick layers which suggested deliberate back filling. The top fill contained a dozen sherds of late Saxon pottery, burnt flint nodules, bone and chipped heathstone fragments.

Slight evidence for a contemporary bank was found. This comprised a fragmentary orange clay and sand deposit [48] found in section on the south ditch lip in the centre of the trench. This survived to a depth of 0.1m and sealed a layer of weathered sand and gravel [49]. Both these contexts sealed the ditch lip and were sealed by the ditch fill.

Furthermore a very shallow E-W cut in the natural, 0.6m wide, 0.04m deep and 2.5m south of the sandy layer [48]. This may be the fragmentary remains of a gully running parallel to the defencive ditch and just to the south of it.

A post-hole base [152], 0.14m deep, situated at the extreme eastern end of the south ditch lip, cut the natural and was sealed by the ditch fill . This may represent the truncated remains of a substantial timber socket or even a line of post-holes holding timbers for a fence or rampart revetment.

A subsequent watching brief during removal of tarmac from Sainsbury’s car park, due west of Sainsbury’s, demonstrated that the late Saxon ditch 1 continued almost due east, through the backfilling of excavation trench W6 where it had been excavated as ditch [14].

Davies, S M, 1983, Excavations at Christchurch, Dorset, 1981 to 1983; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 46-53 (Article in serial). SWX4065.

Record last edited

Oct 29 2024 4:12PM