SDO10209 - Magistrates Court, Bargates, Christchurch, Dorset; Archaeological Evaluation Report

This report has been prepared by Wessex Archaeology who were commissioned by Dr. A. F. Somerville Ford to carry out an archaeological evaluation of the site of the Magistrates Court, Bargates, Christchurch, Dorset Site (National Grid Reference: 415563 093000). The evaluation constituted an investigation of the archaeological potential of the site and the archaeological implications of a proposed extension to the car parking facilities which has been granted planning permission by Christchurch Borough Council. The evaluation comprised the machining of 40m of trenching, comprising a 3.3% (by area) sample of the accessible ground available for archaeological investigations. The western part of the site (Trenches 1, 2) comprised c. 0.90m of overburden (including c. 0.30 of modern made ground) overlying the natural valley gravel geology at this point. The only archaeological features recorded comprised four postholes in the east of the site (Trench 3). Although no artefacts were recovered from the postholes, the degree of compaction of the posthole fills, which were all identical and sealed below the prevailing subsoil, would suggest the features are of some age, possibly medieval or earlier? However, it is not possible at this stage to be able to discern the function of the postholes, whether they are components of house or ancillary structures or remains of a fenceline. The only artefacts recovered were all unstratified, being recovered from the overburden of Trenches 2 and 3. The material from Trench 2 suggests the dumping of domestic waste of 18th century date or later in gardens of properties fronting onto either Barrack Road or Bargates Road. Prehistoric worked flint, on gravel cobbles of Mesolithic/Neolithic (8500 - 2400 BC) and Mesolithic (8500 - 4000 BC) date, were also recovered from the spoilheaps of respectively Trenches 2 and 3. The presence of prehistoric activity, however small, on an area of well-drained, raised ground above a major watercourse is not unexpected and represents the usual 'background' activity recorded in these topographic locations.