SWX3859 - Excavations on St. Catherine's Hill, Christchurch; Proc. Bournemouth Natural Science Society 13

Excavations in order to verify the tradition that a chapel formerly existed within a square enclosure on St. Catherine's Hill, Christchurch were directed by WG Wallace during August 1921. Exploratory trenches found abundant fragments of Purbeck stone with mortar still adhering to them, pieces of stone roof tiles, a few pieces of Purbeck marble, glazed floor tiles and partially glazed Cockscomb ridge tiles and several small fragments of painted glass. However, no worked stone or traces of foundations were discovered. It was concluded that a substantial building had stood on the site but had since been removed and only rubbish left upon the site. It was impossible to discern the size and formof this building. All of the finds associated with the building material appeared to be of medieval date, and the glazed tiles and painted glass suggest an ecclesiastical structure. Documentary evidence recorded in the VCH suggest a chapel stood on St. Catherine's Hill during the 14th century. A shallow well, supposed to be ancient and lying c. 200 yards south of the chapel site, below the brow of the hill, was also excavated to a depth of 6 feet. Only a few fragments of apparently medieval pottery were found. At the same time three trenches were dug across the north, east and west sides of the square earthwork surrounding the chapel site. This comprised two parallel banks and three ditches. The banks on the north and west sides were constructed from the local gravel and the eastern bank from peaty sand. In clearing out the central ditch on the west side, a single sherd of red medieval coarseware was found at the base suggesting that the earthwork was contemporary with the chapel. The northernmost barrow on St. Catherine's Hill was also excavated at this time. This barrow had been described as a watch tower on OS maps. The barrow mweasured 35 feet in diameter and 2.5 feet high with no surrounding ditch. its position overlooks the Avon valley. A trench 4ft wide and 24ft long was later enlarged to 9ft x 9ft at the centre of the barrow. The trench was cut from the centre southwards and the soil removed in spits. An urn was found inverted at a depth of 6 inches and 4ft south south of the presumed centre. It was nearly intact and of the 'overhanging rim' type. The mass of soil and burnt bones contained within were left untouched lest the urn should collapse on their removal. Two flint flakes were also found on the gravel surface at the base of the barrow, nearly below where the urn was found. A further barrow, 330 yards to the south east from the one above was examined. It showed sign of having been previously disturbed and no interment was found within it on this occasion.