EDO4955 - Keith Motors (Site X13), Christchurch; excavation 1976

The South Wessex Archaeological Association undertook an excavation at Keith Motors, Christchurch during February and March 1976 in order to locate the NW corner of the town defences. A machine trial trench 2m wide located the defences and the centre of the trench was extended. Due to lack of resources most of the excavation was abandoned after initial planning and the excavation concentrated on two sondages 1m and 1.5m wide. The excavation revealed an area of mortar debris bounded by sandy clay to the south east and a post-medieval ditch to the north west. The sandy clay probably represents the base of a bank and the mortar is probably robbing debris from the defensive town wall. The town defences appear to have been robbed of stone and levelled by the 13th-14th century. Only heathstone and some smaller pieces of ironstone have been left behind. The presence of two later medieval pits may suggest subsequent robbing of stone that had originally been discarded. The defensive ditch system probably lay outside the excavation area.