EWX545 - Pound Lane, Wareham; excavation 1975

D A Hinton and R Hodges conducted an excavation between West Street and Pound Lane in advance of proposed housing development in 1974-5. It was hoped that this would reveal deposits associated with the outer bailey of the castle and its outer defence. Trench 1 measured 4m x 2m and was located within the back garden of 41-3 West Street, approximately 22m from the southern boundary wall of Pound Lane. This failed to produce any occupation deposits from the castle but revealed the remains of a late medieval bank. Trench 2 measured 2m x 2m and was located with its north side 11.15m from the back wall of 39 West Street. Two modern cess pits and a deep medieval feature containing 11th-13th century pottery were revealed. The bottom of the medieval feature sloped down from south to north and is thought to mark the inner lip of the castle's outer defensive ditch. The pottery suggests that this ditch was filled in during the early 13th century, when the castle passed into baronial hands. [1]