Monument record MDO19300 - Kings Arms Hotel, Castle Street, Christchurch; 19th century made ground and posts

An archaeological evaluation of land to the rear of The Kings Arms Hotel, Castle Street, Christchurch, during 2006, revealed evidence for a 19th century made ground layer up to 2m thick raising the level of the ground in the northern part of the site close to the Millstream. Possibly contemporary with this was a series of preserved wooden posts, either marking the line of the millstream or forming part of a stabilising structure constructed during the raising of the ground level. One post was removed for later analysis. A subsequent further evaluation and watching brief on the same site confirmed the presence of the made ground.

Wessex Archaeology conducted an archaeological evaluation of land to the rear of The Kings Arms Hotel, Castle Street, Christchurch, during 2006 in advance of proposed residential development. The following description is derived from an unpublished client report (1). Four trenches were excavated, Trenches 1 and 2 in the northern part of the site produced evidence for a 19th-20th century made ground layer up to 2m thick raising the level of the ground in the northern part of the site close to the Millstream. Below the made ground deposits was a layer of river-laid silty sand containing 17th-18th century material in its upper part. Sunk into this deposit, in Trench 2, at a depth of 2.8m, was a series of large wooden posts. They were regularly spaced and aligned in a straight line suggesting a late date. They may have functioned as either marking the line of the millstream or as part of a stabilising structure constructed during the raising of the ground level. One post was removed for later analysis. A cobbled surface of 20th century origin overlaid the made ground deposits in Trench 2 [1]. A subsequent further evaluation and watching brief on the same site during 2007 confirmed the presence of the made ground layer which filled the natural channel of the Mill Stream. The made ground was cut by late post-medieval and modern features [2].

Record last edited

Feb 17 2011 11:48AM