Monument record MDO8663 - Latch Farm, Christchurch: Bronze Age beakers Urns and cremations

Four domestic beakers, fragments of 'B' , a fragment of another large unclassified beaker and three sherds of rusticated ware, an Urn or food vessel of Wessex type with a scraper and possible inhumation and a flower pot urn inverted with a cremation were found during gravel workings at Latch Farm in a number of locations over the 9 acre gravel digging area between 1927 and 1939. Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic and Iron age artefacts were also found and noted by Druitt. The gravel pit or pits at Latch Farm extends from Cottage Houses south to Mill Road and are also known as Furzy, Lower Close Gravel Pit and Newmans Gravel Pit. The object were found in an area of Terrace 4 Gravel geology.

Lower Close is the old name of the field in which Latch Farm buildings are situated. It extends from the Cottage Homes southward to Mill Road. Druitt was in close touch with the gravel workings on this land from 1927-39 when some 9 acres were dug. The following finds were made: Palaeolithic - 48 hand axes (Acheulian) Mesolithic - microcores Neolithic - fragment of rechipped axe EBA - four domestic beakers, fragments of B found 15 December, 1930 in a gravel pit a few yards east of Latch Farmhouse, fragment of farmhouse, another found with 3 sherds of rusticated ware 20 yds WNW of the barrow. E/MBA - urn or food vessel of Wessex type found with a scraper and probably with an inhumation in a pit 5 feet 6 inches deep. MBA - flower pot urn, inverted with cremation in pit 4 feet 6 inches deep within 100 of barrow. Cornish type EIA - A1 and A2 sherds found in 1927. RB - Storage jar rim, amphora stub found. (1) Gravel working has now finished in this area and the pits are now overgrown or allotments. <1-4>

Record last edited

Nov 4 2023 7:40AM