Monument record MDO8732 - Rear of Regent Cinema, Christchurch (site W42); medieval ditch A

Excavation at the rear of Regent Cinema, High Street, Christchurch, during 1983 (site W42), revealed the inner edge of a steep sided ditch running SE-NW. The fill contained two sherds of 12th-13th century pottery. The ditch excavated here continues the line of a large medieval ditch A running parallel to and west of High Street, approximately 60m inside the line of the western town defences, from the northern town defences as far south as Wick Lane.

Wessex Archaeological Committee conducted an excavation at the rear of Regent Cinema, High Street, Christchurch, during 1983 (site W42) in advance of proposed construction work. The results were subsequently published in PDNHAS volume 105 (1). The excavation revealed the inner edge of a steep sided ditch running SE-NW and about 1.5m deep below topsoil cut into natural sand and gravel, 1m thick, overlying natural clay. The outer edge was not located in the trench. The ditch appeared to have a V-shaped profile The primary fill comprised light coloured sandy silts up to 0.4m thick, the upper fill was a darker silt. In between the two was a layer of sand mixed with gravel and clay, ultimately derived from the natural and possibly representing evidence for a collapsed inner bank. The fills contained two sherds of 12th-13th century pottery. The ditch excavated here continues the line of a large medieval ditch A, augured by P. Aitken, running parallel to and west of High Street, approximately 60m inside the line of the western town defences, from the northern town defences as far south as Wick Lane. Harding suggests that this ditch represents a contraction of the town’s defensive circuit in the medieval period

Record last edited

Dec 19 2013 12:32PM