EDO4943 - Christchurch Centre, Christchurch; excavation (Site W9) 1981

In 1981 The Wessex Archaeological Committee excavated a trench measuring 30m x 3m (site W9) in the northern 'Bargate' suburbs of the medieval town, immediately south of an earlier excavation which had identified a pagan Saxon cemetery of the late 6th-7th centuries. This excavation was followed by a watching brief during development of the site. No evidence was found for the extension of the Saxon cemetery but this is not conclusive evidence for its absence in this area because the excavated area was very small. A subsequent watching brief conducted by P. Aitken also failed to note any burials, although conditions were not ideal in this case. A complex of medieval ditches and gullies were revealed in the trench and presumably relate to the suburban development of the Bargates area in the 12th-13th centuries. This is consistent with the evidence from the earlier excavation. Some of these ditches were observed continuing to the west in the subsequent watching brief. The ditches are likely to represent property or field boundaries relating to the suburban encroachments. Later post-medieval ditches on similar alignments may reflect continuing use of some eraly boundaries.