EDO4948 - West of Millstream (W10), Christchurch; excavation 1981

Wessex Archaeological Committee excavated a trench 3m wide and 15m long (site W10) adjacent to the west bank of the millstream in the NE quadrant of the medieval town of Christchurch during 1981 in order to explore the possibility of defences on the east side of the burh. Waterlogging hampered recording. The SW and NE ends of the trench were very different, divided by a line of stone rubble running parallel to the millstream. The latest features were a series of small pits and a possible hearth in the eastern half of the trench. Underlying these was series of four parallel cuts, three of which may be ditches, the fourth was filled with stakes. In the western half accumulations of sand and gravel with heavily iron panned base, possibly representing a bank parallel to the millstream, overlay a small gully and three small pits. These in turn overlay two two shallow gullies, containing 10th century pottery, also running roughly parallel to the millstream. Many of the features in the western part may serve to delineate the burh, although not necessarily defensive. Features in the eastern part probably relate to activity following the canalisation of the millstream. If these features do represent part of the burh's defensive circuit, then the proposed circuit would appear to be longer than the 590m suggested by the burghal hideage. It is possible that this eastern section was a later (though not much later) addition.