EDO4952 - Druitt Gardens (Site X14), Christchurch; excavation 1977

A small rescue excavation in the Druitt Gardens in advance of an access road was completed by Keith Jarvis during 1977. The trench was L shaped in plan, measuring 14m x 12m, dictated by modern obstacles. 0.8m of topsoil were removed by machine on to the top of the natural sand. All archaeological features were cut into the sand. The earliest features were 13th-15th century; a shallow pit, post-hole and vertically sided trench (possibly a field drain) 0.3m deep containing 13th-14th century pottery. A multi-phase ditch originally silted up in the 13th-14th century but was recut twice, finally silting up in the 18th century. The fills also contained residual Roman pottery. Six undated post-holes and a small undated ditch were also recorded. It was suggested that the residual Roman finds might indicate a Roman settlement on the SW side of the town.