SDO15246 - Magistrates Court & Police Station, Bargates, Christchurch, Dorset. Archaeological Evaluation

‘In October 2015 Bournemouth University’s archaeological consultancy, BUARC, were commissioned by Aster Homes Limited to undertake a programme of archaeological evaluation of a proposed development site at the Magistrates Court and Police Station at Bargates, Christchurch. The project comprised an archaeological evaluation consisting of six trenches across the proposed development site. The project has demonstrated that significant post-medieval deposits, including walls and wall foundations, drainage features and surfaces which were recorded in Trenches 2, 3, 5 & 6. Comparison of these trenches with historic mapping has identified a number of urban post-mediaeval deposits and related features that correlate directly to the archaeological remains encountered within the evaluation trenches. A ditch recorded in Trench 6 may represent an earlier feature containing a mix of medieval and post-medieval pottery. Natural subsoil was recorded along the length of Trenches 1 and 4, and partially in Trenches 2, 5 and 6. Natural subsoil was not exposed in Trench 3 due to the presence of post-medieval wall deposits and associated features. Trench 1 was located amongst a series of strip fields, presumably a relict system of medieval or post-medieval agriculture, and the surrounding area is currently under gardens. Two post medieval or modern pits truncating subsoil were recorded in this area. Investigations in Trenches 2 and 3 uncovered the remnants of a basement, as well as a concrete surface that is likely to represent the former back yard of a property originally fronting on to Barrack Road. At least two buildings were recorded in Trench 3, with evidence of several phases of construction. A substantial depth of made ground, some two metres above the level of the adjacent car park, was recorded in Trench 4 and is likely to be associated with the construction of the police station and magistrates court. A ditch containing a 12-13th century pottery represents the earliest dated feature identified during the project. Trench 5 was located close to a number of former boundaries pre-dating the car park, although it is not clear how these were defined historically; with evidence of a possible surface and substantial concrete base associated with the provision of utilities and foul/grey water drainage relating to modern buildings. Substantial foundations features identified in Trench 6 may suggest the presence of basements in this area, while a ditch containing a small assemblage of medieval, as well as post-medieval, pottery may represent earlier land or plot divisions in this area. This report comprises the final results of the archaeological evaluation project.’