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| HER Number: | MSH3399 |
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| Type of Record: | Find Spot |
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| Name: | Maddison Street (West Side) - ditch inside castle bailey |
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| Grid Reference: | SU 4188 1148 |
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| Map: | Show location on Streetmap |
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Summary
A ditch was found towards the southern end of an archaeological excavation in Maddison Street in 1980 and 1981 (SOU 29). The ditch was aligned east-west, was just under 5m wide and at least 2.5m deep. It was dated to the late 12th to late 13th century. About 5.5m to the south was the robber trench of a wall (MSH3400), perhaps associated with the ditch. These features may have been the earliest defensive features on the north side of the castle or an internal division of the bailey. (See MSH3412 and MSH23.)
Protected Status: None recorded
Other References/Statuses
- HER backup file (new series): SOU 29 etc
- Old Southampton SMR No/Backup file: SU 4111 SE 3 (M) also SU 4111 NE 11
Monument Type(s):
- CASTLE (Medieval - 1150 AD to 1299 AD)
- DITCH (dug, Medieval - 1150 AD to 1299 AD)
Full description
SOU 29 (excavation in Maddison Street in 1980 and 1981):
[1] in [2]: The first features found on the site which appear to relate to Southampton Castle are a Phase 3B ditch (feature 529/3002) and an associated wall which was later robbed out (feature 3022) (figs 20 and 21). Both were aligned east-west. The ditch was just under 5m wide and at least 2.5m deep. The robber trench was about 5.5m south of the ditch and was just over one metre deep. These may represent the primary defensive features on the north side of the castle or may have been an internal division of the bailey into two wards. Roughly contemporary features include four rubbish pits. (Phase 3B - pits, postholes, ditch and wall - are dated to the late 12th to late 13th century.)
[3]: No trace was found of the SOU 29 ditch either beneath 1 Forest View (SOU 1232) or during watching briefs beneath properties to the north (presumably SOU 550 and SOU 1007 - SCC HER). Had such a ditch existed, it might not have reached the cliff edge.
Sources / Further Reading
| [1] | SSH1888 - Article in monograph: SR Smith and J Oxley. 1986. SOU 29 (Maddison Street).. Oxley, 1986: Excavs at Soton Castle, 47-77. (pp 47 - 77, etc in same volume) |
| [2] | SSH516 - Monograph: J Oxley (ed). 1986. Excavations at Southampton Castle. Southampton Archaeological Monograph 3. |
| [3] | SSH2216 - Archaeological Report: MA Leivers. 2003. Report on an archaeological watching brief at 1 Forest View, Southampton.. SOU 1232. |
Associated Finds: None recorded
Associated Events
- ESH29 - Excavation in Maddison Street in 1980 and 1981 (Ref: SOU 29)
Related records
| MSH23 | Child of: Former Southampton Castle |
| MSH709 | Peer (All Groups): Maddison Street (North Side) - part of the bailey of Southampton Castle (Below- Ground Evidence) |
Associated Links: None recorded
If you have any feedback or new information about this record, please email the Southampton HER (her@southampton.gov.uk).
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