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Summary

Archaeological investigations took place during repair work on the castle wall outside 1 Forest View in 1999/2001, within the area of the former Southampton Castle bailey (SOU 996). Two stone walls were partially exposed. These would have formed part of a substantial structure built against the castle wall in the medieval or post-medieval period. One of the walls may have been part of the east-west wall shown on Speed's 1611 map, dividing the inner bailey of the castle.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other Statuses/Codes: None Recorded

Monument Type(s):

• BOUNDARY WALL? (built, Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• CASTLE? (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1618 AD)
• STRUCTURE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1150 AD? to 1800 AD?)

Full description

SOU 996 (excavations & watching brief during repair work on the castle wall outside 1 Forest View in 1999/2001):
[1]: Two small trenches were located within the area of Southampton Castle bailey. Part of a substantial stone-built structure was partially exposed at the south end of the site adjacent to the castle wall (Phase 2); two stone walls from this structure were found - N/S wall 084 and E/W wall 065. This building may have been built within the castle, although brick fragments recovered from the core of one of the walls might indicate a late- or post-medieval date*, perhaps after 1618 (see below), although it is not shown on the 1846 map. The top of the adjacent castle wall had been demolished and rebuilt as a thinner wall, perhaps associated with the construction of the stone structure, although this could not be proved due to later disturbance. No medieval ground surfaces were exposed; these perhaps lay below the limits of excavation, although good quantities of medieval pottery suggests medieval layers had been disturbed by later activity. The earliest soil deposits excavated (Phase 3) were associated with post-medieval gardens, laid out on the site after the castle was sold in 1618 (see MSH2600).

* [1] has conflicting interpretations of this building. The Phase 2 Interpretation mentions the brick inclusions and suggests a late- or post-medieval date, whilst the Summary and Conclusions opt for a medieval date, without discussing the brick.

[2]: During a watching brief at 1 Forest View in 2003 (SOU 1232) an E-W aligned limestone wall was found. It may be a continuation of SOU 996 wall 065 (see above). It was interpreted as being an E-W wall shown on Speed's 1611 map as dividing the inner bailey of the castle.

IP 20/2/07: There is no location plan showing this wall in [1]. The wall has been roughly plotted in the GIS using the fig 10 section and description in text.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESH996 - Watching Brief with option to excavate on land at the front of 1 Forest View in 1999 and 2001 (Ref: SOU 996)

Related records

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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