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Summary

An archaeological field evaluation and subsequent watching brief on land west of Lower Canal Walk between 2001 and 2004 (SOU 1108, SOU 1201) produced evidence relating to the position and width of the medieval town ditch. (See parent record MSH1085 for further details about this part of the town ditch.)

Protected Status: None recorded

Other Statuses/Codes: None Recorded

Monument Type(s):

• TOWN DITCH (dug, Medieval - 1338 AD to 1373 AD)

Full description

SOU 1108 (archaeological field evaluation on land west of Lower Canal Walk, north and south of Gloucester Passage, in 2001):
[1]: Three E-W aligned trenches were dug. Evidence relating to the position of the medieval town ditch was obtained. The western edge of the ditch could not be determined in Trenches 1 and 2, south of Gloucester Passage, due to the presence of a brick culvert. The western edge was identified in Trench 3, north of Gloucester Passage, approximately in the area suggested by Speed's 1661(?*) map. A programme of window sampling (augering) further confirmed the extent and profile of the ditch. The sampling was unable to find evidence for the eastern edge of the ditch, so it must lie beneath Lower Canal Walk. This is supported by Speed's map, which shows the ditch as an extremely wide feature in this area. The periods of deposition in the ditch are unclear, stratified finds being sparse.

* Speeds map was published in 1611. IP

SOU 1201 (watching brief on land west of Lower Canal Walk and south of Gloucester Passage in 2002/2003):
[2]: The probable upper fill of the town ditch was revealed on the eastern edge of Trench 1, extending to the Lower Canal Walk pavement. The eastern edge of the ditch probably lies under the western pavement of Lower Canal Walk, between Trenches 1 and 2. The ditch fills are described. A small finds assemblage collected from one of the fills suggests a later post-medieval date for its deposition, though a residual sherd of high medieval pottery was recovered. (Other residual medieval pottery was recovered from other deposits.)

SOU 1201 second phase (archaeological watching brief on land adjacent to Ulster House, Lower Canal Walk in 2004):
[3]: In Trench 6, the west edge of the town ditch was found 2.1m east of the town wall. Its western edge sloped at about 45 degrees. Its eastern edge lay beyond the limit of the watching brief. Its base was not exposed.
In Trench 5, the town ditch was not securely identified. A soil layer found north of the Half Round Tower was probably on the berm between the town wall and ditch, and may have continued down into the ditch.
Probable early modern upper fills of the ditch were exposed. The town ditch was finally filled in during the post-medieval period, perhaps associated with the construction of the Southampton to Salisbury Canal in the 1790s.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESH1108 - Field Evaluation of land west of Lower Canal Walk (1/a Ulster House) in 2001 (Ref: SOU 1108)
• ESH1443 - Watching Brief at land adjacent to Ulster House (1a Ulster House), Lower Canal Walk in 2002/2003/2004 (Ref: SOU 1201)

Related records

Associated Links: None recorded

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