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Summary

A large, north-south ditch of Late Saxon/early medieval date was found during archaeological excavations at York Buildings/Bargate Centre and North Walls between 1983 and 1992 (SOU 175 Trenches 6 and 15). The ditch was perhaps a field boundary.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other References/Statuses

• HER backup file (new series): SOU 175  (digital & paper) etc - not yet Library Linked
• Old Southampton SMR No/Backup file: SU 4211 NW 1  

Monument Type(s):

• DITCH (Saxon - 900 AD to 1065 AD)
• DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1220 AD)

Full description

SOU 175 (excavations at York Buildings/the Bargate Centre and North Walls between 1983 and 1992):

HER 19/11/10: This long running series of excavations is mentioned in various annual reports listed here. The site was not taken beyond the "provisional phasing" stage of post-excavation work and there is no final report. An interim report [9] was prepared as a guide to future post-excavation work. The report provides a summary of the provisional phases for each trench but does not give a finds summary.

[9]: INTERIM REPORT on SOU 175 excavations. Summary of provisional phases, by trench.
Dating summary: The dating in this report is provisional, based on stratigraphic relationships and initial analysis of pottery and a few other finds such as clay pipe and modern glass. Although a large proportion of the earlier contexts/phases are believed to be Late Saxon, no distinction was made between Late Saxon and early medieval, so "early medieval" in the report may date from c900 to c1220. The period attribution of many phases will change following further finds work, and the net effect is likely to be to move phases earlier in the sequence – so “early medieval” will become Late Saxon. (Further details in report.)

TRENCH 6
Early medieval/high medieval (NB):
- A large north/south ditch was dug (at the east end of the trench). Its eastern half was removed by the cut of the construction trench for the wine vaults in the Trench 16 area, but it was probably 3m wide. It was at least 1.25m deep. The first fills were brickearth, probably weathered from the edges. Further fills were mostly darker. The ditch cut two structures, so it clearly did not respect any boundaries relating to those properties. If the site was under cultivation, the ditch might perhaps be a field drain/boundary. The ditch had an uncertain relationship with a possible drain: in excavation it was thought to cut the drain, but in post-excavation the speculation was made that the drain drained into the ditch.
- Elsewhere layers of loamy soil/ topsoil built up to a depth of c 0.3m. While it is possible that some structural features were cut within or through this deposit, none were noted as the soil was spitted off. In addition, it may be noted that no layers relating to occupation of the structures survives, except for the probable occupation layers over the dip in the natural at the western end of the trench. It seems likely that there was a change of use, from an intensive and prolonged phase of structures, presumably domestic, to possible garden or agricultural use.
- The uppermost fills of the ditch are probably equivalent to the loamy topsoil, but as they also include substantial brickearth layers they may in fact be contemporary with the "first phase" of the rampart (see separate record, MSH****).

TRENCH 15D or 15E
Early medieval:
- A N/S ditch, the same ditch found at east end of Trench 6.

In both Trenches 6 and 15, the ditch was below the high medieval town rampart.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESH175 - Excavations at York Buildings (the Bargate Centre) and North Walls between 1983 and 1992 (Ref: SOU 175)
• ESH2027 - Excavations at York Buildings (The Bargate Centre) - Trench 6 (Ref: SOU 175)

Related records

Associated Links: None recorded

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