If you have any feedback or new information about this record, please email the Southampton HER (her@southampton.gov.uk).
Data derived from Heritage Gateway will not be acceptable for any use associated with development proposals and other planning matters.

For important guidance on the use of this record, please click here . © Southampton City Council

Summary

The complete width of the castle ditch was found on the north side of Simnel Street during an archaeological excavation in 1976/1977 (SOU 124, UBS III) and a watching brief on the same site in 1980 (SOU 120, UBS III & IIIE Salvage). The date of the initial cutting of the ditch was not established as it was not bottomed. Two phases of silting in the early 13th and early-to-mid 14th century were found. In the early-to-mid 14th century the ditch was encroached on by a tenement on its south side. The ditch was later recut, perhaps in the late 14th century when the castle keep was built. By the end of the 16th century the ditch was largely filled in. (Hamtun Street, built since 1980, now crosses the site.) (See MSH3403 for parent record for the entire castle motte ditch.)

Protected Status: None recorded

Other References/Statuses

• HER backup file (new series): SOU 120  Paper and digital - not yet LibraryLinked
• Old Southampton SMR No/Backup file: SU 4111 SE 134  

Monument Type(s):

• CASTLE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1618 AD)
• DITCH (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1618 AD?)

Full description

SOU 124 (Excavation on the north side of Simnel Street in 1976/1977 (UBS III)):
IP 26/2/04: The evidence for the castle ditch is published in [5] (in [6]). See also sources [1][2][3][4]. See separate record for other results of SOU 124.
[5] in [6]: The complete width of the castle ditch was found. The feature was not bottomed so the date of the intial cut was not established, although evidence from other sites suggest it was dug in the 11th or 12th century. Two phases of silting of the castle ditch in the early 13th and early to mid 14th century respectively were found; the later phase included much rubbish. In the early-to-mid 14th century an extension was built to one of the tenements found on the site; the extension encroached on the castle ditch. Possibly in the late 14th century, the castle ditch was recut, up to the wall of the tenement extension; this may have coincided with the construction of the castle keep. By the end of the 16th century, the castle ditch was largely filled in and there were a large number of later features cut into the backfill. In 1904 the area was redeveloped for housing.

[7]: (SOU 124 source, not checked.)

SOU 120 (Watching Brief on the East Side of Upper Bugle Street in 1980 (UBS III & IIIE Salvage):
IP 27/2/04: Finds were probably "salvaged" from the castle ditch during the groundworks for Ironside Court.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESH120 - Watching Brief on the East Side of Upper Bugle Street in 1980 (UBS III & IIIE Salvage) (Ref: SOU 120)
• ESH124 - Excavation on the north side of Simnel Street in 1976/1977 (Upper Bugle Street III, UBS III) (Ref: SOU 124)

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).

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.