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Summary

The outer ditch or fosse of the Roman station of Clausentum was described in 1770 by Speed and illustrated on a map of that date. It is shown on later maps. The backfilling of the outer ditch had begun by the mid-19th century, although most of the reclamation took place in the first half of the 20th century. Today there is no trace of the outer ditch on the ground. In 1901 observations were made during the laying out of Vespasian Road and Chafen Road (SOU 694); the new roads cut through the north end of the outer bank and ditch. In 1997, during a watching brief on driven piles at 108 Bitterne Road (SOU 830), the eastern edge of the outer ditch may have been found. In 2010, during an archaeological watching brief/excavation at 119a Bitterne Road West (SOU 1529), the eastern edge of the outer ditch was found, with possible early silting deposits overlain by post-medieval backfill and levelling.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other References/Statuses

• HER backup file (new series): MSH340  
• HER backup file (new series): SOU 305  Shared backup file, paper & digital - not yet Library Linked
• Old Southampton SMR No/Backup file: SU 4313 NE 5  
• Old Southampton SMR No/Backup file: SU 4313 SE 21  

Monument Type(s):

• BOUNDARY DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

[1] (1770): Speed's description of the "present Remains of Clausentum". The outer ditch is described as being overgrown with brushwood. It was probably fed with water from a natural rivulet outside the ditch.
[3] (1770), also [2]: A plan of Bitterne (originally included with the manuscript copy of [1]) shows/labels the outer ditch and freshwater rivulet and the outer bank.
[4] (1770): This rough plan of the Bitterne Manor peninsular, shows various features including the outer ditch.

[10][11]: A 1798 plan [10] and 1802/4 plan [11] of Bitterne Manor shows the outer ditch.

[7]: This 1820 map shows a "sloping bank" along the line of the outer bank/ditch. (This is presumably a combination of both features - IP.)
[8]: This map, surveyed 1859, shows by hachering both the outer bank and ditch, the former labelled as "vallum".
[9]: This 1865/7 map shows the outer ditch by hachering, labelled "fosse", and the south end of the outer bank.

IP 12/2/04: The backfilling of the outer ditch had begun before 1865/7 (see [9]. By 1876 [14], two areas had been reclaimed and turned into gardens attached to house plots. Between 1897 [15] and 1909 [16] roads were laid out across the area and new houses built, further areas of the outer ditch being backfilled in the process ([5][6] show this work had begun in 1901). In 1900, the outer defenses were still "faintly traceable" and consisted of a wide ditch and an earthwork [12]. By World War II, most of the ditch had been backfilled, leaving only a trace south of Bitterne Road [17], although after the war this area too was completely reclaimed and current OS maps show no trace of the outer ditch.
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS
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SOU 694 (Watching Brief on laying out of Vespasian Road and Chafen Road in 1901):
[5][6]: A new road* at Bitterne Manor cut through the north end of the outer bank and ditch of Clausentum. Although the road was here cut unusually deep, no trace of any wall was found.
* Clearly what are now Chafen Road and Vespasian Road. IP 20/8/03.
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SOU 830 (Watching Brief on at 108 Bitterne Road in 1997):
[13]: The site lies on the supposed line of the outer ditch of Clausentum. Driven piles, between 6m and 8m deep, were observed. The precise nature of the deposits penetrated by the piles was uncertain, although the eastern edge of the Roman ditch, possibly cut through natural gravel, may have been found. Above this hard "edge" were apparently softer deposits, possibly ditch fills, perhaps including Roman fills. Pits up to 1.2m deep were dug at each pile site, but only 19th and 20th century made ground and modern surfaces were revealed, no natural or Roman deposits being exposed. (The ground surface sloped steeply from east to west, possibly largely due to made ground for the approach to the road bridge over the railway line 150m east of the site.)
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SOU 1222 (watching brief at 44 Chafen Road in 2002):
[18]: Natural brickearth and two modern layers were exposed. The top of the natural gravel sloped down towards the west, which might have been due to natural root disturbance, or might indicate the eastern edge of the Roman outer ditch of Clausentum, the conjectural line of which passed through the site. No finds were recovered.
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SOU 1529 (archaeological watching brief & excavation at Manor Service Station, 119a Bitterne Road West in 2010):
[19]: Site on north side of Bitterne Road West, on line of outer defensive ditch of Roman settlement known as Clausentum. Site generally level, but a 1m drop around N and E sides suggests levelling when petrol station built.

Natural deposits were River Terrace gravel above London Clay (as on 1987 geological map). The Roman ditch (excavated in Trench 3) cut through the gravel and into the London Clay. Only the eastern side of the ditch was present within the site and only some 4m of its width was exposed. The side sloped gently to a maximum depth of 1.05m, but it was probably slightly deeper to the west of the site.

The base of the ditch at its lowest point within the trench was at 2.065m OD. The ditch may have been wet in the Roman period due to the impervious London Clay, but it may only have filled with river water from the Itchen at very high tides (see [19] Conclusions).

The lowest ditch fill 18 was 370mm thick and undated; it perhaps represents the slow silting up of the ditch, although unclear. Above it was fill 17, which contained a post-medieval pottery sherd. Above this was fill 14, up to 550mm thick and similar to fill 18. Tree roots and branches were found in fill 14, apparently buried by subsequent deposits; perhaps the trees shown growing in the ditch on the 1870 OS map. Above this were “modern” (late 19th or early 20th century) levelling deposits, probably in place by 1910 (map evidence). Two fragments of Roman ceramic building material were found in one of these modern fills, the only Roman finds from the site. (Ditch fills not suitable for environmental sampling.)

It is unclear whether the ditch silted up very slowly until the post-medieval period, or remained open until the post-medieval period. The fill (?lower fills) presumably came from the rampart bank that lay to the west of the investigated area.

During the late 19th / early 20th century levelling works, topsoil to the east of the ditch was apparently removed down to natural gravel. The ground level was then built up, after which houses were built, and later the garage/petrol station.
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Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESH1366 - Rough Field Survey of the Roman Remains at Bitterne Manor in 1770
• ESH1462 - Watching Brief at 44 Chafen Road in 2002 (Ref: SOU 1222)
• ESH2088 - Watching brief with option to excavate at 56 Chafen Road in 2011 (Ref: SOU 1567)
• ESH694 - Watching Brief at the junction of Vespasian Road and Chafen Road in 1901 (Ref: SOU 694)
• ESH830 - Watching Brief on at 108 Bitterne Road in 1997 (Ref: SOU 830)
• ESH1993 - Watching brief at the Manor Service Station, 119a to 123 Bitterne Road West in 2010 (Ref: SOU 1529)

Related records

Associated Links: None recorded

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