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Summary

Two layers, possibly part of the rampart/bank of the medieval town defences, were found during an archaeological evaluation excavation in 2009 (SOU 1494, Trench 3).

Protected Status: None recorded

Other Statuses/Codes: None Recorded

Monument Type(s):

• RAMPART (Medieval - 1202 AD to 1373 AD)

Full description

SOU 1494 (archaeological evaluation excavation at Castle Way Car Park in 2009):
[1]: The site lay in the NW corner of the medieval town, bounded to the north and west by the town walls, to the south by the infilled ditch of Southampton Castle, and to the east by the post-WWII Castle Way. The southern part of the site was heavily disturbed by early 19th century redevelopment. The rest of the site had been levelled in places. The site had been a car park for the last 50 years.

The natural brickearth surface encountered in Trenches 1 to 3 was almost level across Trenches 1 and 2 but lower (by c0.70m) to the north in Trench 3. This may suggest the presence of a natural gully to the north, chosen as the position for the town defences.

Above the natural brickearth in Trench 3 were two layers, layers 4 and 14, 0.20m and 0.14m thick respectively. They were originally interpreted as natural deposits. However both layers had a high gravel content and are therefore likely to be redeposited natural. They are thought to be the remains of the Anglo-Norman defensive bank assumed to have lain south of the town ditch (before the construction of the town wall here – HER). No feature or turf line was found between the lowest layer and the natural brickearth. In 1617 the strip of land south of the town wall was called “the Rampier”. A late 19th century lease plan marks the area as “Garden – now excavated”.

(The possible rampart layers lay only c0.35m below the car park. In trenches to the south, the area had been truncated and the car park make-up directly overlay natural.)

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESH1876 - Evaluation excavation at the Castle Way Car Park in 2009 (Ref: SOU 1494)

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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