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Summary

Part of the medieval town rampart was found during an archaeological excavation at 72 – 74 Canal Walk in 2010 (SOU 1482). It overlay Late Saxon/Anglo-Norman features (c900 AD to c1250 AD). The rampart deposits contained residual Late Saxon and Anglo-Norman finds, and some earlier finds; these would have come from earlier deposits dug up to form the rampart. No later medieval finds were recovered to date the rampart.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other Statuses/Codes: None Recorded

Monument Type(s):

• RAMPART (Built, Medieval - 1202 AD to 1373 AD)
• TOWN DEFENCES (Built, Medieval - 1202 AD to 1373 AD)

Full description

SOU 1482 (excavation & watching brief on land at 72 – 74 Canal Walk in 2008-2011):
[1]: (Evidence probably almost entirely from the 2010 excavation, HER.)
Evidence was revealed relating to the construction of the rampart and a tower of the town’s medieval defences. (A watching brief revealed the extent of the defensive ditches.)

The rampart occupied the entire excavated area. Below the rampart was a weathered brickearth layer cut by Late Saxon and Anglo-Norman features (separate record) and sealed by the rampart deposits.

The rampart was at least 1.4m high, the apex being c2.4m east of the town wall. It was formed of a sequence of six deposits. The earliest rampart layer, a dark soil, was up to 700m thick. It probably included the topsoil or plough soil in place when rampart construction began. The rampart deposits, especially the lower layers, contained residual prehistoric and Romano-British material, and much Late Saxon and Anglo-Norman material; this would originally have derived from the earlier plough soil and occupation deposits. No datable later finds were recovered. The upper deposits were mainly redeposited brickearth; this was probably weathered and natural brickearth dug from the inner ditch. The rampart had been constructed systematically: each phase of deposition (N-S) appeared to be contemporary, at least within the site area.

At the south end of the site, the rampart appeared to have been truncated to a roughly level surface, perhaps when the town wall was built, or in the post-medieval/early modern period. (Was this the feature 104? See separate record. HER.)

In the north part of the trench, the rampart deposits were cut by two features – feature 106 (pit or ditch) and pit 61. The latest finds from these features were early medieval/Anglo-Norman.

(See separate records for earlier evidence, and other evidence relating to the town defences.)

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESH1865 - Excavation and watching brief at 72-74 Canal Walk between 2008 and 2011 (Ref: SOU 1482)

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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