Monument record 638/0/109 - Site of possible medieval activity, Church Walk

Archaeological evaluation found a possible ditch and pit of medieval date, although much of the site appeared to have been quarried in the medieval period.

{1}A single ditch and a further feature of unknown shape or extent were found. Both produced small quantities of early medieval pottery. Four postholes had been dug into the fill of the ditch. None of the postholes produced any datable material.The ditch may date to as early as C12th, but this is only a terminus post quem on the evidence of pottery from it's fill.

The natural ground surface has been cut away by quarrying over a wide area, possibly for clay extraction. This may form an infilled terrace but it is thought that it was a quarry. The land surface was reinstated no earlier than c1350 on the evidence of a Late Medieval Redware sherd deep in the quarry backfill. Reinstatment seems to have been totally complete by the late c17th.It is thought that due to the close proximity of the 'quarry' to the Priory that and the land's subsequent tenancy by the Church for Christchurch College, Oxford that maybe the area was owned thoughtout the Medieval period by the Priory and that they carried out the quarrying.

The site has been a garden at least since the early C19th. The natural land surface had been disturbed by the horticultural activiry taking place including two undated parallel bedding trnches.

<1> SODEN I, 1997, An archaeological evaluation at the White House, Daventry, July 1997, (unchecked) (Report). SNN43416.

Record last edited

May 18 2018 2:13PM