conservation management plan for christchurch castle, dorset, uk

7/22/2019 Conservation Management Plan for Christchurch Castle, Dorset, UK

1/64

December 2011

Client: English Heritage

Issue No:1

OA Job No: 13477

NGR: SZ 16013 92573

Christchurch

Castle andConstables

House

Cultural Heritage Baseline Study

Cul

turalH

eritag

eBase

line

Study


2/64


3/64

Oxford Archaeology

19/12/2011

LIST OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 1

2 LOCATION, GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY ........................................................................... 1

3 METHODOLOGY AND SOURCES ................................................................................................ 2

4 DESIGNATED SITES AND SENSITIVITY ................................................................................... 2

5 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND .............. ............. ............ .............. 3

6 THE EXISTING ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE ................................................................ 11

7 GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS ........................................................................................................... 19

8 ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL AND SURVIVAL ............................................................. 25

9 RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................................. 26

10 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................... 29


4/64

Baseline Study of Christchurch Castle and Constables House, Christchurch, Dorset

Oxford Archaeology 19/12/11ii

APPENDICES

Appendix One: Gazetteer of Study Area.Appendix Two: Bibliography and List of Sources Consulted.

FIGURES

Figure 1: Site Location MapFigure 2: Wider context of the SiteFigure 3: Main Elements of the Site

Figure 4: Heritage Assets within Study AreaFigure 5: Tithe Map of Christchurch (east) 1843

Figure 6: Ordnance Survey 1stEdition 1870 Sheet 86.12.6

Figure 7: Ordnance Survey 1924 Edition Sheet 86.12

Figure 8: Estate Map c1790

PLATES

Plate 1: The motte and keep viewed from the NEPlate 2: Possible casement in SW corner of tower

Plate 3: The Constables House viewed from the SEPlate 4: The Bailey Area

Plate 5: The Mill Stream to the south of the Constables House

Plate 5a: Church Hatch gardens to the rear of Church Hatch housePlate 6: Demolished north and south walls of the keep, viewed from the south. The

entranceway in the east wall can be seen in the right foreground.Plate 7: Unopposed windows in east and west walls of keep, viewed from west

Plate 8: Window of the Great Hall; internal viewPlate 9: Window of the Great Hall; external view

Plate 10: The fireplace and chimney of the Constables HousePlate 11: Remains of staircase in NW corner of Constables House

Plate 12: SW wall of Constables House, showing chamfered line and entrances to firstand ground floors as well as windows on first floorPlate 13: Garderobe viewed from the SW.Plate 14: Former basement window, blocked in the 13

thcentury

Plate 15: South wall of Constables House, viewed from the SE Plate 16: Geophysical

north south section through motte (after TAC, 2004)Plate 17: Estimated location of castle ditch (after TCA, 2004)

Plate 18: Location of ironstone rubble around motte (after TCA, 2004)

Plate 19: Estimated position of castle ditch beneath Church Hatch (after TCA, 2004)Plate 20: Trees blocking view of keep from Constables House, from the east


5/64


Oxford Archaeology 19/12/11iii

CHRISTCHURCH CASTLE AND CONSTABLES HOUSE

GUARDIANSHIP SITES,CHRISTCHURCH, DORSET

CULTURAL HERITAGE BASELINE STUDY

FOR

ENGLISH HERITAGE

Summary

Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by English Heritage to compile a Cultural Heritage

Baseline Study of Christchurch Castle, Christchurch in Dorset (formerly Hampshire) centredon SZ 16013 92573. The aim of this study was to collate all existing data on the two

monuments within the castle grounds (The motte /keep and the Constables House), to place

them in their historical and archaeological context and then collate all available information

on previous studies and survey work carried out within the castle. This information would

then be used to address what research questions could be addressed by further works and to

inform future management of the Site.

The study reported that the motte and keep, along with the Constables House, are the onlyelements of the former castle that survive as above ground features. These features are all

Grade I Listed Structures and are located within a Scheduled Monument (no: 2292) that also

includes Church Hatch Gardens and Christchurch Priory to the south.

The castle appears to be early 12thcentury in origin with the motte, keep and Constables

House all dating from the mid to late part of this century. The motte and the bailey were

surrounded by a curtain wall and a substantial ditch that was fed with water from the

artificial waterway known as the Mill Stream that runs north south in the east of the Site. A

partially surviving stone-built keep sits on the motte, while the Constables House is the only

surviving building within the bailey area, although a number of ancillary buildings are

suspected to have also existed here in the past. The castle was besieged during the Civil War

during the reign of Stephen in the mid-12thcentury and again during the civil war of the 17

th

century. The Site went through periods of decline and rebuilding throughout the 14thand 15thcenturies, before being partly demolished and abandoned after the Civil War in 1650.

Geophysical survey work by The Christchurch Antiquarians, a local history group, in the

2000s established the position and dimensions of the former castle ditch and suggested that

the motte has been constructed in a number of separate phases, including expansions to the

north and south during the Civil War in the 17thcentury. These surveys have also indicated

the presence of former buildings to the south and south west of the Constables House.

The study suggests that further documentary and non-intrusive work should be carried out to

clarify some of the questions raised by this study. Further clarifications through limited

excavation have been suggested but should not be in conflict with the preferred option of

preservation in situ. It was also noted that the pollarding of mature trees close to the centre of

the Site would improve lines of sight between the motte and the Constables House, thusimproving the public enjoyment of the monument.


6/64


Oxford Archaeology 19/12/11iv

AcknowledgementsOxford Archaeology would like to thank The Christchurch Antiquarians (TCA) for all their

help in the preparation of this Study, in particular, Roger Donne, Davis Eels, Mike Tizzard,Adrian Tattersfield, Peter Fenning and Suzanne Popesco, all of whom kindly took the writer

on an extensive tour of the Site on 3rd

October 2011. Special thanks are due to Roger Donne,the Secretary of the TCA for arranging the site meeting and setting up various introductions,

David Eels for his extensive knowledge of the history of the Site that was so readily and

enthusiastically supplied, Mike Tizzard for doing the same with archaeology and AdrianTattersfield for information on the geophysical surveys and the lithology of the castle. Thanks

also to Hugh Beamish, Inspector of Ancient Monuments, English Heritage (South West

Region) and Heather Sebire, Properties Curator (West Territory). Hampshire and Dorset

County Council Record Offices were visited to view historic mapping and unpublishedsources, including sketches of the Site. Roger Mills of the Dorset Castles Research Group

(DCRG) also supplied much useful information on the Anglo-Saxon history of Christchurch.


7/64


Oxford Archaeology 19/12/111

Christchurch Castle and Constables House Guardianship

Sites, Christchurch, Dorset

CULTURAL HERITAGE BASELINE STUDY

FOR

ENGLISH HERITAGE

1 INTRODUCTION1.1.1 This report has been written in response to the need to collate and enhance data on

Christchurch Castle, in Christchurch, Dorset. Principally this constitutes the motte,keep and the Constables House (the Site). The main aim of the work is to produce a

detailed baseline study that will enable informed decisions to be made on the futuremanagement of the resource. This study has been undertaken in accordance with a

brief provided by English Heritage (July 2011), who are funding this work.

1.1.2 This study begins with a general summary discussion of the prehistory and earlyhistory of the Christchurch area, followed by more detailed background sections on

the history of the motte, keep, the bailey and the Constables House. The existingcondition of the Site is then described, followed by an analysis of the Sites

archaeological potential. Suggestions for future work that can answer some of thequestions raised during the previous sections are then followed by a conclusion.

2 LOCATION,GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY2.1.1 The area to be considered in this Baseline Study is delineated in Figure 2. The Site

includes the remains of Christchurch Castle, partly owned by The Meryck family and

Dorset County Council and the section of Church Hatch Gardens that remains in

private ownership.

2.1.2 The remains of Christchurch Castle are located c50 metres to the south east of thecentre of the medieval town of Christchurch, Dorset (formerly Hampshire), centred

on SZ16013 92573 (Figure 1). These remains consist of a partially surviving towerkeep constructed from stone blocks of varying types, located at the centre of aroughly circular motte constructed from earth and rubble. The Constables House is

made up of the former Great Hall of the castle, locatedc60 metres to the north east of

the motte on the west bank of an artificial waterway known as the Mill Stream.Between these two monuments is an open area covered with mature trees, a bowling

green and several public footpaths that occupy the area of the former castle bailey.

The bailey is an open area to the east of the motte originally surrounded by a curtainwall and ditch, which once contained a series of buildings of which the Constables

House is the only surviving element. The only other standing building within the Siteis the clubhouse on the south west corner of the bowling green that dates from the

20thcentury.

2.1.3 Church Hatch (Figure 3) is a large 18 thcentury dwelling (OA 18)c10 metres to thesouth of the motte. This building had a formal garden to the east that once extendedas far as Mill Stream. Around two-thirds of this garden is now a public park to thesouth of the Site, while the western third remains a private garden but lies within the

Site.

2.1.4 The Site is generally flat and is located atc2.5m OD, with the exception of the motte,which risesc 9m above the surrounding area. The Site is located on a spur of gravel

terrace between the River Avon to the east and the River Stour to the west. Theunderlying geology of the Site is Quaternary Valley Gravel (BGS, 1947, Sheet 329).


8/64



3 METHODOLOGY AND SOURCES3.1 Sources Consulted3.1.1 Data for a c1km radius around the Site was collected from the sources below where

applicable in order to put the Site into its overall context. Data for a more detailedstudy area, c 100 metres from the centre point of the castle, has been plotted on

Figure 4 to aid the more detailed analysis of the castle itself. This data has beencaptured through GIS and associated databases. Each asset identified has been given

an individual OA number, plotted on the GIS and discussed in the text whererelevant. The relative heritage sensitivity of each asset is also listed in the gazetteer

(Appendix 1).

3.1.2 The Dorset Historic Environment Record (DHER; held by Dorset County Council)and the National Monument Record (NMR; held by English Heritage) are the main

repositories of archaeological data for the Site. Both were contacted and supplied dataon known heritage assets within the study area. Aerial photographs of the Site were

viewed at the NMR Air Photo Library in Swindon on 6thOctober 2011. Dorset and

Hampshire County Record Offices were visited to obtain historic maps and to review

unpublished sources. TCA, a local history group, who have carried out a number of

studies on the Site, including several geophysical surveys, were also consulted and

supplied their own data on the Site. Roger Mills from The Dorset Castles ResearchGroup (DCRG) also provided much useful data. English Heritage made all data

relating to the Site freely available from the NMR. A full list of sources consulted canbe found in Appendix Two.

3.2 Methodology for assessing monument sensitivity3.2.1 The sensitivity of the heritage assets within the Site has been assessed according to

each assets susceptibility to changes in structure and setting, guided by the EnglishHeritage document entitled The Setting of Heritage Assets (October 2011). The

results of this assessment are presented in full in Appendix One.

4 DESIGNATED SITES AND SENSITIVITY4.1 Designated Sites4.1.1 The Site constitutes the northern half of a larger Scheduled Monument (SM

no:22962) (Figures 2 and 3). The Site includes the motte, keep (OA 2) and

Constables House (OA 1. The motte and keep are also Grade I Listed Buildings (no:

101451), as is the Constables House (no: 101453). The remaining part of theScheduled area 70 m to the south of the motte, which is not part of the Site, includesthe Augustan Priory of Christchurch.

4.1.2 There are three other Scheduled Monuments within the wider study area (OA 10, 11and 42). The Saxon Cemetery (OA 10, SM no: 1018277) is located adjacent to

Christchurch Priory and immediately to the south of the Site. The north west cornerof the former SaxonBurghditch of Twinham (OA 11, SM no: 1002371) c 135 metresto the north west of the Site is scheduled, while the Town Bridge (OA 42, SM no:

DO830) is located c20 metres to the north east. This bridge is also a Grade I ListedStructure (no: 101454). These are shown of Figure 2.

4.1.3 There are a further 30 Listed Structures within the study area (OA 12-41). Of thesethree (OA 15, 17 and 18) are Grade II* and the remainder are Grade II.

4.1.4 The Site is located in the Christchurch Central Conservation Area, designated byDorset County Council in September 2005. This is defined by the Planning (ListedBuilding and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as an area of special architectural or

historic interest, the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or

enhance (DCC, 2005).


9/64



5 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND5.1 Summary of pre-medieval activity5.1.1 The Site is located on the northern edge of Christchurch Harbour where the rivers

Stour and Avon empty into the English Channel (Figure 2). This location wouldalways have been a good strategic location and attractive to settlement.

5.1.2 Christchurch Harbour was the site of a substantial settlement from the Bronze Ageonwards with the development of the promontory settlement at Hengistbury Head onthe south side of the harbour. This site developed throughout the Iron Age into amajor trading port trading between the south coast of Britain and the continent

(Cunliffe, 1987). Bronze Age settlement and the remains of a number of round

barrows have also been recorded on the north side of the harbour at Bargates c800metres to the north west of the Site (Jarvis, 1978), while stray finds from the Bronze

and Iron Ages have been made up to 1 km to the north of the Site over the pastcentury. These include an Iron Age bronze bowl (OA 7) which was recorded as

having been found by workmen digging along Castle Street, c 10 metres to the northwest of the Site in c 1909 and later sold by a local antique dealer to OGS Crawford.

Due to the nature of the finds recovery, it is not known whether this bowl was found

within an archaeological feature.

5.1.3 Hengistbury declined in importance during the Roman period (AD43-AD410) asother ports such as Portchester were developed at its expense. There is little evidencefor Roman activity within the Study Area. Some fragments of Romano-British

material have been recorded during excavations at the Town Hall Car Park c 250metres to the north of the Site (DHER, MDO8708 and 19388).

5.1.4 In the late 9th century Alfred The Great rebuilt the harbour as a defence againstDanish incursions. Alfred decided to base the new defended settlement or Burghonthe north side of the harbour, controlling the mouths of the Avon and Stour Rivers

(Keen, 1984). This early medieval settlement was called Twinham, a corruption ofthe Anglo-Saxon betweon eam meaning between the waters due to its location in

between the two rivers (Eels, 2005). Control of the Avon was seen as particularly

important at this time as it led to the regionally important town of Salisbury.

Twinham formed part of a system ofBurghs

positioned along the south coast and islisted in the Burghal Hidage (c.AD 915-920), a catalogue of defended settlements

across the south of England.

5.1.5 Excavations within Christchurch in the late 1970s and early 1980s (Jarvis, 1982 and1985 and Davies, 1983) have established the position of the former Burghditch (OA11). The known and predicted line of this ditch has been plotted on Figure 2. It

appears from this that the Site was located in the south east corner of theBurgh. This

assumes that theBurghditch merges with the Mill stream to form the eastern edge ofthe Site, but if its true line is followed then it may run through the east of the Site,

although this is less likely. A lack of evidence from this period means that the nature

and use of the Site itself within Twinham is not known, although it is suggested thatan earlier wooden castle inhabited the Site as part of the Burgh defences. However,

no documentary or physical evidence for this has been found.

5.1.6 Stone fragments found in the ditch fill during the excavations mentioned abovesuggest that the ditch was accompanied by a bank which may have had a wall built ontop of it, as was the case at Wareham to the west (Keen, 1984, 153). Further traces of

a ditch were noted during a watching brief at The Kings Arms Hotel c15 metres to

the north of the Site (OA 8), in 1987 (Jarvis, 1987). It was suggested that this ditchwas a part of the Burgh defences, but no firm evidence was available to support this

theory.

5.1.7 The settlement itself appears to have been relatively small when compared to nearbytowns such as Wareham. Its importance appears to have stemmed from the presence


10/64



of a royal mint, attested to by the multiple finds of Anglo-Saxon coins during thevarious excavations across the town in the 1980s (Jarvis, 1985, Davies, 1983).

Twinham may also have been the site of a Saxon royal residence at the time of KingAlfred at the end of the 9

thcentury. This residence is mentioned during the revolt of

Alfreds son Ethelwold, who seized Twinham during his dispute with Alfredssuccessor, Edward The Elder (Coulstock, 1993, 62). However, no archaeological

evidence for a residence has been found to date (Davies, 1983, 21) and its location

remains unknown.

5.1.8 There is indirect evidence of an early medieval church at Twinham on the site of the11

thcentury Christchurch Priory that currently stands to the south of the Site (Keen,

1984, 214-5). Randulph Flambard is recorded as having demolished a number of

ecclesiastical buildings, including a possible Minster church, to make way for the

current Priory in the late 11thcentury. There are also three Anglo-Saxon Charters of

956, 985 and 1053, all of which deal with the granting of lands to the church (ibid).

5.1.9 Domesday lists the manor of Twinham as being a royal possession and makes nomention of any castle, nor of the Priory mills or indeed, the Mill Stream. After the

beginning of construction of Christchurch Priory in 1094, the town became known asChristchurch rather than Twinham, although this change in name appears to havebeen a gradual process (Keen, 1984). Saxo-Norman pits and the remains of timber-

framed houses were recorded at the Dolphin Development (OA 9), c 30 metres westof the Site, in the mid-1970s (Jarvis, 1983).

5.2 General History of the Site5.2.1 Christchurch Castle was constructed by the De Redvers family, probably in the early

12thcentury, although the exact date is unclear. Certainly the castle appears to have

been in existence by 1107 (Eels, 2005). The De Redvers family had been granted themanor of Twinham in c1100 by Henry I, probably following their support for Henry

in a dispute with his two elder brothers (Eels, letter to English Heritage, September2010).

5.2.2 The castle was located within the boundaries of the original Saxon Burgh, at theshortest crossing point over the River Avon, utilising the island that is located

immediately to the east of the Site at the mouth of the Avon, reducing it to twonarrow channels. It was situated to control the harbour, the river crossing of the Avon

and inland access via the Rivers Avon and Stour. Due to this riverside location, thecastle was founded on a relatively low-lying site,c2.5 metres OD and lower than the

site of Christchurch Priory to the south.

5.2.3 The castle was occupied in the winter of 1147/8 by supporters of King Stephen, whilethe then Lord, Baldwin De Redvers, was involved in the Second Crusade ( ibid).

Stephens forces appear to have been driven out by those loyal to De Redvers, whowas an opponent of Stephen during the civil war with Matilda (1139-1148). The

castle appears to have gone through a period of decline prior to the granting of the

manor to William De Montagu in 1331, for a series of restorative works were carriedout during his tenure, including the building of a bridge over the southern moat to

allow his wife easy access to Christchurch Priory. The castle was in a period of

decline again in the 15th

century and was described by John Leland in 1540 as fargone into decay. Some sections of the moat to the north appear to have been in-filledat this time and covered by housing from the town (TCA, 2003, 3-9).

5.2.4 The manor was in the possession of the Arundell family of Wardour during theEnglish Civil War (1642 -1651) and was held for the King by Sir John Mills. In 1644the town was captured by parliamentary forces. These were in turn forced out in

January 1645 by Lord Goring. During the Civil War the motte appears to have beenre-fortified and possibly used as an artillery platform. The motte has flattened areas to

the north and south of the keep, each extending c 10 metres with upturns at the


11/64



extremities (Eels, 2005). These extensions may be related to this Civil War activity. Itappears that many of the houses that had encroached over the in-filled moat were

cleared away at this time and the ditch around the motte re-established (TCA, 2003,3-10).

5.2.5 In 1650 the castle was ordered to be demolished by parliament, although this orderdoes not seem to have been carried out at once. The north and south walls of the keep

were demolished and the other two walls were reduced in height. The ConstablesHouse may have continued to be used as a dwelling after the demolition of the keeptower, but is known to have been roofless and abandoned by 1776.

5.2.6 A sketch dated 1783 (Hodges, 1978) looking from the north east towards theConstables House, shows a timber-framed lean-to building attached to its north wallthat covers a large percentage of the large ornate window at this end of the building.

It also shows a timber-framed building to the north west of the Constables Housewhich may be the same building as that labelled Brew House on the estate map of

1790 (Figure 8).

5.2.7 Four buildings, including the Old Courthouse, and associated yards are shown to existalong the south side of Castle Street, on the northern edge of the Site, on an estate

map of 1790 (Figure 8). These buildings may be former elements from within thecastle bailey that, like the Constables House, continued to be used after the

demolition of the keep. The map also shows a Sparks Yard to the north of theConstables House and an area labelled Garden between the bowling green and the

Road and a further garden to the south of the Constables House (TCA, 2003, 3-11).The Old Courthouse is seen to be still surviving on the 1843 Tithe map (Figure 5).

5.2.8 The Ordnance Survey (OS) Map of 1870 clearly shows the Old Courthouse in thenorth of the Site, set back from the road (Figure 6). Its position has led to thespeculation that it may lie very close to, or above, the castle gate (TCA, 2003, 5-3).

The map also labels Ditch (site of) to the north of the motte alongside Castle Streetand to the west along Church Street, just outside the Site as defined. The map shows

the Gardens to the north of the bowling green in detail and show that they have

extended to the north abutting Castle Street in the area previously occupied by thebuildings and yards. A later edition of the OS map from 1924 (Figure 7) shows no

details within Church Hatch Gardens but does show the former bowling club pavilionin the north east corner of the Site, along with a dot labelled SD which representsthe location of a former sundial.

5.2.9 The keep and The Constables House appear to have remained in a ruined state up tothe 1950s when the Department of the Environment began a programme of

stabilisation and consolidation on the two structures. Although little documentation

on these works survives, it appears that they were still in progress when the Site wasphotographed from the air in July 1957 (OS/57R1/015).

5.3 The motte and keep5.3.1 The date of the current keep tower has not been established with any certainty. It has

been suggested (Wood, 1956) that the original motte was enlarged c 1300 toaccommodate the stone-built keep when the castle came into the possession of

William De Montagu. The chamfered corners of the tower however are of a late 12thcentury style, with parallels found at other castles of the period, such as Orford,Chilham and Odiham (Eels, letter to EH, September 2010). The Christchurch

Antiquarians (TCA, 2003, 3-7) suggest that the keep may be post-1179 in origin and

a report on a survey of the castle undertaken in August 1300, indicates that the keepwas in existence then and had in fact been in existence for some time before (Eels,

letter to EH, September 2010). Stuart Rigold suggested that the chamfered cornersmay be later additions to a much older tower (Renn, 1987, 59). It is unclear as to what

preceded the stone keep. It has been suggested that the original structure may have


12/64



been of timber (Wood, 1956, 1), but no archaeological evidence has yet been found tosupport this theory.

Plate 1: The motte and keep viewed from the NE

5.3.2 The relative histories of the motte and the keep are also uncertain. Evidence of apartially buried casement on the outside of the west keep wall (Plate 2) and an

absence of a battered plinth at the base of the tower, which is often found at othersites, suggests that the motte was heightened after the keep was completed (TCA,

2005, 11). TCA have suggested (ibid), that this may mean the keep was constructedbefore the motte, which was then built up around it and that the buried casement may

suggest the presence of a basement room. Rigold (Arch. Journal, 1966) also makesthis suggestion following some limited excavation at the base of the tower in the mid-

1960s (Cathcart King , 1983).


13/64



Plate 2: Possible casement in SW corner of tower

5.4 The Constables House5.4.1 The great hall of the castle, known as The Constables House seems to have been

constructed between 1160 and 1180 (Wood, 1956, 1). This building appears to have

largely retained its original structure, leaving it as one of the best preserved NormanHalls in England. A garderobe was added to the south east corner of the building in

the 13thcentury, followed by a watergatec1260.

Plate 3: The Constables House viewed from the SE


14/64



5.5 The Bailey Area5.5.1 The bailey would have been surrounded by a defensive wall that enclosed the Site

with a ditch set along its outer face. The assumed line of the wall has been plotted onFigure 3. None of this wall survives, while the ditch appears to have been in-filled

since at least the 18thcentury. It is likely that there were numerous other ancillary

buildings within the bailey, although no traces of these structures survive, nor have

any remains been clearly identified. A survey of the castle in 1300 describes the Siteas being in a very poor condition and lists some of the buildings that existed within it,namely the keep and the Constables House, along with a chapel and small cellar

beyond the gate. It has been suggested that Presuming beyond the gate to meanjust inside the gate, this would support an assumption that the Castle had a chapel

built onto its outer wall, which is a feature of the construction of other castles, such

as Durham Castle (TCA 2003, 5-4).

5.5.2 Archaeological investigations within the bailey have been limited, mainly due to thepresence of the bowling green, however, a watching brief was conducted at the newBowls Clubhouse in the south west of the bailey in 1987 (OA 5 - seen on Figure 4).

These limited observations made during the excavation of foundation trenches

identified sherds of 13th/ 14

thcentury pot and a possible floor surface. Deposits that

may have been from within the castle ditch were also recorded, although the

geophysical survey (TCA, 2004) appears to suggest that the route of the ditch took itto the south of the clubhouse and therefore away from the excavated area (Plate 19).

Plate 4: The Bailey Area

5.5.3 A gatehouse also appears to have once existed on Castle Street (TCA, 2004, 3-9). TheBorough accounts mentions rents paid for properties ..at the castle gate.. while a list

of materials refers also to III loads of clay for the house at the castle gate..(TCA,2004, 5-2). The property referred to in these documents was known to be located

along the south side of Castle Street (ibid). Documents from the Civil War periodstate that the castle ditch was re-excavated through the garden of this property,

following Castle Street down to the Mill Stream. An Old Courthouse is shown on the

estate map of 1790 (Figure 8). This building appears to be located at the base of themotte, set back from Castle Street and at a slight angle to it, suggesting that it may


15/64



have occupied the position of this former gatehouse. There are also newspaper reportsfrom 1889 (TCA, 2003, 5-3) that report surviving visible remains of a gatehouse or

castle retaining wall along Castle Street. The presence of a courthouse within thecastle complex would suggest that the Site was functioning in a similar way to a

country manor house; being the recognised location of local assizes.

5.5.4 The Mill Stream is a stone-lined waterway than runs from the second meander in theRiver Avon, southwards past the castle and the Priory, before emptying into themouth of the River Stour. The origins of this stream are unknown, although it seemslikely that it is at least as old Christchurch Priory, serving the Priorys two mills

(Eels, 2005). These mills are mentioned in documents relating to the Priory, but havenot been excavated. There is some suggestion (Eels, pers.com.) that the stream could

be a good deal older and that it may have powered mills associated with the Saxon

ecclesiastical site that pre-dated the priory, although there is no direct evidence forthis and there is no mention of the stream in Domesday.

Plate 5: The Mill Stream to the south of the Constables House

5.6 Church Hatch5.6.1 The origin of the formal gardens to the rear of Church Hatch, a domestic dwelling

located at the entrance to Christchurch Priory Grounds dating from 1741, is unclear.

They are not shown on the estate map ofc1790 (Figure 8), but are very well detailedon the First Edition OS map of 1870 (Figure 6). The gardens stretched eastwards

from the rear of Church Hatch (OA 18), to the Mill Stream and included two oval

plan paths and shorter cross paths with formal avenues and small copses of trees. Atsome point in the 20

thcentury the gardens were split with the western third remaining

as the back garden to Church Hatch (Plate 5a) and the eastern two-thirds becoming a

public park. This public garden does not retain the pathways of the formal garden andwas extensively remodelled, when this remodelling took place is currently unclear.


16/64



Plate 5a: Church Hatch gardens to the rear of Church Hatch house

5.7 The Bowling Green5.7.1 The date of the bowling green has not been established here but it is plotted on the

estate map of 1790, which makes it a relatively early example of its kind, despite the

fact that the existing bowling club itself was not established until 1925. Bowls areknown to have been played from at least the 13th century, with the world's oldest

surviving bowling green located at Southampton Old Bowling Green, dating to 1299.

5.7.2 The game was banned in the early 14th century due to the fear by the monarchy that itmight jeopardise the practice of archery, then so important in battle. However, it is

unlikely that the prohibition was taken too seriously, as the format of the game wasradically developed in the following centuries (http//www.talkbowls.

co.uk/guides/history_of_bowls.html,http//www.tradgames.org.uk/games/Bowls.htm)

5.7.3 In 1845, the ban was lifted, and people were again allowed to play bowls. In 1864William Wallace Mitchell, published his "Manual of Bowls Playing" which became

the basis of the rules of the modern game and in the late 1880s the National BowlingAssociations were established (ibid). Most bowling greens date to this later Victorianperiod although there are a number of examples of surviving 18th century bowling

greens, including those at Chiswick House (http://www.chgt.org.uk/?PageID=14),

Palace Green Pavilion (http://www.palacegreenpavilion.btck.co.uk/Architecture), and

Hurst Bowling Club (http://www.hurstbowlingclub.co.uk/club-history.php).

5.8 The Castle in context5.8.1 The history of Christchurch Castle, which is one of general decline throughout the

later medieval period and into the post-medieval era, reflects its position as a minor

southern English castle (Julian Munby, pers. com.).

5.8.2 The Castle was not the centre of a settlement such as at Carisbrooke on the Isle ofWight (Creighton, 2005), but a later medieval addition to a previously existing Saxon

fortified settlement, similar to Wareham further to the west. Once established by the

De Redvers family, the castle does not appear to have functioned as a regional centrewith its own estates and instead appears to have been used more like a local manor

house, acting as a centre for local tax collection and assizes. This would explain thegradual decline of the Site as a redoubt. Following the construction of the Keep and

the Constables House in the late 12th century it seems that this initial need for a

fortified point at the mouth of the River Avon declined in the 13thcentury as the Site

fell into disrepair. The reconstruction of the Site in the mid-14thcentury comes with a

change of owner, however, the renovations carried out do not appear to involve


17/64



repairs to, or extensions of, the castle defences. Even this period of repair is limited,testified by the fact that the Constables House retains its original 12

th century

characteristics with no attempt to add to, or improve, what was the main residentialbuilding within the castle complex. The Site appears to continue as a manorial seat

and again slips into decline into the 15th and 16

th centuries, as the town begins to

expand over its now-in-filled moat. The fact that the castles defences are not repaired

or strengthened throughout this period, which is one of frequent French raids on the

south coast of England and which sees castles such as Portchester and Carisbrookestrengthened considerably (Higham and Barker, 1994), also implies that the Site

remains relatively unimportant as a defensive point.

5.8.3 The main military asset the Site possesses, the motte with its commanding view overthe mouths of the Avon and Stour, appears to be the main reason for its refortification

and occupation during the Civil War. The motte would have provided an excellentfiring position for guns across both rivers, but again, following the end of the war, the

Site falls into decay once the Civil War defences had been destroyed.

5.8.4 In summary, the castle appears to have been developed in a period of unrest within anexisting settlement which continued to develop independently of it while it fell intodecay. Its only period of significant redevelopment occurred during a second periodof unrest and it rapidly returned to neglect after this. The Site does not appear to have

ever been more than a manorial seat that often lacked the wealth or desire toredevelop the buildings within it, hence the survival of the Constables House withmany of its original 12

th-century features intact.

6 THE EXISTING ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE6.1 The Keep and Motte6.1.1 The motte (OA 2) is an earth and rubble mound, sub-rectangular in shape with a

roughly flattened summit and steep sides (Plate 1). It averages seven metres in height,with a maximum height of 11.3 metres above the surrounding area and measures 55

metres north to south by 45 metres east to west. At the centre of the motte is a stone-built keep. This is rectangular in plan with chamfered corners. Internally it measures

12.5 metres north to south byc11 metres east to west with the walls themselvesc3metres in thickness. The building appears to have been at least originally three storeys

high (Wood, 1956, 6) with the entrance at first floor level. The north and south wallshave been demolished to the surface of the motte (Plate 6), while the east and west

walls survive to a height ofc 8m. There are arched windows in both the east and west

walls. These are unopposed and are 2.13 and 2.05 metres wide respectively andc4.5metres high (Plate 7). What appears to be an entranceway is located in the south east

corner of the tower. This is 1.7 metres wide andc4 metres high.


18/64



Plate 6: Demolished north and south walls of the keep, viewed from the south.

The entranceway in the east wall can be seen in the right foreground.

Plate 7: Unopposed windows in east and west walls of keep, viewed from west

6.1.2 The walls of the keep are roughly a mix of one brown ironstone to nine of varioustypes of greyish-white limestone. The ironstone deposits appear to originate from


19/64



Hengistbury Head (Tattersfield, pers. comm.), 2 km to the south of the Site, whilemost of the limestones are either Portland or Purbeck types, originating from quarries

in West Dorset (TCA, 2003, 4-2). Fragments of Purbeck Shelly and Ham Hilllimestones have also been identified in the walls (Site Visit, September 2011). A

visual lithological survey has suggested that eight to nine different types of stoneshave been used (TCA, 2003, 4-3).

6.2 The Bailey Area6.2.1 The bailey (Plate 4) is sub-rectangular in plan, measuringc75 metres by 75 metres

that is now a levelled area of grass, mostly taken up with a bowling green, but also

including the new bowls clubhouse. The Mill Stream forms the eastern boundary ofthis area with Castle Street to the north. To the south the area is bounded by Church

Hatch Gardens and to the west by a public footpath separating it from the motte. The

only original building to survive within the bailey is the former great hall, now knownas The Constables House.

6.3 The Bowling Green6.3.1 The bowling green is located at the centre of the former bailey area, immediately to

the south west of the Constables House. The green is square in plan, occupying an

area of 1555 square metres and is c 150-300mm lower than the surrounding groundlevel. A French drain has been dug around the edge of the green and filled with loose

gravel. The grass used for the green appears to be the close-cut Cumberland turfcommonly used for flat green bowling.

6.4 The Constables House6.4.1 The Constables House (OA 1) is located in what is now the gardens of The Kings

Arms Hotel which is located to the north of Castle Street (OA 39) with the Mill

Stream immediately to the east and the bowling green to the west. The Site is open tothe public, who can access the building free of charge. The walls are constructed from

the same mix of limestones and ironstone that make up the keep tower, along with

fragments of tufa.

6.4.2 The hall originally contained two floors. The lower floor or basement level whichmeasuresc22 metres long by 8 metres wide has three narrow, slit-like windows thatmimic the arrow slits of Norman castles. Although these are widely splayed they

would not have had a defensive purpose, but were simply used for light (Wood, 1956,

2).

6.4.3 The upper floor was subdivided into two rooms, the northerly of which was the greathall itself with a large, arched window in the north facing wall. The window bay islined with dressed limestone with a decorated window mullion, while the arch is

decorated with roll-and-groove ornament, the remains of which can be seen supported

on jamb-shafts with scalloped capitals and moulded bases (Plate 8). On the externalside of this window the limestone over the arch has been decorated with chevron

carvings while the head of what appears to be a leopard has been placed above the top

of the arch (Plate 9). Leopards are commonly used in heraldry and do not appear to be

closely linked with any of the families who occupied the castle.


20/64



Plate 8: Window of the Great Hall; internal view

Plate 9: Window of the Great Hall; external view


21/64



6.4.4 The remains of a fireplace survive in the eastern upper floor wall of the building witha partially reconstructed chimney above (Plate 10). Above this the remains ofcrenulations from the castle defences can be seen. Two arched windows are located

on either side of the fireplace. A newel-staircase is contained within a square turret in

the north east corner of the building (Plate 11). This has mostly collapsed, although

the structure of the staircase is still clearly visible.

Plate 10: The fireplace and chimney of the Constables House


22/64



Plate 11: Remains of staircase in NW corner of Constables House

6.4.5 The Hall entrance is located on the west side of the building. This has a round archwhich probably opened into a passage that divided the two rooms on the first floor.The staircase that once led up to the entrance has been lost but evidence for it can still

be seen in the disturbed masonry to the south of the door (Plate 12). To the north ofthe entrance is a line of chamfered stone that may mark where a lean-to building once

existed on the western side of the hall (Wood, 1956, 3). This is not the lean-to

building noted in the sketch of the Constables House dating from 1783 (para.5.2.6).The entrance to the basement floor is located halfway along this lean-to construction.


23/64



Plate 12: SW wall of Constables House, showing chamfered line and entrances

to first and ground floors as well as windows on first floor

6.4.6 A garderobe or privy tower is located in the south east corner of the building (Plate13). The lower part of this structure is largely intact, including the arches over the

Mill Stream; however, the upper section has been lost. A sub-rectangular openingimmediately to the north of the garderobe is a watergate. This has a segmental arch

on projecting imposts below a roughly triangular relieving arch. A third slit window

originally existed in the east wall. The garderobe tower was slanted to avoid thiswindow, which was then blocked off following the completion of the watergate in

1260 (Plate 14).

Plate 13: Garderobe viewed from the SW.


24/64



Plate 14: Former basement window, blocked in the 13th

century

6.4.7 The south wall survives to its full height with an ovoid window in the gable (Plate15). There is another doorway at first floor level in the south west corner and one atground floor level at the halfway point of the building that has been blocked up at

some indeterminate point. The wall in the south east corner, where it adjoins thegarderobe, is wider than in the rest of the building, suggesting that it may have

formed a section of the castles east curtain wall as well as supporting the Constables

House (Wood, 1956)

Plate 15: South wall of Constables House, viewed from the SE


25/64



6.5 Previous Impacts6.5.1 It is known from the estate plan of 1790 (Figure 8) and from the first edition OS map

of 1870 (Figure 6) that up to four buildings once stood along the northern edge of thebailey area, fronting onto Castle Street between the late 18

thand late 19

thcenturies.

These include the courthouse building on the north east edge of the motte, yards and a

brew house to the north west of the Constables House. The estate map also shows a

Sparks Yard to the north of the Constables House, an area labelled Garden betweenthe bowling green and the Castle Street and a further garden to the south of theConstables House. These previous structures would have had some impact on any

surviving sub-surface deposits associated with the castle bailey, such as thefoundations and floors of former buildings along with curtain wall foundations. In

between these buildings the impacts of former yard surfaces, gardens and footpaths

would have made far less of an impact.

6.5.2 An earlier Clubhouse for the Bowling Green was located along Castle Street on thenorthern edge of the Site, as seen on the 1924 OS map of the Site (Figure 7), beforebeing moved to its current location to the south west of the Green in 1925. The green

is located c 150-300mm lower than the surrounding area. If the green was excavated

to this depth then its construction will have impacted on any surviving medievaldeposits and structures associated with the former bailey. It is also possible however,

that taking into account its considerable age (late 18th

century at least), that thesurrounding levels have been built up and / or landscaped around it in this time,creating the sunken appearance the green has today, which would therefore have

involved no excavation into the medieval castle deposits below.

6.5.3 Elements of the formal 19th century garden associated with Church Hatch maysurvive as sub-surface features, although the gardens themselves lie to the south ofthe Site that is being considered by this Study.

7 GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS7.1 Introduction7.1.1 In order to answer some of these questions posed in Section 7.1 geophysical surveys

have been undertaken by The Christchurch Antiquarians (TCA) in 2003, 2004 andagain in 2010. The 2004 survey involved the application of magnetic/magneticgradient, electromagnetic inductive conductivity, galvanic electrical resistivity

imaging, self-potential and ground penetrating radar. The 2006 Survey was a mixtureof geophysical techniques including resistivity imaging and ground penetrating radar,

while the 2010 work consisted of a survey of the motte using a Geonics portableconductivity meter.

7.1.2 The first survey of 2003 investigated three sites. Site 1 covered the motte, keep andan area immediately around measuring 60 metres north to south and 50 metres east towest (TCA, 2004, fig. 8-1). Site 2 covered the area of the bowling green within the

former bailey measuring 80 metres north south by 70 metres east west (ibid, fig 9-1). Site 2A included part of the gardens to the rear of 18 Church Street (OA 18),known as Church Hatch and in part of the Priory grounds that was once part of these

gardens (ibid, fig. 10-1). Transects were also surveyed from Ducking Stool Lane to

Castle Street and from here across the bowling green to Church Hatch gardens. A

series of transects was also carried out along Castle Street.

7.1.3 Further work was carried out on the Site in 2004 by Lancaster University as part of anundergraduate dissertation (TCA, 2004, 33). Work around the motte was limited toascertaining the presence of a buried ditch at the south east corner of the motte. A

second area within Church Hatch Public Gardens was also surveyed.

7.1.4 A third survey was conducted by TCA in July 2010 with the results published inFebruary 2011. This survey re-investigated the anomalies noted on the motte in 2003.


26/64



7.2 The Keep and Motte (2003 Survey)7.2.1 The survey of the motte and keep concluded that:

There is evidence for a mound-like structurec5 to 6 metres below the keep. A complex of construction layers was noted within the motte. There are indications of a vertical structure with an in-filling of loose debris

within the structure of the keep.

There is evidence for some form of concave structure (Plate 16 position ofsection shown on Figure 3) forming the northern rim of the motte. Betweenthis and north wall of the keep is an area of complex in-fillingc8 metres in

depth. There is some evidence for a similar structure to the south of the keep.

A 6 metre-wide anomaly was recorded running ENE to WSW from the northkeep wall towards Church Street.

Readings suggest that there is a ditch, 4-8 metres wide and 2-4 metres deepsurrounding the motte (Plate 17). There is less convincing evidence for a

ditch extending east along Castle Street. There is also evidence for a secondditch on the north side of Castle Street.

A number of anomalies appear to be due to the presence of ironstone rubbleto the north and south of the keep associated with the towers partialdemolition in the 1650s (Plate 18). High concentrations of rubble within the

keep tower suggest that this building is cellared and has been in-filled with

collapsed material.

Plate 16: Geophysical north south section through motte (after TAC,

2004)


27/64



Plate 17: Estimated location of castle ditch (after TCA, 2004)

Plate 18: Location of ironstone rubble around motte (after TCA, 2004)

Interpretation

7.2.2 The results of the 2003 surveys have started to answer some of the questions posedabove (7.1). The evidence for a mound-like structure c 5-6 metres below the keep,suggests that it was originally sited on a much smaller earthwork and that the current

motte has been built-up around it. The complexity of layering within the body of themotte suggests that it was constructed by a large number of labourers using small


28/64



amounts of material at one time. The loose debris within the tower suggests that it iscellared and that this has become in-filled with rubble associated with the demolition

of the tower. The northern rim of the motte appears to be a deliberate constructionand the extra in-filling to the north and south of the tower appears to suggest that it

was extended in both directions, supporting the theory that the feature was extendedin the 17

thcentury (TCA, 2004).

7.3 The Constables House and the Bailey (2003 survey)7.3.1 The bailey area is the least understood section of the castle. It has been assumed that

the bailey would have included a number of ancillary buildings, probably made from

both timber and stone, but no firm evidence exists for how this area would have beenlaid out.

7.3.2 The survey of the bailey area found: What appears to be the north west corner of a building adjacent to the south

west corner of the Constables House.

The ditch along Castle Street was identified again, extending towards theMill Stream. An anomaly running in parallel with this ditch was interpreted

as an ancient foundation structure. Two small east west aligned linear

features were also noted to the south of this.

What appears to be the corner of a substantial building to the south of theConstables House.

What appears to be a substantial foundation to the south east of the bowlinggreen.

Interpretation

7.3.3 The possible remains on two rectangular buildings were noted to the south and southwest of the Constables House. These are likely to be remains of former buildingsfrom the castle bailey and provide that first evidence for the internal buildings within

the bailey area which has been the subject of only speculation to this date.

7.4 Church Hatch Public Gardens (2003 survey)7.4.1 The survey of the Church Hatch area found substantial V-shaped anomalies from thesouthern edge of the motte, eastwards across Church Hatch House garden and the

Church Hatch public area (Plate 19). These anomalies were interpreted as the

southern moat of the castle, up to 4 metres in depth and 12 metres in width.


29/64



Plate 19: Estimated position of castle ditch beneath Church Hatch (after

TCA, 2004)

Interpretation

7.4.2 The results showed that the former castle ditch survives as a substantial sub-surfacefeature between 4 and 8 metres in width and 2 to 4 metres in depth, surrounding themotte and runs from the motte to Castle Street. The ditch also appears to follow the

line of Castle Street, forming the northern boundary of the castle. There is also

evidence for a second ditch on the north side of Castle Street, which may indicatemultiple ditch phases or possibly a double moat along this side of the castle. There is

also the possibility that the northern ditch may be part of the Saxon Burgh defences

that were exposed in 1987 at the Kings Arms Hotel c 15 metres to the north of theSite (OA 8) and which have yet to be mapped accurately.

7.5 The motte (2004 Surveys)7.5.1 The survey at the south east foot of the motte found that there are two possible

layouts for the ditch. One sees the ditch encircling the motte alone. In the second, the

ditch encircles the motte with a second ditch running off the first and towards the MillStream to the east. The TCA suggest that both these routes could be authentic, with

the second route representing a re-cut of the ditch in the Civil War period.


30/64



7.6 Church Hatch Public Gardens (2004 survey)7.6.1 The survey in Church Hatch Public Gardens found:

The line of the southern ditch leading from the motte to the Mill Stream wasestablished. The ditch was estimated to be c. 4 metres in depth and possiblyup to 12 metres in width (TCA, 2004, figure 10-4) although only the north

side of the feature was detected by the survey.

The measurement of comparative levels between the ditch and the MillStream suggests that the ditch was filled withc2 metres of water.

There is a possibility that the line of the ditch established by the 2003 surveymay in fact have been readings caused by former paths laid out in the 18

thand

19thcentury when the formal gardens at Church Hatch were a single entity, as

shown on the OS map of 1870. However, from the depth and width of the

recorded feature, this seems unlikely.

Interpretation

7.6.2 Readings initially thought to have been the castle ditch appear to show that elementsof the former Church Hatch Gardens may survive below the 20

thcentury public park.

7.6.3

The 2004 survey work appears to strengthen the view that the castle ditch hasdeveloped over a number of phases. It appears that these different phases take the

form of new ditch cutting, rather than the simple re-cutting of an existing feature,suggesting that the two ditches recorded along Castle Street in 2003, may indeed

represent different phases and not a double ditch defence. The survey also appears to

have established that the ditch would have been water-filled and supplied by the MillStream

7.7 The keep and motte (2010 Survey)7.7.1 The survey of the keep and motte found that:

There are in fact three distinctive anomalies on the motte, one to the northernmargins of the motte, a second to the southern margins and a third to the

north west of the keep which was noted by this survey.

The topographic variations of the motte show a correlation with the first twoanomalies and support a TCA theory that the areas north and south of the

keep were re-used as gun platforms during the Civil War, involving asubstantial re-modelling of the motte in this period.

The east and west sections of the motte appear to be identical in theirconstruction.

Interpretation

7.7.2 The anomalies found around the motte appear to relate to concentrations of rubbleassociated with the destruction of the keep which took place sometime after 1650.

These rubble concentrations will have slightly exaggerated the ovoid shape of the

motte but will not have been the sole reason for its unusual form.7.7.3 Overall, these further results have reinforced the view that the motte was extended to

the north and south at some point, very probably in the 17thcentury when the castle

was re-fortified during the Civil War.


31/64



8 ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL AND SURVIVAL8.1 Archaeological Potential8.1.1 The study of the surviving features and structures within the castle has led to a

number of questions arising as to the origins, character and morphology of the Site.These include:

Given the good strategic location of the Site on a spur between two watercourses, was the Site utilised during the Roman and/or prehistoric periods? Establishing a date of construction for the current keep. Establishing the location and character of the original keep and the earliest

phase (s) of the castle.

What is the relationship between the keep and the motte? Does the keep sitatop the motte or has the motte been built up around the keep?

Was the motte constructed in one phase or has it been developed over anumber of stages?

What is the precise location and dimensions of the castle ditch? Was it filledwith water from the Mill Stream or was it dry? Was the ditch in-filled during

the later medieval period and re-cut at the time of the Civil War? What form

did the ditch and bailey wall take? Where was the castle gatehouse located? What other buildings were located within the bailey area and what were their

functions? What date were the buildings to the south of Castle Street seen onthe 1783 drawing and 1790 estate map? Where was the 14th century southernbridge mentioned in the early documents?

Were there any ancillary buildings located around the Constables House?What was the ground floor plan of the Constables House?

What changes were made to the motte, keep and bailey wall/ditch during theCivil War of the 17

thcentury?

Can further light be shed on the origins of the bowling green?8.2 Archaeological Survival8.2.1 It is likely that the medieval and earlier below ground features within the Site will

survive in good condition where not affected by later historic changes such as

disturbances caused by the use of the Site during the Civil War. The area of thebowling green may have suffered some disturbance in order to create a level surface

as it is possible that the level surface was achieved by removing soil to a depth ofbetween 150-300 mm. It is also possible however that the area surrounding the green

has been built-up over the past two centuries and that no disturbance was caused by

the bowling greens presence. The buildings that once stood along Castle Street alongthe northern edge of the Site, including the brew house and the courthouse shown on

the estate map of 1790 may survive as sub-surface features. There has been some

erosion of soil by the sign in the north east of the Site and alongside some paths and

along areas where there are no paths but which are used as such. A building, apavilion, can be seen in the north east of the Site on the second edition OS map of

1898, and again as a smaller structure on a map of 1924 (Figure 7) which may haveaffected survival in this area.

8.2.2 Around the walls of Constables House the ground surface has been reduced, either toreveal the lower courses of the building or to aid drainage. This will have truncated

any archaeological deposits within its footprint and may have compromised therelationships between the House and surrounding archaeological remains.

Alternatively truncation may only have occurred through rubble which would have


32/64



surrounded the House as it slowly decayed. It is assumed that this truncation wascarried out during restoration work in the 1950s. Levels of truncation within the

building are less clear, although the ground level inside the building lies at the samelevel as the truncated level outside.

8.3 Site Sensitivity8.3.1

The surviving elements of the castle, the motte, keep and Constables House, areconsidered to be of the highest sensitivity to changes in structure or setting. The

Listed Buildings that surround the Site, which have been adapted and refurbished, areconsidered to have medium sensitivity to further change. Buried features such as the

castle ditch and the Burghditch are of great archaeological value, and whilst unseenare also of high sensitivity to change. The sensitivity of individual features within the

Site can be found in Appendix One.

9 RECOMMENDATIONS9.1 Introduction9.1.1 The archaeological potential of Christchurch Castle is substantial, in that although the

history and structure of the monuments within the Site boundary are not well

understood, a below-ground resource exists that can help to improve knowledgethrough documentary research, remote surveys and physical intervention.

9.1.2 It is clear that questions on the morphology and structure of the castle, set out insection 7.1, have only been partly answered, or in some case further complicated, by

recent survey work. These questions can only be fully addressed through further

documentary research, remote sensing and if possible, archaeological investigations.Where possible, further investigations should avoid damage to the existing resource,

given that preservation in situ is the preferred option for all nationally significant

archaeological deposits

9.1.3 Further documentary research could include an investigation of Ministry of Workspapers detailing the restorative work carried out on the Site in the 1950s. These maygive some insight into the condition of the monument prior to work commencing and

also on any features or deposits that were noted at this time. Further research couldalso be carried out on Stuart Rigolds limited excavations around the keep tower inthe mid-1960s (Rigold, 1966).

9.2 The motte and the keep9.2.1 Questions usefully addressed by future work could include:

Establishing more clearly the stratigraphical relationship between the motteand the keep tower. It seems that the motte is a multiphase structure, thesephases need to be securely dated to understand them fully.

Establishing and if possible date, the phases of motte construction identifiedby the geophysical surveys of 2003 and 2010. Are the extended areas of themotte to the north and south of the tower part of Civil War gun platforms as

has been suggested? Secure dating is also required to answer this fully. Carrying out investigations within the footprint of the tower to further

characterise its structure, possibly establish a firm date for its constructionand also find evidence for a possible earlier timber keep and/or cellar.

9.3 The Castle Ditch9.3.1 The route and basic dimensions of the castle ditch have been estimated from the

results of the geophysical surveys of 2003 and 2004. Further and more detailedsurvey along the route would:


33/64



Ground truth the findings of the previous surveys Trial excavation to obtain stratigraphical and artefactual evidence to establish

the age of the ditch and date any periods of in-filling and re-cutting,particularly those that relate to re-use during the Civil War

9.3.2 An examination of the southern boundary ditch would require trenching in theChurch Hatch Public Gardens, outside the Site being considered by this study.

Trenching along Castle Street may not prove a practical option. However, anyopportunities for the monitoring of groundworks, such as the excavation of servicetrenches in the road, should be taken.

9.4 The Bailey9.4.1 Investigations within the area of the bailey would also ground truth possible

features noted during the geophysical survey and identify the site of the castle

gatehouse, the location of which has been suggested through documentary work byTCA. These investigations could also be aimed at establishing the location and

character of the former bailey boundaries, including the curtain wall and the ditch andlocation of a southern bridge. Works in this area could include:

Investigations on the site of the Courthouse, close to the junction between thecastle grounds and Castle Street, to look for evidence of the gatehouse.

Investigations in the north east of the area may clarify the origins of thebuildings seen here on the early historic maps (Figure 8).

Investigations along the northern edge of the Site adjacent to Castle Streetand along the west bank of the Mill Stream, could establish the presence,

route and character of the castles curtain wall. It has been suggested thatfragments of this wall were visible above ground along Castle Street as late

as the 1890s and therefore could be exposed by small, shallow excavations.

Investigations to the south of the Constables House would establish thepresence / absence of the substantial L-shaped structure noted by the 2003geophysical survey.

A further geophysical survey of the bowling green area to check again forany signs of building foundations in an attempt to characterise the layoutwithin the bailey.

If trial trenching was possible in the area of the bowling green, thenexcavations could investigate the structure identified to the south west of theConstables House by the 2003 survey.

9.5 The Bowling Green9.5.1 This study has identified the bowling green as a much more archaeologically

sensitive asset that was previously thought, following its identification on the estate

map of 1790. Further research should be carried out on this feature in order toestablish its date of origin through;

Detailed documentary research of the bowling green from historical mappingalong with data held by Dorset County Council and Christchurch townarchives

Documentary research on the significance of the 18thcentury bowling green Establish whether the bowling green was established by raising or by cutting

into the surrounding landscape or whether the landscape was built up around

it.


34/64



9.6 The Constables House9.6.1 In the pamphlet on the Constables House (Wood, 1956), mention is made of the line

of chamfered limestone stringcourse on the south west wall, suggesting that a lean-tostructure of some kind was once attached to the building.

9.6.2 The current ground level inside the building and in a trench outside is c0.5m lowerthan the ground away from the building (Plates 12 and 15), suggesting that

archaeological deposits in the area of the House have either been truncated or thattruncation occurred through later re deposited soil and rubble. Future works couldinclude:

Clarification of truncation and survival of deposits within and outside theConstables House.

Investigations in front of the chamfered stringcourse could record anysurviving remains of a lean-to building, characterise it and date it. This couldalso establish if later redeposited soils have protected other medieval

structures and deposits.

Carry out further investigations within the structure itself to establish anyinternal ground plan details that have not yet been noted and which may

explain why the entrance in the south wall was blocked up.

9.7 General9.7.1 It is likely that some of the works suggested above may throw light on some of the

more generic questions posed; such as whether there was a prehistoric or Roman use

of the Site. A Bronze Age settlement site was excavated c500 metres to the north

west of the Site in the 1980s, while individual Iron Age finds have been made within1 km of the Site. The Sites location, at the confluence of two rivers and so close tothe major prehistoric settlement at Hengistbury Head would appear to suggest that

there is some potential for prehistoric deposits within the Site. The fact thatHengistbury declined in importance in the Roman period, together with the lack of

Roman finds from the immediate area of the Site, appears to suggest that the potentialfor further Romano-British finds is perhaps low.

9.8 Improvements to the Scheduled Area9.8.1 A line of mature trees aligned north south currently separates the motte and keep

tower from the former bailey area. These trees have been allowed to grow to heights

that have now obscured the line of sight between the motte and the ConstablesHouse, so that one cannot currently be viewed from the other. If these trees werepollarded then the two monuments could be viewed together from a single point.

9.8.2 The roots of these trees may also be having an adverse effect on the buriedarchaeological resource, i.e., the castle ditch at the base of the motte (Roger Mills,

pers. comm.) and structures within the bailey.


35/64



Plate 20: Trees blocking view of keep from Constables House, from the east

10 CONCLUSIONS10.1.1 The scope of this Baseline Study includes the remains of the former Christchurch

Castle, including the motte, keep and bailey, as well as the great hall of the castle,

now known as the Constables House, the medieval artificial waterway known as MillStream and the private garden to the rear of the post medieval house known as

Church Hatch. The Study has established that the motte, keep and Constables Houseare Grade I Listed Structures, located within a wider Scheduled Monument that also

includes Church Hatch Public Gardens and Christchurch Priory that are not within theboundaries of the Site.

10.1.2 The Site is located in an area that was already settled by the later prehistoric period,with Christchurch harbour becoming one of the most important cross-channel tradingports in the Iron Age (Cunliffe, 1987). The castle is located within the earlier Saxon

Burghof Twinham that was founded by King Alfred as part of a system of defencesagainst Danish raids (Haslam, 1984), although matching early origins for the castle

have yet to be proven (Roger Mills, pers. comm.).

10.1.3 The castle was established to defend the crossing of the River Avon in the early 12 thcentury, having formally been royal lands belonging to the Late Saxon Kings and

then William I. The castle consisted of a rectangular area located to the west of MillStream and enclosed by a curtain wall and ditch. Remains of the original castle that

date from 1107 have not been found. The visible remains within the Site; the motte,the stone keep and the Constables House that survive as ruins above ground, date

from the mid to late 12thcentury.

10.1.4 The castle appears to have gone through periods of decline and then re-developmentthrough the 14

thand 15

thcenturies. It was the scene of conflict in two civil wars, one

during the reign of Stephen in the mid-12thcentury and then during the Civil War of

the 17thcentury. It was partly demolished and abandoned in the 1650s and was left as

a ruin until taken into the care of the Department of the Environment in the mid-20th

century when the remains of the tower keep and the Constables House were made

safe.

10.1.5 In context, the castle appears to have been developed in a period of unrest within anexisting settlement which continued to develop independently of it while it fell intodecay. Its only period of significant redevelopment occurred during a second period

of unrest and it rapidly returned to neglect after this. The castle does not appear to

have had the status of anything more than a manorial seat and appears to have often


36/64



lacked the wealth to redevelop the buildings within it, hence the survival of theConstables House with many of its original 12

th-century features intact.

10.1.6 The motte is of an atypical in that it is sub-rectangular in plan as opposed to conicaland may have been extended and redeveloped during its use in the Civil War of the

17th century. Recent geophysical surveys have suggested that the motte may have

been built over an original, smaller mound and that it may have been built around the

keep tower. Evidence for possible Civil War gun platforms on the north and southsides of the motte has also been gleaned from these surveys. The surveys have alsoindicated that the keep tower contains a great amount of loose material which may

indicate the presence of cellars in-filled with rubble from the collapsed north andsouth walls.

10.1.7 The geophysical surveys have also mapped the possible location of the castle ditch,which appears to have surrounded the motte and which ran eastward to the earlierMill Stream and along the south of the Site. It would have protected a curtain wall

which in turn protected the bailey.

10.1.8 The Constables House is a very well-preserved example of a 12thcentury domesticbuilding with partially surviving decorated window frames, staircases, a fireplace and

chimney. An external garderobe and watergate were added in the 13th century.

Geophysical surveys have suggested that further structural remains exist within the

former bailey area.

10.1.9 There appears to have been a bowling green within the Site since at least the late 18 thcentury. Further detailed documentary research needs to be carried out to investigate

the date, history and morphology of this asset.

10.1.10Suggestions for further work have been made, including documentary research,which would help to answer a series of questions that have arisen around themorphology, character and history of the Site.

10.1.11Any investigations around the motte and keep would concentrate on establishing therelationship between the tower keep and the motte and the identification of any earlierphases of the castle as well as characterising the construction phases of the motte,

including any extensions to this feature in the 17thcentury.

10.1.12Any investigations along the line of the castle ditch would attempt to ground truththe route of the ditch and its dimensions as well as identifying the buried remains ofthe curtain wall. They would also attempt to establish a firm date for the creation ofthe ditch and for any periods of in-filling and re-cutting that followed, in particular

the re-cutting of the ditch during the Civil War of the 17thcentury.

10.1.13Any investigations within the area of the bailey would attempt to ground truth thepossible building foundations noted by the geophysical survey of 2003 to the south

and possibly the south west of the Constables House and characterise the buildingsseen on the 1790 map in the north. A further geophysical survey of the bowling green

area could attempt to identify further former structures.

10.1.14Any investigations around the Constables House would be aimed at characterisingand dating a possible lean-to structure that may have existed immediately to the west

of this building. Further investigations within the footprint of the Constables House

could establish the ground plan of the basement floor and possibly explain the reasonfor the blocking of an entranceway in the south wall. Work in this area would alsodetermine the levels of truncation and survival resulting from the 1950s restoration

works.

10.1.15Further investigations may also clarify whether the Site was utilised in the prehistoricand Roman periods while more detailed documentary research may establish the

origins of the bowling green which is known to have existed here since at least 1790.


37/64



10.1.16The pollarding of the Lime trees currently located immediately to the east of themotte would restore the line of the sight between the motte, keep and Constables

House.

10.1.17The archaeological potential of Christchurch Castle is substantial, in that although thehistory and structure of the monuments within the Site boundary are not well

understood, a below-ground resource exists that, with further investigation, can help

to improve knowledge of both history and structure through documentary research,remote surveys and possibly trial excavation.


38/64


39/64


40/64


41/64


42/64


43/64



OA

Ref. No

Feature Type Description Sour

OA 44 ScheduledMonument

Apparent southern extension of Castle motte. Appears to date from the civil War in the mid -17thcentury,possibly a gun platform.

TCA, 2004

OA 45 Archaeological Site Possible location of the former Castle gatehouse. This building is mentioned in civic documents datingfrom the 16thcentury. Superceded by a 19th-century courthouse.

TCA, 2004

OA 46 Historic Feature Bowling Green within the Castle bailey area. May date from the 18thcentury. Is referred to in

contemporary descriptions of the area.

TCA, 2004

OA 47 Archaeological Site Former castle ditch. This in-filled feature has been traced by the TCA using geophysical techniques. TCA, 2004, 2


44/64



Appendix Two: References and Sources

Books and Articles

Cathcart King, D.J., 1983 Castellarium AnglicanumI

The Christchurch Antiquarians, 2004, Christchurch Castle, Dorset; Report on geophysical

survey of the motte and bailey, August October 2003, unpublished report for EnglishHeritage

The Christchurch Antiquarians, 2006, Christchurch Castle, Christchurch, Dorset: Report on

Survey Work July October 2004, unpublished report for English Heritage

The Christchurch Antiquarians, 2010,Newsletter, November 2010

The Christchurch Antiquarians, 2011, An Electromagnetic Survey at Christchurch Castle,

Christchurch, Dorset, carried out in July 2010 (Licence AA/64218/5), unpublished report for

English Heritage.

Coulstock, P.H, 1993, The Collegiate Church of Wimbourne Minster Studies in the Historyof Medieval Religion, 5, 52

Creighton, O. H.,2005, Castles and Landscapes: Power, Community and fortification inMedieval England (Studies in the Archaeology of Medieval Europe)

Cunliffe, B. W., 1987,Hengistbury Head, Dorset, Volume I, OUCA, Monograph 13

Dorset County Council, 2005, Christchurch Central Conservation Area Appraisal