Event/Activity EPM214 - Archaeological Watching Brief at Southsea Castle 2011

An archaeological watching brief was carried out by Southampton Archaeology Unit during groundworks associated with a new café at Southsea Castle in February 2011. As Scheduled Monument Consent was required, the archaeological work was undertaken under the overall supervision of Dr Richard Massey, Inspector of Ancient Monuments for English Heritage. A total of 7 trenches hand dug by the contractor across the western ground floor area were monitored. These were located within the courtyard and Room 24. Natural shingle was encountered between 250mm and 350mm below the modern ground surface and was at least 1m deep. Two stones walls represented the remains of the original Henrician castle. Later brick walls not shown on Tudor or Napoleonic plans may have related to unrecorded 18th century remodelling. 2011/16