Monument MPM1194 - Pit, Dental Training Facility, Ravelin Park

Large feature, probably a gravel quarry pit, observed during a watching brief in 2008. Possibly associated with the construction of the Portsmouth Town defences.

A large feature, interpreted as a probable gravel quarry pit, was revealed during a watching brief in 2008. This may have been associated with the construction of the former Portsmouth Town defences that were located close to the site. A large irregular feature, possibly a pond, is marked on a town plan of Portsmouth dated 1762 in approximately the same location.

The feature measured at least 10m wide and was investigated to a depth of 1.3m, although the bottom was not reached. Its north side was sloped at about 45 degrees, becoming steeper near the base of the trench. The feature had three fills. The earliest of these (16) was c100mm thick and followed the slope of the north side. It contained two sherds of pottery (one 17th/18th and one 18th century), and fragments of post-medieval brick and roof tile. The middle fill (14) was c170mm thick and did not contain any finds. The upper fill (17) contained what was probably redeposited natural gravel, at least 1m thick.

To the north of the feature was an 18th century layer c100mm thick containing fragments of brick, which directly overlaid the natural gravel. This deposit may have been associated with either the construction or demolition of the defences. Its 18th century date would suggest that earlier layers of naturally developed or agricultural soils had been stripped from the area, probably in order to construct the defensive earthworks.

Accession number: 2008/444

Cottrell, P R, 2008, Archaeological Evaluation Excavation At the Site of the Proposed Dental Training Facility, Ravelin Park Campus, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth (Unpublished document). SPM168.