Monument MPM1551 - Medieval settlement, Oyster Street

Evidence of medieval settlement in Oyster Street dating from the 12th-15th century, revealed during excavations in 1968-71. Three phases of occupation were identified which included a late-13th century building complex and a 14th century dock and quay. Features included post-holes, pits and wells.

Evidence of medieval settlement in Oyster Street dating from the 12th-15th centuries was revealed during excavations between 1968-71. The earliest phase of permanent occupation identified dated to the 12th-13th century. A late-13th century building complex was constructed in the area of the main site, and a dock and quay added 20m to the southwest during the 14th century. Together these would have played an important role in the town's commercial shipping trade during the 14th and 15th centuries, providing berthing, storage and victualing facilities. This element of the site appears to have fallen into disuse during the early-16th century and, with the exception of one building, was levelled. [1, p53]

Separate records for the main structures/features mentioned below are recorded on the HER. The excavation report, Fox, R & Barton, K, 1986, Excavations at Oyster Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire, 1968-71, should be consulted for full details.

Three phases of medieval occupation were identified.

Phase I (12th-13th Century)

Evidence for the earliest phase of permanent occupation consisted of a number of features (beam slots/gulleys, post-holes, hearths and a depression) thought to represent the remains of both permanent buildings and temporary structures. However, most of the evidence for this phase had been removed/destroyed when the site was levelled and cleared during, or before, the late-13th century.

The main features of this period were one group of post-holes representing the remains of an elongated oval building 9m by 4m with a limestone threshold and two hearths, and three groups of post holes which may have belonged to temporary shelters or wind breaks. Several gulleys, some of which had associated beam slots and post-holes, were also thought to have performed some kind of structural function.

[1, p40-41]

Phase II (13th-14th Century)

A new complex of buildings was constructed during the late-13th and 14th century. The largest of these was a rectangular building situated 5m from the east bank of the Camber (see MPM1552) which appeared to have a latrine and outbuilding (MPM1553) associated with it. Several other features, including stone footings, may have been related to further structures on the site. A fresh water cistern see (MPM1557) was constructed and later replaced during the late-14th/15th century. Two wells and a number of rubbish pits also dated to this phase. [1, p41-44]

Well W7 had a shaft 1.5m deep by 3.75m deep constructed from random-sized limestone blocks. The upper part was cut by a late-17th/early-18th century cesspit. Finds recovered from the well included local mid to late-14th century jugs, pitchers and cooking pots. Sherds of 13th-14th century pottery were recovered from the backfill of the construction pit. Well W8 had an internal diameter of 80cm. Only the bottom two courses of the limestone blocks that formed the shaft had survived due to the cutting of a large sub-rectangular pit during the circa late-14th/early-15th century. The backfill of the well contained 13th-14th century local coarseware pottery, which included two jugs and part of a pitcher. [1, p43]

The rubbish pits were largely concentrated in the southeastern part of the site. Finds recovered from the fill mainly consisted of local coarseware pottery, including sherds of jugs and cooking pots. Fragments of Southwest French ware and a coin of King William of Scotland 1165-1214 (assumed to be residual) were also recovered. [1, p44]


Phase III (14th - 15th Century)

During the last phase of medieval occupation improvements were made to existing buildings. A fresh water cistern originally constructed during the late-13th/14th century was also replaced. The main change was the construction of a formal quay and dock approximately 20m to the southwest of the main building complex (see MPM1555 and MPM1556). [1, p44]

Other features recorded included several pits and a stone-lined cesspit in the north of the site and a section of loosely built stone wall positioned close to the shoreline in the extreme west of the site. The latter may have represented a late-14th century attempt at land reclamation.

Two wells dated to this phase. Well W6 had been constructed from limestone blocks and large flint pebbles. It had a tapering shaft approximately 3.5m deep ranging from 1.75m - 1.25m in diameter. A large 17th century pit had destroyed the top part of the well. Natural silt within its fill contained a few sherds of 15th-16th century local coarseware pottery and a Raeren stoneware jug sherd dating to 1475-1550. Residual 13th-14th century pottery sherds were recovered from the infill of the shaft. Well W12 had a diameter of 80cm, was 2.5m deep, and had been constructed from limestone blocks. The backfill of the shaft contained local and imported wares of mid to late-15th century pottery and roofing slates. The fill of the foundation pit for the well contained residual pottery sherds dating to the 13th-15th century. The well probably superseded well W6 situated 8m to the north-east. [1, p50]


The excavation archive is held by Portsmouth Museum Service under the accession number 1971/150.

<1> Fox, R & Barton, K, 1986, Excavations at Oyster Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire, 1968-71 (Bibliographic reference). SPM34.