Monument MPM1878 - Remains of Town Mount Bastion, Ravelin Park

The remains of part of the former line of Portsmouth town defences were revealed during an archaeological evaluation in Ravelin Park in 1972. These comprised part of the wall to the north face of the Town Mount Bastion, the moat which surrounded it, and part of the counterscarp wall.

An archaeological evaluation in Ravelin Park in 1972 revealed the remains of part of Town Mount Bastion (MPM387), the moat which surrounded it, and part of the counterscarp wall.

The facing stone of the bastion wall had been largely robbed to a depth of 3.8m below ground level. Some of the stone had fallen into the moat.

The moat had been filled to a depth of approximately 4m, below which was a silty deposit approximately 0.3m deep which contained organic material. The base/lining of the moat was made up of a thick layer of clay.

The counterscarp wall of the bastion had been robbed to a depth of 1.5m below ground level. The foundation trench for this wall had been cut into the natural plateau gravel.

Fox, Russ, 1988, East Ravelin (Excavation archive). SPM12.