2023

The 2023 community dig involved five trenches in three gardens in King Alfred Place and King Alfred Terrace, with over 200 people of all ages taking part.

The trench locations were based upon existing knowledge of the archaeology and architecture of the Abbey, supported by ground penetrating radar and probing test results from local gardens.

All three sites produced some amazing finds and added considerably to our understanding of the layout of the inner court of the Abbey.

Thank you to the householders for allowing us to dig and to our advisory team: Dr David Ashby (University of Winchester, Archaeology), Dr Dave Stewart (Geology and Cartography) and Dr John Crook (Architecture).

Photos and finds from 2023

Trench locations

Currently assumed plan of the church and cloisters

Location of 2023 community dig gardens

Trench 40 and 41 - King Alfred Place

The garden is an area which is shown on plans to be outside the Abbey cloisters but likely to be part of the site of the western end of the county Bridewell (opened in 1788 and closed 1845).

Two trenches were dug to explore a possible continuation to the north of the major find of a massive foundation structure discovered in the adjacent garden. The site was located to find any extension to this foundation and confirm the location of the west end of the county Bridewell.

Trench 40 - this southerly trench revealed 400mm of garden soil with a hard chalk raft underneath, associated with the Bridewell. A fragment of “Peace” pipe from 1856 was also found - this commemorates the treaty of Paris which ended the Crimean War. The pipe was made in Winchester at the Bridge Street kiln site.

Trench 42 and 43 - King Alfred Terrace

Two trenches were dug at the north end of the garden, which was likely to have been the site of the south range of cloister buildings. Under 400mm of garden soil in Trench 42, a concrete base appeared with a 120mm diameter hole. Further excavation showed that this was the likely site of a 2nd World War Anderson shelter, complete with fragment of cast iron soil pipe. Below this level, there was a layer of Abbey demolition material under which the foundations of a substantial 1 metre wide Abbey wall was revealed.

Below 400mm of garden soil in Trench 43 was a layer of chalk rubble and flints, possibly associated with the demolition of the cloister buildings. Decorated window mullions, non-local stone, a fragment of a medieval lead grill, and a large quantity of oyster shell were also found in this trench.

Trench 44 - King Alfred Terrace

Over virtually the whole North-South length of this “L” shaped trench was an approximately 200mm deep layer which comprised Abbey demolition rubble with very large chunks of chalk, medieval floor and roof tile fragments, glass, slate, and oyster shells, together with Roman pottery.

The north of the East-West part of the trench was a very firm row of large flints with consistent dimensions (120mm X 120mm) forming the edge to a firm cobbled type surface.

The south part of the North-South trench showed this may have been the remains of a robbed out wall formed from sand and chalk, possibly associated with the Abbey's kitchens. Unstratified finds from the trench included a 15th century Flemish token and a 1750 George II (early) farthing.