Excavations at Portchester Castle, Hants, 1963–5. Second Interim Report

Abstract

The present series of excavations at Portchester Castle have continued annually since they began in 1961. The first part of this work, covering the period from 1961 to Easter 1963, having already been described, it is the purpose of the present report to summarize the results obtained since then. In June 1963, following the demolition of the custodian's house, Mr. A. B. Norton cut a section through the ditch system of the Roman fort. In the following Easter the outer earthwork was examined and a trial area excavated within the fort in order to study the nature of the stratigraphy and to examine the particular problems involved in excavating the interior. Once the information had been obtained area excavation began in the Easter of 1965. At the same time a site outside the north wall of the fort was examined for the Ministry of Public Building and Works prior to the erection of a public lavatory and changing-rooms; limited trenching was also carried out in the Inner Bailey. The work was undertaken with the active cooperation of the Ministry of Public Building and Works and was financed by grants from the Society of Antiquaries, the Libraries and Museum Committee of the Portsmouth City Council, the Haverfield Trustees, the Joint Archaeological Committee, and by several private donations.