Post-medieval Oxford - Oxford City Council

War earthworks on the site (Lattey et al. 1936). Later investigation on the site of the
Geology Department Buildings in 1946 recorded a V shaped ditch and a substantial
bank also thought to be part of the second phase of the defences (UAD 1283). Two
further ditches were recorded in 1970 a short distance to the west in front of the
museum, however, dating evidence was again limited (anon 1971). Investigations at
the Pitt Rivers Museum in 2005 also recorded a substantial east-west aligned ditch
approximately 6.8 metres wide and at least 1.3 metres deep (Leech 2005: 6). The fill
of the ditch suggested deliberate back-filling and although dating evidence was
limited, pottery indicated a date range of 1550-1725. Although the pottery could not
provide a definitive dating for this feature, it was thought likely that it represented part
of the second phase of defences (ibid.: 8). A short distance to the east, another part
of the ditch was recorded during excavations at the University Science Area in 1959.
Here, the ditch was over 8 metres wide and crossed the site on a west-south-west to
east-north-east alignment. Again, dating evidence was limited with a single sherd of
clay pipe recorded from the base of the ditch dated to 1640-1660 (Case and Sturdy
1959: 1001; section published in Bradley and Charles 2005).
Further to the south and east, the outer line of the defences have been decisively
excavated at the Chemistry Research Laboratory site, 2-4 South Parks Road in 2001
(Bradley et al. 2005). The outer ditch was approximately 11 metres wide and 2.4
metres deep. Evidence was found implying the presence of a bank south of the ditch.
Waterlogged plant remains from the lower ditch fills indicated that the ditch would
have contained muddy water and was subject to slow episodic infilling. To the east of
Parks Road, the Outer Line is better understood. One section of bank remains along
the north side of Balliol College Sports Ground, east of Mansfield Road linking the
inner and outer defensive line (Munby and Simons 2005: Fig 14). There are also
signs of a Dovers Speare guard post in the north-east corner of Magdalen College
Deer Park.
To the north of Oxford, an earthwork located at the southern end of Port Meadow
next to Binsey Lock has been suggested as either a possible defensive earthwork or
an installation to allow the control of flooding to make the meadow impassable
(Briscoe 2006).
Holywell
To the north-east of Holywell, the line of the first phase of the defences (UAD
Monument No 439) appeared to deliberately exclude the suburb of Holywell following
a dispute between the Crown and Merton College over the cost of enclosing it (Bell
1996: 291). The second, more substantial phase as depicted on Logan’s 1675 map,
included the church and surrounding settlement (UAD Monument 440). A third phase
of the defences comprised a small extension around Holywell (UAD Monument 452).
Evidence for the second phase of the defences at Holywell has been recorded at
Holywell Mill and on St Cross Road. Cartographic and documentary evidence
indicate the mill, as a prime strategic target, would have been heavily defended.
Excavations at the mill recorded a substantial curving ditch back-filled in the 17th
century that may have been part of the early Civil War defences (Bell 1996: 295).
Excavations at New College Sports Ground on St Cross Road recorded a substantial
ditch thought to be a bastion from the second phase of defences around Holywell,
much of which has been preserved beneath the development (Dalton 1999: 4).
Other observations of the outer line
To the east a watching brief at Magdalen College Deer Park in 1983 noted large
post-medieval features, probably ditches, but not on the projected alignment of the
defences. The smaller ditch contained late 17th century rubbish. The ditches may be
outliers from the Civil War defences (UAD 478). To the south of the city, aerial
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