Reports

We have published a number of reports on the activities we have undertaken, mainly in fulfillment of the terms of our licences from English Heritage to carry out surveys of Christchurch Castle.

Christchurch Castle, Christchurch, Dorset – Report on Geophysical Survey of the Motte and Bailey, August to October 2003, TCA Report 01/2004
This report describes our original topographical and geophysical survey of the Castle using a variety of geophysical techniques including magnetometry, resistivity, electromagnetic conductivity and ground-penetrating radar. One of the stated aims of the survey was to reeal the course of any ditches or moats which surrounded the motte and bailey. A short chapter on the history of the Castle is also included.

Christchurch Castle, Christchurch, Dorset – Report on Survey Work, July to October 2004, TCA Report 01/2006
This report describes further geophysical surveys of the Castle grounds using ground-penetrating radar. A topographical survey of the adjacent Priory Gardens (through one of the Castle ditches is believed to have run) is also described.

King’s Arms Site, Christchurch: Report on a Watching Brief February to May 2008 & Review of the Archaeology, History and Geology, TCA Report 01/2008
This report records the observations made during our unofficial watching brief on the initial development of the King’s Arms site in Castle Street, Christchurch. It also includes a review of the documented history of the area, previous archaeological investigations, and a review of the geology on site. The report also comments on the conclusions set out in the report of the developer’s archaeological contractor, which TCA believes are at variance with the historical record and the site topography.

An Electromagnetic Survey at Christchurch Castle, Christchurch, Dorset, carried out in July 2010 (Licence AA/64218/5), TCA Report 01/2011
This report details the latest geophysical survey conducted on the castle site, using electromagnetic conductance measurements, implemented by an EM38 instrument, with positional information obtained by differential GPS.

An Electromagnetic Survey at Priory House, Christchurch, Dorset, carried out in August 2014 (Licence AA/64218/3-1/PT), TCA Report 01/2015
This report describes a geophysical survey of the lawn on the south side of Priory House, Christchurch, carried out at the request of and with the permission of the Trustees, with the aim of discovering any buried remains of the Priory demolished subsequent to the Dissolution .  This survey was carried out for us by Dr. Richard Bates of St. Andrew’s University, using a Gf Instruments Inductive Conductivity Meter.

An Electrical Resistivity Survey at Priory House, Christchurch, Dorset carried out in March 2015 (Licence AA/64218/5/PT 2), TCA Report 02/2015
This report describes the second in a series of geophysical surveys of the lawn of Priory House, Christchurch, in this case using the electrical resistivity technique with equipment kindly loaned by the Avon Valley Archaeological Society.

A Magnetic Gradiometer Survey at Priory House,Christchurch, Dorset, carried out in June 2015 (Licence AA/64218/5/PT2), TCA Report 03/2015
This report describes the third in our series of geophysical surveys of the lawn of Priory House,, Christchurch.  In this case the instrument used was a Bartington Dual Axis Magnetic Gradiometer and the survey was carried out by Dr Richard Bates of St. Andrew’s University.

Druitt Gardens, Christchurch, Dorset: Report on a Geophysical Survey conducted between August 2019 and March 2020 (HE Licence SL00216703), TCA Report 01/2020
This report describes a multi-mode geophysical survey conducted in Druitt Gardens in order the find confirmation of the course of the Saxon defences which had been postulated from evidence from excavations conducted in the 1980s. The techniques included Ground-penetrating radar, Electrical Resistive Tomography and Magnetic Gradiometry.  The survey was conducted by Professor Richard Bates of St. Andrews University with the support of a grant from the former Christchurch Borough Council.