Hurst Castle Cantilever Stairs, Milford-on-Sea

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned to undertake a programme of Archaeological Monitoring and Recording during groundworks associated with the repair of the cantilevered external staircase at Hurst Castle. The groundworks monitored initially comprised the hand excavation of three pits measuring 0.75 m x 0.75 m in plan and 0.45 m deep, directly adjacent to the north facing wall of the keep. However, due to presence of three modern concrete pads it was decided on site to just dig one trench to encompass the three proposed locations. The attending archaeologist monitored all mechanical excavations within the specified area. Evidence of brick and concrete footing / foundation were found directly underneath the current / modern flagstone floor of the courtyard immediately to the north of the Tudor Keep. A single piece of worked stone and a sherd of post-medieval (17th century) pottery were recovered from the made ground that surrounded the brick and concrete footing. The brick and concrete footing revealed during the AMR works may relate to a guard room constructed in the courtyard during the 18th century. Indeed, the brick fragment recovered as a sample for dating evidence corroborates a 18th - 20th century origin for the foundation. However, due to the truncated nature of the footing itself and the narrow scope of intrusive excavation it is not possible to confirm this fact. The footing may also represent the remains of the infilling of the courtyard with concrete c.1888 (Coad 1985). The results of the AMR, although minimal due to the small area of investigation, do, however, add to the corpus of knowledge of Hurst Castle and its environs.