Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A watching-brief undertaken by Canterbury Archaeological Trust during the ground-works for the construction of a new Sea-Sport Centre, situated off Esplanade, Dover. Under the tarmac of the modern car-park, the trench section revealed a succession of post-medieval make-up and dump deposits. In the base of the trench, adjacent to the western manhole, a layer of pebble concrete was exposed. This appeared to be of nineteenth century date and may be connected to the former Ordnance Depot that existed on the quayside here during the nineteenth century. (location accurate to the nearest 5m based on available information).

Monument Types

• LAYER (make up layers, Post Medieval - 1540 AD? to 1900 AD?)
• REFUSE DISPOSAL SITE (rubbish dump, Post Medieval - 1540 AD? to 1850 AD?)
• HARD STANDING (Pebble concrete layer, Post Medieval - 1800 AD? to 1899 AD?)

Full description

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A watching-brief undertaken during the ground-works for the construction of a new Sea Sport Centre on the seafront at Dover (NGR TR 3198 4090, centred) the works were conducted in four phases. The second part of the excavation was a 43m service trench (the excavation of which was split into three stages). This was the first section of trench to be excavated and was 20 metres in length. It was about 1.40m deep and 1m wide at the top. At the western end it connected into a manhole by the dock and at the east it joined with the Waterloo Crescent trench. Under the tarmac of the modern car-park, the trench section revealed a succession of post-medieval make-up and dump deposits. In the base of the trench, adjacent to the western manhole, a layer of pebble concrete was exposed. This appeared to be of nineteenth century date and may be connected to the former Ordnance Depot that existed on the quayside here during the nineteenth century. Slightly above the concrete layer and extending for most of the length of this section of trench was a series of rammed chalk rubble layers. These contained varying amounts of small flint pebbles and post-medieval brick fragments. They clearly represent a succession of later dock-side surfaces, none of which are likely to pre-date c.1850. No ‘occupation’ layers were noted on any of these surfaces and none produced any closely datable finds. (1)

Further information (2)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2008, Dover New Sea Sport Centre: Report on Archaeological Watching-brief (Unpublished document). SKE16251.

<2> English Heritage, 2014, Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer (Unpublished document). SKE52105.

Sources and further reading