Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During an archaeological watching brief undertaken by Canterbury Archaeological Trust at The Grand Shaft Barracks in 2017 the remains of the gymnasium building were uncovered, including the below ground remains of some of the internal and external walls. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• WALL (Demolished, Post Medieval to Modern - 1868 AD? to 1983 AD?)

Full description

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During an archaeological watching brief undertaken by Canterbury Archaeological Trust at The Grand Shaft Barracks in 2017 the remains of the gymnasium building were uncovered, including the below ground remains of some of the internal and external walls. It was essentially represented by the outer brick walls on the north-west and south-east sides, together with part of an added internal one on the south-eastern side. The outer walls were set some 12.25m apart, giving the internal width of the building. The trench cut across the building at a point about 14 metres north-east of its south-western end wall.

The south eastern wall and its footing survived to a minimum height of 1.35m (17 courses). It consisted of a mortared brick wall some 0.48m thick, as surviving at its highest level, with an internal and external foundation offset widening it to 0.60m lower down. The whole was built from frogged yellow stock bricks set in pale yellow-grey sandy mortar with moderate quantities of chalk/lime grits, typical of building Phase 2. At a slightly later date, apparently as a modification to the original structure, an air vent with external ventilation brick was added just above offset level, presumably to allow free air circulation below the suspended floor of the building. The north western wall and its footing survived to a height of about 0.72m (9 courses). It was about 0.48m wide at the top with internal and external foundation offsets widening it to 0.60m lower down. It was constructed from frogged yellow stock bricks set in pale yellow-grey sandy mortar with moderate quantities of chalk/lime grits. An air vent with external metal grille occurred just above offset level, broadly corresponding with that revealed in the south-eastern wall.

The internal wall was located running north-west by south-east was revealed in the southwestern face of the trench. This had been butted up to an internally projecting pier on the north eastern external wall at a right angle and appeared to be a subsequent addition, quite possibly connected with the latest, post-military use of the building. (summarised from report) (1).

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2018, Grand Shaft Barracks, Western Heights, Dover, Evaluation Report (Unpublished document). SKE51431.

Sources and further reading

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