Excavation of a post-medieval shipyard, New Providence Wharf, London

AOC Archaeology Group has been working with Ballymore Properties Ltd since 1999 on the various stages of redevelopment of the former Blackwall Shipyard, which once provided ships for the East India Company as well as the Royal Navy. AOC Archaeology Group has carried out a programme of desk-based study and evaluation followed by mitigation measures ahead of construction work where required. The most recent piece of work was the construction of Building D at New Providence Wharf as the site has become known.

AOC Archaeology Group was able to work with Ballymore Properties Ltd and the archaeological advisor to the Local Planning Authority, to devise a scheme of investigation that concentrated resources on two areas of excavation. This allowed a representative sample of the best-preserved areas of the docks identified during evaluation work to be recorded. The archaeological recording was carried out down to the level of disturbance that would be caused by the construction of the basement for Building D. As the docks were largely uniform structures, detailed recording was carried out in the sample excavation areas and was supplemented with information recorded during a watching brief on the ground reduction. This provided the wider plan of the docks and allowed any variation to be recorded as well.

The recording allowed the construction methods of the dockyard structures and materials to be examined, in order to understand the development of the site and to determine the quality and quantity of imported materials used. Six different structures were identified during the works. The earliest dated to 1659, and was part of a canal leading to a large central dock. This was rebuilt during the early 18th century, and was considerably modified shortly afterwards with a slipway added. This canal was narrowed on its western side in the early 19th century by building a timber revetment that survived in good condition. Two slipways were also located: one established during the 18th century, the other built within the infilled canal. These latest slips had been considerably dismantled when the dockyard closed in 1877. Many of the timbers used in the construction of these structures were from broken-up ships or were imported. An assortment of implements and fixtures and fittings from the daily use of the shipyard were recovered and these will be deposited within the Museum of Docklands when the project is completed. The final stage of this project is to produce a final publication of the site to allow the discharge of the archaeological condition on planning permission.

AOC Archaeology Project Manager: Ron Humphrey
AOC Archaeology Project Officer: Les Capon
Client: Ballymore Properties Ltd