EXCAVATIONS AT TILBURY FORT, ESSEX. TF 1 - 91. Summary of Watching Brief. TF 2 - 91. LDPEM/ACTI/103. Level III Report. M. Beasley. Passmore Edwards Museum 1991. CONTENTS. List of Illustrations...........................................1 Introduction....................................................3 Abstract........................................................3 Excavation Summaries............................................3 Matrix..........................................................5 Group Discussion................................................6 Phasing Discussion.............................................10 Interpretation.................................................11 Acknowledgements...............................................13 Finds Report...................................................14 Finds Discussion...............................................18 Level II Index.................................................21 Illustrations..................................................22 Appendix 1: TF 2 - 91 Summary........................................................30 Finds Report...................................................30 Level II Index.................................................30 Illustrations..................................................31 Appendix 2: Trench 57..........................................32 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Fig. Page. 1 Location of Tilbury Fort. 22 2 Area Location. 23 3 Trench Location: trenches 54,55. 24 4 Section: Trench 54, North facing. 25 5 Section: Trench 55, North facing. 25 6 Elevation of Blockhouse. 26 7 Pottery Illustrations: layers (4521), (4522). 27 .1 Post-Medieval Red ware. .2 Tin Glaze ware. .3 Frechan ware. .4 Post-medieval Red ware. .5 Clay pipe bowl. .6 Chinese porcelain. .7 Military button. .8 Tin Glaze ware. .9 Chinese/Japanese porcelain. .10 Post-Medieval Red ware. .11 Frechan ware. 8 Pottery Illustrations: layers (4514), (4518), 28 (4520) .1 Post-Medieval Red ware. .2 Tin Glaze ware. .3 Border ware. .4 Possible Guys or Tudor ware. .5 Roman sherd. .6 Earthenware/Stoneware. .7 Unglazed Earthenware. .8 Unglazed Earthenware. .9 Chinese porcelain. .10 Unglazed Border ware or Earthenware. .11 Tin Glaze ware. .12 Metropolitan slipware. .13 Clay pipe bowl .14 Clay pipe bowl with scallop design. .15 London stoneware. .16 Back of copper alloy button. Fig. page. 9 Pottery Illustrations: layer (4514) 29 .1 Roman sherd (see Fig. 8.5). .2 Samian. 10 Trench Location: Trench 56. 31 11 Trench Location: trench 57. 33 12 Elevation of wall (4526). 34.pn 3 Excavations at Tilbury Fort.Essex. TF 1 - 91. LDPEM/ACTI/103. Level III Report. M.Beasley. Introduction. Archaeological work was carried out by members of the Passmore Edwards Museum excavation staff between April 2nd. 1991, and April 12 1991, in advance of safety works on the upper levels of the forts' east bastion. This work was in the form of re- grading of part of the upper level of the bank on the north side of the bastion (fig. 2, 3 ), and the excavation was intended to examine the archaeology in the area affected. The excavation consisted of two trenches, aligned north to south, and east to west, crossing each other, and sited to provide a complete section through the stratigraphy of the site. Trench 54, aligned east to west, measured 8.0m. x 1.0m., and was sited to provide information about a gun embrasure on the bastion wall to the east. Trench 55, aligned north to south, measured 4.80m. x 1.0m. Both trenches were hand dug,in Trench 54 to a maximum excavation depth of 1.4m. An elevation was also drawn of the north-facing wall of the concrete blockhouse to the west of the area scheduled for regrading (fig. 6). The excavation was funded by English Heritage, and negotiated and directed by P.Moore. Abstract. The excavation revealed levels of 18th. and 19th. century make-up of the interior wall of the bastion, a rampart surface, as well as information about the construction of the concrete blockhouse to the west. Excavation Summary. After removing topsoil two cuts were revealed, cut into the subsoil, layer (4503). Cut (4501) proved to be a pipe cut of modern date, filled by a concrete base, (4504), over a sand and rubble hard-core layer, (4505). The ceramic pipe, (4502), set into the concrete, was overlain by a mixed clay and rubble fill, (4500). Feature (4509), an apparently linear edge, with two fills, (4507) and (4508), passing into the section in the west of Trench 1, is thought to be of natural origin. Beneath layer (4503), two more cuts were revealed. Cut (4511) was a semi-circular cut against the wall to the south of Trench 55. This was filled by a clay and rubble fill, (4510). The finds from this fill suggest a 19th. century date, but no precise interpretation has been formulated. Cut (4513), and fill (4512) have been interpreted as an infilled or collapsed animal burrow. This interpretation is supported by the fact that in 1806 a serious structural problem was caused by moles burrowing in the forts banks (source: p.10, "Tilbury Fort: A Handbook for Teachers", Frankie Dale, 1989). These were both cut into a series of dump layers. Layer (4514) was a dump of construction or demolition material lying over the southern end of Trench 55. This overlay two clay dumps,layers (4515) and (4516), which in turn overlay a layer of broken concrete blocks, layer (4519). This series overlay to the east of Trench 1, beside the gun embrasure in the bastion wall, a bank of two dump layers; layers (4517) and (4518), both clay silt dumps. The finds from all these layers suggest an 18th. century date. These dumps overlay a clay and chalk layer, (4520). This has been interpreted as a surface layer of 18th. century date. Trench 55 was abandoned at this point, c.0.80m. below current ground level. This was due to time factors, and the consistency of the deposits between the two trenches. Below (4520) lay a deep dump of demolition or construction debris, layer (4521). This was only partially excavated as it was below the 1.4m. excavation limit. Below (4521) a dump of three layers lay against the brick wall of the rampart. Layer (4522) was a layer of clay silt, sloping steeply to the south. Layer (4523) was a layer of clay containing abundant chalk fragments, and layer (4524) was a layer of sandy gravel. These layers were again only partially excavated, as they extended beneath the excavation limit. These were of 18th. century date. Excavation ended in Trench 54 at 1.40m. below present ground level.See section, Fig. 4. topsoil _______________________I______________________ ______I_________________ I I I 4506 4500 I I I I 4529 4502 I I I I 4530 4504 4507 I Phase 5. I I I 4505 4508 I I I I 4501 4509 I I______________________I I ---------I--------------------------------------------I---------- I___________________________________ I I I I I I 4503 I I I I _____I_____ I I I I I I I I I I 4510 4512 I I I I I I I I I I 4511 4513 I I I I I_________I I I I I I I I I I 4514 I I I I I I I I I Phase 4. 4515 I I I I I I I I I 4516 I I I 4517 I I I I I 4519 I I I 4518 I I I _____I____ I I I I I I I I I I 4525 4527 I I I I I________I I I I I I I I 4528 4532 4526 I I I I____________________________________________I ------------------------------I---------------------------------- 4520 Phase 3. ------------------------------I---------------------------------- 4521 I 4522 I Phase 2. 4523 I 4524 ------------------------------I---------------------------------- 4531 Phase 1. Group Discussion level A.O.D. 1a. 4531 structure;wall 7.495m------- Main bastion wall. 1670-1683. Colour Slide: Black and White: Plan: site plan Section: 3 2a. 4521 layer;grey brown sandy clay 7.015m------- 4522 layer;grey brown silty clay 6.855m------- 4523 layer;grey brown clay with chalk 6.845m-6.715m 4524 layer;orange brown sandy gravel 7.325m------- 4521 layer I 4522 layer I 4523 layer I 4524 layer Series of dump layers against bastion wall. 18th. century C/S: B/W: Plan: 4521,4522,4523,4524. Section: 1 3a. 4520 layer;yellow brown clay with chalk 7.850m-7.015m Clay and crushed chalk floor layer. 18th. century. C/S; B/W: Plan: 4520 Section: 1,2 4a. 4519 layer;broken concrete blocks 8.360m-7.785m Dump layer of broken concrete blocks building up bank of rampart. 18th. century. C/S: B/W: Plan: 4519 Section: 1,2 4b. 4517 layer;dark grey silt clay 8.135m-8.065m 4518 layer;brown clay silt 8.065m-7.775m 4517 layer I 4518 layer Dump layers. 18th. century. C/S: B/W: Plan: 4517,4518 Section: 1 5a. 4514 layer;brown orange clay with chalk 8.415m-7.935m 4515 layer;mixed sandy clay 8.085m-7.920m 4516 layer;grey brown sandy clay 7.935m-7.690m 4514 layer I 4515 layer I 4516 layer Dump layers making up bank. 18th. century. C/S: B/W: Plan: 4514,4515,4516 Section: 1,2 6a. 4525 structure;concrete wall 9.555m-8.605m 4526 structure;brick and mortar wall 9.355m-8.605m 4527 structure;concrete wall 10.255m-7.805m 4528 structure;concrete blockhouse wall 8.770m------- 4532 structure;concrete wall 8.195m------- ___________________I_______________________ _________I________ I I I I I I 4525 4527 I I structure structure I I I________________I I I I I I 4526 4528 4532 structure structure structure Concrete and brick walls forming blockhouse and defensive walls on the rampart. 19th. century. C/S: B/W: Plan: site plan Section: 4,5,6 6b. 4510 fill;mixed rubble 8.405m-7.645m 4511 cut;semi-circular 8.405m-7.645m 4512 fill;dark grey black silt loam 8.165m------- 4513 cut;circular,part excavated 8.165m------- 4510 fill 4512 fill I I 4511 cut 4513 cut I_____________________________I I Two cuts with associated fills. C/S: B/W: Plan: 11,13 Section: 2 7a. 4503 layer;brown grey silt 9.465m-8.415m Dump layer. 19th. century. C/S: B/W: Plan: 4503 Section: 1,2 8a. 4500 fill;grey silt clay 8.385m-7.795m 4501 cut;linear 8.385m-7.615m 4502 fill;ceramic pipe 8.165m------- 4504 fill;concrete 7.795m-7.785m 4505 fill;rubble 7.785m-7.615m 4507 fill;grey silty clay 8.470m-8.370m 4508 fill;black silty clay 8.470m-7.895m 4509 cut;linear 8.470m-7.895m 4500 fill I I I 4502 fill I I I 4504 fill 4507 fill I I 4505 fill 4508 fill I I 4501 cut 4509 cut I_____________________________I I Two cuts and associated fills. Drain cut, and probable natural feature. 20th. century. C/S: B/W: Plan: 4501,4509 Section: 1,2 8b. 4506 layer;brown grey silt 7.885m-7.685m 4529 structure;brick 8.265m-7.485m 4530 layer;mortar 7.485m-7.395m 4506 layer I 4529 structure I 4530 layer Layer overlying modern re-facing of bastion wall. 20th. century C/S: B/W: Plan: 4506,site plan Section: 3 Phasing Discussion. Phase 1; consists of group 1a. Phase 1 consists of the main bastion wall, constructed between 1660 and 1680. Phase 2; consists of group 2a. Phase 2 represents dumping of material to build up the bank behind the bastion wall. The four layers constituting this phase form a steeply sloping bank against the bastion wall, and contain finds of 18th. century date. Phase 3; consists of group 3a. Phase 3 consists of a layer of clay and crushed chalk overlying the dumps of phase 2. This is thought to represent a floor or walkway level, and as such is distinct from the dumps of phase 2. Finds from this group date phase 3 to the 18th. century. Unless further material was removed, the surface was open until the 19th. century. Phase 4; consists of groups 4a.,4b.,5a.,6a,6b.,7a Phase 4 represents further build-up of the bank. The build- up consists of two dumps of re-deposited clay and an extensive dump of large broken concrete blocks, overlain by further dumps of clay, forming the current shape of the bank. Although there are no 19th. century finds in this phase, it is most probable that the material consists of re-deposited material. Group 6a. consists of structural and defensive walls of the concrete blockhouse to the west of the site. This dates to the 19th. century. Group 6b. consists of two cuts, one of which is a natural feature, probably an animal burrow. Group 7a. consists of a silt dump layer of 19th. century date overlying the blockhouse and defences of group 6a. Phase 4 dates to the mid to late 19th. century. Phase 5; consists of groups 8a.,8b. Phase 5 consists of the modern deposits of the site. Group 8b. represents brick and mortar re-facing of the bastion wall, covered by a slump of topsoil. Group 8a. comprises two cuts; one a 20th. century drain cut and ceramic drain,the other a probable natural feature. These are overlain by the modern topsoil. Interpretation. The excavation revealed evidence of build-up of material and construction over a prolonged period. The build-up consists in the main of material dumped in order to build up the bastion banks. The first phase, phase 1, consists of the outer wall of the east bastion, constructed between 1670 and 1683. The excavation was however not deep enough to examine the structure and construction of the wall to any great extent. Against this wall, phase 2 forms a series of dumps of 18th. century date, forming a steep bank sloping down to the west. Phase 3 is the first structural element of the bank. This takes the form of a clay and crushed chalk dump forming a level surface layer along the top of the bastion bank. The finds from this surface give it an 18th. century date. It is thought that this may be the foundation of the gun platform associated with the embrasure, clearly visable on maps of the fort from the 18th. century. The gun platform itself is likely to have been either of wood or stone, removed and re-used, leaving only the crushed chalk base when the defences in this part of the bastion became redundant or fell into disuse. The next phase, phase 4, is a period of major renewal of the bank.This takes the form, most notably, of large broken concrete blocks dumped on the chalk surface of phase 3, with further clay dumps overlying. This had the effect of changing the direction of the slope;now sloping to the east, less steeply than the previous bank in phase 2. Finds from this phase give it an 18th. century date. Phase 4 also includes a phase of construction on the site.This consists of the construction of the concrete blockhouse and defensive walls bounding the excavation area. The end- sections of both trenches showed that the concrete of both the blockhouse and the wall to the south bore the imprints of fascia boards on the external surface. Unfortunately, however, disturbance of the ground next to the walls, possibly as the result of shrinkage as the soil dried out, has obliterated any sign of a cut, making it impossible to establish whether the walls were constructed in foundation cuts or whether the overlying layers were deposited afterwards. These structures date to building work on the fort during the 19th. century. Also included are two features cut into the dumps of phase 4. A cut to the south of Trench 55 may be the remains of the construction cut of the concrete wall, but its' semi-circular shape makes this unlikely. Filled with demolition or construction debris, predominately brick rubble and mortar, no convincing interpretation of this feature is as yet forthcoming. It is possible that this cut pre-dates the construction of the concrete wall and is consequently cut by the wall, although this still does not provide any interpretation of its' function. The second of the cuts in this phase has been interpreted as an animal hole; an indication that burrowing mammals were as much of a problem in the 19th. century as they are today on the banks of the east bastion. This is covered by a layer of dump material deposited after the construction of the structures in this phase. It represents infilling of the area during the 19th. century. This dump layer is then cut by by the features of phase 5.Underlying the modern topsoil,these two cuts constitute the 20th. century activity on the site.A feature next to the wall of the blockhouse to the east has been provisionally interpreted as a natural feature caused by the de-hydration of the ground, and the subsequent shrinkage and subsidence, that is affecting the fort as a whole. The second cut in this phase is a modern drain cut with a ceramic drain pipe set in cement. Included in this phase is the modern re-facing work to the brickwork of the bastion wall. This has become covered in the east of Trench 54 by slumping of topsoil into the gun embrasure. Overall, the results of the excavation show four major periods of activity in the area of the trenches. Firstly, the 18th. century heightening of the bank, with successive dumps of material raising the height of the bank against the bastion wall. This is then followed by the construction of a solid surface probably associated with a gun platform. After this platform was abandoned, the bank was again raised with dumped material, the slope of the bank this time being reversed. This was then followed by 19th. century construction and deposition to form the defences existing today. Acknowledgements. The author and the museum would like to thank the following members of the excavation staff for their work on this project: A.Aja, S.Boylan, A.Hodgins, P.Thatcher, C.J.Tripp. Also thanks to Nicola Smith, the Inspector of Ancient Monuments for English Heritage, to Ray Brown at Tilbury Fort, to Dennis Butler of P.M.T., to Graham Reed for the illustrations, to Peter Moore for constructive criticism, and to Steve Waltho for Health and Safety advice. Finds report. context quantity Description date 4503 17 oyster shell -- 1 cockle shell -- 18 bone -- 5 wood -- 1 charcoal -- 3 iron fragments -- 1 iron nail -- 1 stone -- 1 window glass -- 1 bottle glass -- 17 tile -- 1 brick -- 1 tin glaze ware 1600-1800 5 clay pipe stem -- 1 Victorian China 19th. 1 Post-Medieval Red Ware 1600-1800 5 Earthenware,unglazed -- 1 drainage pipe 19th. 4508 3 oyster shell -- 1 snail shell -- 1 bullet cartridge.5 mm. inscribed "I G I" or "1 G ?" on base -- 1 stone -- 1 flint -- 1 green glass bottle neck 19th. 1 possible glass slag -- 1 brick -- 2 tile -- 1 Earthenware,unglazed -- 4510 2 oyster shell -- 5 bone -- 6 iron fragments -- 1 bullet cartridge,5 mm. -- 1 tile -- 1 Post-Medieval Red ware 1600-1800 4 clay pipe stem -- 1 Tin Glaze ware 1600-1800 2 Staffordshire Salt Glaze stoneware 1740-1770 1 Porcelain 19th. 4512 3 bone -- 2 oyster shell -- 4 iron fragments -- 17 concrete -- 5 bottle glass -- 9 tile -- 1 Earthenware,unglazed -- 4514 10 oyster shell -- 1 cockle shell -- 16 bone -- 7 iron fragments -- 7 tile -- 1 Tin Glaze ware (Fig. 8.2) 1600-1800 3 Border ware (Fig. 8.3) 1550-1750 1 Stoneware-German 18th. 2 possible Guys ware or Tudor Green (Fig. 8.4) 1550-1650 1 Earthenware/Stoneware (Fig. 8.6) -- 2 Post-Medieval Red ware (Fig. 8.1) 1600-1800 6 Earthenware,unglazed (Fig. 8.7, 8.8) -- 1 Samian (Fig. 9.1) c. 50 A.D. 1 sherd (Fig. 8.5,9.1) roman 2 sherds possible roman 4515 2 bone -- 2 oyster shell -- 1 bottle glass -- 2 clay pipe stem -- 1 Post-Medieval Red ware 1600-1800 1 Earthenware,unglazed -- 1 Post-Medieval Grey ware 1600-1800 4516 8 bone -- 6 iron fragments -- 1 coin,unreadable -- 1 window glass -- 2 pipe stem -- 1 Earthenware,unglazed -- 1 piece unknown -- 1 Border ware 1550-1750 1 Staffordshire Salt Glaze stoneware 1740-1770 4518 2 shell-species uncertain -- 6 bone -- 1 oyster shell -- 1 cockle shell -- 2 iron nails -- 2 bitumen tarmac -- 1 Chinese Porcelain import (Fig. 8.9) 18th. 1 clay pipe stem -- 4520 4 bone -- 31 iron fragments -- 1 back of copper alloy button (Fig. 8.16) -- 1 concrete -- 8 slag -- 1 window glass -- 7 clay pipe stem -- 1 clay pipe bowl,scallop design. "I S" on spur (Fig. 8.14) -- 1 clay pipe bowl,I I on spur (Fig. 8.13) -- 3 Post-Medieval Red ware 1600-1800 1 Metropolitan slip ware (Fig. 8.12) 1630-1700 2 Tin Glaze ware (Fig. 8.11) 1600-1800 1 possible Guys ware,or Tudor Green ware 1550-1650 1 unglazed Earthenware or Border ware (Fig. 8.10) 1550-1750 1 London stoneware (Fig. 8.15) 18th. 1 Staffordshire Salt Glaze 18th. 1 Post-Medieval Black glaze ware 1600-1700 4 water pipe -- 1 tile -- 4521 1 oyster shell -- 2 shell-species uncertain -- 3 bone -- 9 iron fragments -- 1 military button,castle motif "INNISKILLING 27",made by "SMITH & WRIGHT BIRMINGHAM (27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot) (Fig. 7.7) -- 4 slag -- 2 coal -- 1 bitumen tarmac -- 1 mortar -- 3 bottle glass -- 1 clay pipe bowl,definite "A" possible "A" on spur (Fig. 7.5) -- 3 Frechan ware (Fig. 7.3) 1550-1700 2 Tin Glaze ware 1600-1800 1 Creamware 1750-1800 1 Chinese Porcelain, or very good imitation (Fig. 7.6) 18th. 3 Post-Medieval Red ware (Fig. 7.1, 7.4) 1600-1800 1 Creamware 18th. 1 Slipware/Border ware late 17th- early 18th. 2 Westerwald stoneware 1600-1800 1 Stoneware-German 17th-18th. 4522 1 oyster shell -- 6 bone -- 16 iron fragments -- 1 charcoal -- 1 bottle glass -- 7 clay pipe stem -- 1 clay pipe mouthpiece -- 2 Frechan ware (Fig. 7.11) 1550-1700 3 Post-Medieval Red ware (Fig. 7.10) 1600-1800 1 Tin Glaze ware (Fig. 7.8) 1600-1800 1 Chinese/Japanese porcelain (Fig. 7.9) 18th. Unstratified 3 bone -- 1 iron nail -- 3 clay pipe stem -- Finds Discussion. Context (4503). Layer. Phase 4. The dateable finds from this context indicate a C19th. date for the layer. A sherd of tin glaze ware, and one ofpost-medieval red ware both have an upper date limit ofc.1800. These are thought to be residual. One sherd of victorian china, and a piece of drain pipe both have a C19th. century date. The remaining pottery and other finds are undated. Context (4508). Fill. Phase 5. The finds from this context are largely undateable. The only find that is possibly dateable is a green glass bottle neck of C19th. or C20th. date. However, as the feature that this context fills is cut through the layer underlying top soil it is reasonable to assume that it is modern. Context (4510). Fill. Phase 4. The finds from this layer give the context a C19th. date. Of the five dateable sherds recovered, three conform to a C19th. date. The remainder, two sherds of Staffordshire salt glaze stoneware dated as 1740 - 1770, may be residual. The remaining finds are undated. Context (4512). Fill. Phase 4. The few finds from this fill, that of a probable rabbit hole are undateable. Context (4514). Layer. Phase 4. The finds from this layer are inconclusive. Seven of the twenty sherds recovered fall roughly into the C18th. century, but included in the remainder are four Roman sherds and two C17th. Tudor Green or Guys ware, along with seven undated sherds of earthenware and stoneware. This would seem to indicate that the layer was redeposited from elsewhere in the fort during the C18th. century work of phases 2, 3, and 4. The remaining finds are undated. Context (4515). Layer. Phase 4. The dateable sherds from this layer give the context an C18th. date.These consist of a sherd of post-medieval red ware, and a sherd of post-medieval grey ware, both dated to 1600 - 1800. The remaining finds are undated. Context (4516). Layer. Phase 4. The dateable finds from this layer consist of a sherd of Border ware, and a sherd of Staffordshire salt glazestoneware, both of C18th. date. The remaining finds areundated. Context (4518). Layer. Phase 4. The only dateable find from this context is a sherd of imported C18th. chinese porcelain. The other finds from this layer remain undated. Context (4520). Layer. Phase 3. The finds from this layer indicate aa early C18th. date for the context.The eleven dateable finds are all dated to around the turn of the C18th., with the exception of one sherd of Tudor green or Guys ware dating from the mid C17th. The fragments of Kaolin pipe stems and bowl remain undated, as do the non-ceramic finds. Context (4521). Layer. Phase 2. The finds from this layer indicate an early C18th. date for the context. All the dateable pottery from the layer corresponds to this date. The kaolin pipe fragment and the non-ceramic finds remain undated. The copper alloy button of the 27th. Regiment of Foot has yet to be dated accurately. Context (4522). Layer. Phase 2. The dateable pottery from this layer puts the context roughly in the C17th. or C18th.. All sherds are of general type with a wide dating range. Unstratified finds. The finds from topsoil removal are undated.