England's Historic Seascapes: Withernsea to Skegness
Museum of London Archaeology, 2010. https://doi.org/10.5284/1000104. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © Historic England unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.
Primary contact
David
Bowsher
Director of Research
Museum of London Archaeology
Mortimer Wheeler House
46 Eagle Wharf Road
London
N1 7ED
UK
Tel: 020 7410 2285
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 935
- ALSF Project Number: 4730
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1000104
- How to cite using this DOI
Theddlethorpe Overfalls Character Area
Present Day Form
The Theddlethorpe Overfalls offshore character area is situated in the western extent of the study area adjacent to the Cleethorpes to Skegness coastline. The geology of the area comprises chalk bedrock overlain by glacial till (clay, sand and gravel debris deposited from ice sheets) known as the Boulders Bank formation. The deposits form a marked ridge of glacial moraine. The water depth across the area varies between 6 m and 13 m and the maximum tidal range is 6 m.
Sea Use: Present
The dominant character of the Theddlethorpe Overfalls area is navigation because it contains various hazards including the Theddlethorpe, Saltfleet and Trusthorpe overfalls. Overfalls occur when the tide flows over a shallow area of seabed resulting in very turbulent water. The rough water is normally found on the down tide side of the shallow area.
The area also contains licensed aggregrate dredging active area 400 and falls partially within the Donna Nook military practice area. The principal fishing activity in the area is long-lining and some netting for cod, roker, sole and brill, trawling for white fish by beam trawlers, crab and lobster potting and shrimp fishing for brown and pink shrimp. The area has spawning areas of Dover sole and lemon sole and is within nursery areas for lemon sole and plaice.
Sea Use: Past
The Theddlethorpe Overfalls character area was formed during the last ice age when the glacier left a marked ridge of glacial moraine which formed a series of small islands (University of Hull 1994). These islands initially acted as a barrier, protecting the Lincolnshire coastline from erosion, during the Prehisotirc and Roman periods. As a result, the coastline was accreting during this time (ibid). During the 13th century, however, stormy weather eroded the islands away and the lagoon that previously protected the coast disappeared. The coast has been eroding ever since. The Theddlethorpe Overfalls are the remains of these islands and so they have had a long reaching effect on the formation of the Lincolnshire coast over the centuries.
Parts of the area would have been dry land in the Upper Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic and possible later periods, while the islands were still extant. It is likely that the islands and the surrounding lagoon would have formed an important fishing area of prehistoric and Roman people. Marine traffic would, therefore, have crossed this area on a regular basis. The only documentary evidence that exists for previous sea use in this area, the Albert Close fishing chart, only dates back to the 1950s. The information on the fishing chart would, however, have certainly have been obtained at least partially from verbal accounts of fishermen, whose knowledge was passed down through generations of fishermen. It is not certain how far back in time this might be traced back but by the time of the map's publication in 1953 the area was already well known to be 'mostly foul and in the south a mass of sandbanks' (1953).
Archaeological Potential
The Theddlethorpe Overfalls character area has potential for the presence of drowned land surfaces resulting from the fact that sea level has fluctuated between -120 metres and +10 metres over the past 500,000 years. From the period 500,000 BP to 22,000 BP (before present), human population levels were low, and little more than stray finds may be expected, although these may still be of considerable archaeological importance.
From 22,000 BP to 2100 BP parts of the North Sea were dry land and human population levels were higher. The areas position adjacent to the Ouse/Nene palaeochannel makes it prime habitation site. Consequently, there is some potential for surviving evidence of human activity within the area. Over the last 6000 years (if not more), humans have used sea faring vessels and so wrecks and related material may lie on the sea floor or be buried beneath the sea floor.
Character Perceptions
The area is perceived as an area that is hazardous to navigation but also has other uses like aggregate extraction and fishing. These activities and perceptions are related directly to the morphology of the seabed in this area.
References
Albert Close fishing chart 1953.
