| Abstract: |
Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by DP World London Gateway Port Limited to monitor the removal of an obstruction on the seabed located close to Sea Reach No. 1 Buoy (Zone 38), at the eastern limit of the Yantlet Channel (UKHO obstruction No. 81149). The watching brief, undertaken with archaeological supervision, was carried out from 31st March to 4th April 2014 onboard the self-propelled crane barge, Atlantis, operated by Herbosch-Kiere. The clearance operation produced significant amounts of ship’s structure, internal components and small finds, comprising at least the remains of one vessel along with other likely intrusive contemporary and later items. The variety and exceptional condition of the material provides an example of an assemblage belonging to a working vessel operating in the Thames during the mid to late 19th century. A majority of the material removed from the riverbed as part of this clearance was analysed and identified as having originated from an iron paddle steamer powered by feathering side-wheels and driven by twin grasshopper steam engines, possibly built by a Tyne and Wear shipyard. This assessment reports on the fieldwork and post-clearance work that was undertaken as part of the clearance operations. Post-clearance research has tentatively identified the vessel as that of Admiral, an iron paddle tug built in 1870. The Admiral sank off the Nore in February 1872 after colliding with the steam collier Rajah. The site has now been at least partially recovered, and most of the remaining material is likely to be at a depth below that of any proposed navigational or maintenance dredging. Proposals for further analysis have been included with particular emphasis on documentary research, examination of remaining elements of the assemblage, and a post-clearance site assessment, along with their timescales and costing. Following these proposals, further decisions can be made regarding storage, curation, publication, and ultimately discard. |
