Monument MPM1118 - Institute of Marine Sciences

Several features which may have been associated with a former 19th century Coastguard Station were observed during a watching brief in 2010, although the remains of the actual building were not identified.

Several features which may have been associated with a former 19th century Coastguard Station were observed during a watching brief in 2010, although the remains of the actual building were not identified. The station and a smaller out-building are marked on the Ordnance Survey map of 1870. The main building appears to have been demolished by 1898, when the smaller structure is marked as the 'Coastguard Watch House'. This building has also disappeared by the map of 1910, the watch house having re-located to the south-east.

Fragments of post-medieval ceramic roof tile were contained within a gravel layer at the north end of the site. Above this layer was a clay dump of uncertain date, which had possibly been dredged from the harbour to make up the ground surface. It was thought this dump may have been associated with the laying out of the Coastguard Station. A large cut feature (16) caused a major disturbance to the layers at the north end of the site. It cut the clay dump, and contained a very dark brown gravel fill, overlain by a mixed fill of gravel and soil. The reason for the disturbance was unclear.

A brick-lined pit, 1500mm wide, had been built into feature 16. It was lined by a single skin of hand-moulded bricks, bonded with a hard lime mortar. The bricks measured 230mm by 99mm by 60mm, and were without frogs. The backfill of the pit consisted of a dump of gravel at it's base, overlain by 200mm of oyster shells with peg tiles and limestone fragments overlain by a gravelly soil. The pit corresponded with the south edge of the out-building shown on the 1870 Ordnance Survey map.

Accession No: 2010/567

Smith, M P, 2010, Archaeological Watching Brief at The Institute of Marine Sciences Phase 2a, Ferry Road, Eastney (Unpublished document). SPM130.