Monument MPM1525 - Brick Wall Footings, Pembroke Path

A broken line of brick wall footings, probably belonging to the 19th century revetment walls of Long Curtain. Revealed during a watching brief in 2010.

A broken line of brick wall footings on an east-west alignment, revealed during a watching brief in 2010. The remains of the footings were in three sections, two of which (38 and 41) were located either side of the path which leads to the tunnel through the surviving ramparts of the King's Bastion and Long Curtain, to 'Nelson's Bridge'. The third wall (37) was approximately 1.6m to the east of wall 38, on the eastern side of the path. The footings probably represent the remains of the 19th century revetment walls of the Long Curtain. They may have belonged to the base of the facing work to the ramparts which can be seen in late 19th century photographs.

A modern soil layer containing abundant brick was observed on the north face of wall 37. This layer was also present slightly to the east of wall 37, where there were brick wall footings belonging to a 20th century Drill Hall (see MPM1525), and slightly to the east where there were the shallow remains of limestone wall footings (MPM1532). It is possible the layer may represent a back-filled cellar.

A layer of black gravel containing brick fragments was partially laid over the section of footings to the west of the modern pathway. This layer may have been the remains of a pre-modern path surface which lead to the tunnel.

A limestone wall footing found approximately 90m to the north-east (MPM1524) is also thought to be part of the revetment walls. It is not clear whether the use of different building materials relates to a temporal or functional difference.

Accession No: 2010/407

Smith, M P, 2010, Archaeological Watching Brief on Installation of Lighting at Pembroke Path, Portsmouth (Unpublished document). SPM273.