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| HER Number | MWB17899 |
|---|
| Record Type | Monument |
|---|
| Name | Site of wrecked boat, The Wharf |
|---|
Summary
Gunwales of a sunken boat seen within the infilled canal basin on the Wharf during an evaluation
Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status
- Conservation Area: Newbury Town Centre
Other Statuses and Cross-References
- Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 01391.10.005
Monument Type(s):
- WRECK (Late 19th century to Mid 20th century - 1894 AD? to 1935 AD?)
Full Description
An evaluation in 1997 uncovered the upper timbers of a boat within the infilled canal basin. It was suggested that this may have been the steam ship 'Defiance' which was sunk on 17th January 1894 when a chain of a crane broke whilst loading a boiler on board <1>. However the canal basin continued in use for some 30 years after this incident, and it is also possible that a submerged wreck would not have been left against the basin's revetments as boats would have continued to berth there <2>.
The wreck was only partially excavated, exposing the gunwales. These timbers were fitted to hull planking and the joints were caulked with pitch. The boat was 2.65m wide. Waste material overlaid it and filled the basin.
Sources and further reading
| <01> | Thames Valley Archaeological Services. 1997. Newbury Wharf: Proposed library site, Newbury, Berkshire: an archaeological evaluation. NWL97/66. WBC Network. p8, 13-14. [Unpublished document / SWB12653] |
| <02> | Crockett, A. 1999. The archaeology of Newbury Wharf, Newbury, Berkshire. Report No 44500b. WBC Network. [Unpublished document / SWB12654] |
Related Monuments
| MWB15508 | Canal Basin, Newbury Wharf (Monument) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
| EWB50 | Newbury Wharf Evaluation 1997 (Ref: NWL97/66) |
| EWB51 | Newbury Wharf Excavation 1998 |
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