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Summary

Area of former shipyards to the north of Mayor's Avenue, on land progressively reclaimed from the intertidal foreshore of the River Dart between about 1200 and the 1880s.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX85SE/247

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SHIPYARD (XII to XIX - 1101 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Martin, M., 1980, Changes in the waterfront of Dartmouth 1000 to 1970, 129-34 (Article in Serial). SDV337580.

This area remained as a berth for small boats and building ships into the 19th century. A photograph of circa 1860 shows smack building in the area of the present bus depot. The area was filled in in 1876.

Henderson, C. G., 1995, Archaeological Assessment and Evaluation of Former Bus Depot Site, Mayor's Avenue, Dartmouth (Report - Evaluation). SDV341459.

Archaeological deposits relating to 16th century and later reclamation, quays, warehouses and shipyards, along with residual imported pottery dating from the 12th century onward, were excavated in 1995. The structural sequence from the early/mid 16th century to the 19th century was outlined. Four quays were built out onto the foreshore between the early 16th century and the 1630's. The earliest was on the west side of the site, possibly extending under the George and Dragon public house to the west. By 1600 a second quay, with a house on it, had been built to the east, with a slip between them. Oliver's yard further east was a shipyard built in the early 17th century, comprising a sloping cobbled yard and slipway with the master shipwright's house next to Undercliff. It contained a sawpit and a linhay and continued in use through the 18th century. A further shipyard was established in 1634 which may have taken the form of a long dock to the east of Oliver's yard. From 1808 the three western properties were acquired by William Follett a master shipwright. In its final form the yard comprised 2 shipbuilding docks and a slipway with five long sheds with lofts over, at least 2 sawpits, one house and 2 cottages. Follet's Yard built 27 vessels between 1824 and 1851, which were mainly wooden schooners of 120 -175 tons. Follet was declared bankrupt in 1868. Map object based on this source.

Exeter Archaeology, 1995, Mayor's Avenue Archaeological Excavation, Dartmouth 1995 (Report - Excavation). SDV341460.

Archaeological excavation was undertaken here in 1995 on the site of the old bus depot prior to redevelopment. The land in this part of Dartmouth was progressively reclaimed from the intertidal foreshore of the River Dart between about 1200 and the 1880s. The medieval shoreline of Hardness is oulined by Undercliff Lane running to the north of the site. Hardness was the northern suburb of Dartmouth whose inhabitants were mostly mariners, shipbuilders and fishermen.
Four properties were built out onto the foreshore between the early 16th century and the 1630s. They included Oliver's Yard which was built in the early 17th century and continued in use throughout the 18th century. It comprised a sloping cobbled yard and slipway with the master shipwright's house at the head with an adjoining bow-sided building and linhay on the west side of the yard and a long open-fronted shed with a sawpit on the east. The yards were acquired by William Follet in the 19th century and in their final form the combined yards included two shipbuilding docks, a slipway, five long lofted sheds, two sawpits, a house and two cottages.
To the east is a bonded warehouse which was built in the 1810s and ocupied by W A Hawke and Son Ltd from the 1890s. When the stores were built the underlying shipyard was filled with mud dredged from the harbour. Reclamation took place between 1868 and 1884 and the Northern Embankment was created. Mayor's Avenue was laid out soon afterwards and the site now lies 120 metres from the waterfront.
Finds include sherds of Iberian and Italian earthenware vessels and also a sherd from a pot made in London, attesting to the importance of Dartmouth as a deep water port in the medieval period when its ships were engaged in the Bordeaux wine trade and where naval expeditions were assembled. The earliest pottery found dates to the 12th century.

Stephenson, G., 2001, Archaeological Desk Top Study: Flavel Centre, Dartmouth (Report - Assessment). SDV319967.

Ordnance Survey, 2008, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV340009.

Map object based on this source.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV319967	Report - Assessment: Stephenson, G.. 2001. Archaeological Desk Top Study: Flavel Centre, Dartmouth. Exeter Archaeology Report. Project 4995. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV337580	Article in Serial: Martin, M.. 1980. Changes in the waterfront of Dartmouth 1000 to 1970. The Mariner's Mirror. 66. Unknown. 129-34.
SDV340009	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2008. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey. Digital.
SDV341459	Report - Evaluation: Henderson, C. G.. 1995. Archaeological Assessment and Evaluation of Former Bus Depot Site, Mayor's Avenue, Dartmouth. Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit Report. 95.03. A4 stapled + Digital.
SDV341460	Report - Excavation: Exeter Archaeology. 1995. Mayor's Avenue Archaeological Excavation, Dartmouth 1995. Exeter Archaeology. A4 Single Sheet.
	Linked documents:1

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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