Monument Type(s):

• WHARF (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1901 AD)
• QUAY (UAD date info: 1607, 17th century to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1607 AD to 1913 AD)

Summary

A medieval to post medieval wharf and post medieval quay.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA2014 - 1960 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA6258 - 2008 DBA and site visit at Mardol Quay Gardens (Darwin Bicentennial Memorial Geo Garden), Shrewsbury by Oxford Archaeological Unit (Ref: OA job No. 8376)
• ESA6260 - 2008 WB of geo-technical test pits at Mardol Quay Gardens (Darwin Bicentennial Memorial Geo Garden), Shrewsbury by Oxford Archaeological Unit (Ref: OA job No. 4106)
• ESA6378 - 2009 WB at Mardol Quay Gardens, Shrewsbury by Oxford Archaeology
• ESA6259 - 2008 Test pits at Mardol Quay Gardens (Darwin Bicentennial Memorial Geo Garden), Shrewsbury by Oxford Archaeological Unit (Ref: OA job No. 4106)

Description

Mardol Quay was built in 1607 by Mr Rowland Jones [?=Jenks <>]. He had to permit unloading of barges, taking 12d for a barge of wood or coal, 2d for a ton of other from a burgess and 4d from a foreigner. Frankwell Quay (?on the opposite side?) was erected the following year <1a>

The Burghley map of 1575 [<3>] appears to show earlier wooden jetties at Mardol upstream of the old Welsh Bridge <2>

A tradition that an earlier bridge crossed from the bottom of Roushill Lane is without firm evidence [<2>] but might indicate the presence of landings this far upstream of Mardol <4>

Rocque's plan of 1746 has the legend 'Quay' at the end of Mardol immediately next to (south of) the old Welsh Bridge [PRN 01471]. This fairly precise location is confirmed by a note in the borough rental of 1686 giving details of an earlier grant of land in fee farm to Roger Rowley in 1658. The parcel of land lay without the walls of the town [PRN 62580] between Mardol Quay and Cripplelode Gate [PRN 01456] and measured 33 yards long from the gate to the quay, and 15 yards wide at the quay end from the town wall to the river [<5>, reference courtesy of Bill Champion]. This seems to be saying that Mardol Quay started 33 yards east of Cripplelode Gate, and was only 15 yards wide from the waterfront to the town wall, producing the area shown in the UAD cartography. The waterfront thus defined now lies c.20m inshore from the riverbank north of the present Welsh Bridge, the ground between representing post-17th-century reclamation. <6>

In February 2009 an archaeological watching brief undertaken at Mardol Quay Gardens, Shrewsbury, revealed evidence of modern landscaping overlying 19th-century deposits including a brick path. No deposits, features or artefacts relating to the medieval wharf or bridge were observed. There is a possibility that earlier deposits remain in situ but the depth of impact during this phase of work was insufficient to expose these deposits. <7>

A watching brief was carried out in October 2008 on the excavation of 4 geotechnical test pits in Mardol Quay Gardens; a series of 19th century features were recorded, associated with the use of the area as a quay. <8>

In July 2008, Oxford Archaeology hand excavated two 2m x 2m test-pits at Mardol Quay in advance of proposed redevelopment for a public art project. These test-pits revealed a cobbled surface close to the river and a recently demolished brick structure closer to Smithfield Road. These remains were probably of fairly recent date. <9>

A desk-based assessment was carried out in April 2008 at Mardol Quay, ahead of development proposals. It concluded that the development site is predominantly land reclaimed from the river in the 18th century, after the demolition othe Old Welsh Bridge. There is potential for this reclamation to seal earlier deposits. <10>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.