Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 683: summary

A historic sea wall revealed; archaeological trial-trenching at the Proctor & Gamble London site, West Thurrock, Essex - February 2013
by Adam Wightman (with contributions from -)

Date report completed: February 2013
Location: Proctor & Gamble London site, West Thurrock, Essex
Map reference(s): TQ 5931 7724
File size: 5,128 kb
Project type: Evaluation by trial-trenching
Significance of the results: *
Keywords: sea wall

Summary. A trial-trench was excavated by the Colchester Archaeological Trust (CAT) in an area of open scrubland between the graveyard of St Clement’s Church and the Proctor & Gamble staff car-park. A historic sea wall made from alluvial clay that is visible on early editions of the Ordnance Survey (OS) maps (1867-1920) was located in the centre of the trial-trench. The sea wall was buried when the salt marsh to the south was reclaimed from the River Thames in the years preceding the Second World War. The trial-trench was backfilled and the sea wall was left undisturbed as the proposed development will not impact upon the clay bank.