Close Gate, barge house

During excavations in 1989, phase 6 recorded accumulated deposits against the town wall, sloping towards the river, covered by a thread spread of white mortar. The southern section was truncated by a structure of large masonry used to revet depoists to the north of it. To the south a large inlet or tidal dock had been created by removing a depth of over 1.25m of deposits. Associated finds were C18. This may be a barge house, referred to in the early C19. Phase 7, showed that in C19 the inlet was reduced in size by a timber revetment, which held back a thick sand and pebble layer. Post 1823. The barge house was demolished thereafter. Botanic remains showed that the site was not completely waterlogged although the lower levels were regularly inundated by the tide.