The huge wall hidden beneath our FEET for 2,000 years: Archaeologists uncover the remains of a Roman barricade built to ‘seal London off from the Thames’
Archaeologists have uncovered three new sections of an ancient Roman wall that was built along the River Thames the best part of 2,000 years ago.
Known as the ‘Riverside Wall’, it once completed the perimeter of the more famous ‘London Wall’ that extends around the centre of the city inland.
The barricade is thought to have been constructed to protect London – or ‘Londinium’, as it was known at the time – from uprisings by local tribes.
The newly-excavated sections of the Riverside Wall are located by Riverbank House on Upper Thames Street, and Sugar Quay and Three Quays on Lower Thames Street.
In total, they make up about 330 feet (100 m) of the nearly 6,000-foot-long (1,800 m) wall which sealed off London from the Thames.
They were first discovered between 2006 and 2016 during redevelopments along Upper and Lower Thames Street by the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA).
Now, they have been added to the National Heritage List for England as scheduled monuments, as confirmed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport with Historic England.
Duncan Wilson, the chief executive of Historic England, said: ‘Even in a really dense city like London, built up over 2000 years, there are still mysteries to be revealed right beneath our feet.
‘The riverside wall remains an intriguing element of Roman London which raises almost as many questions as it answers.’
The Riverside Wall would have severed London’s connection to the wharves and warehouses of the quayside.
Mr Wilson says this suggests that the anxious Romans were prioritising defence over trade during a ‘time of uncertainty’ throughout the wider Roman Empire.
He added: ‘By adding these sites to the National Heritage List we recognise their national significance, and can closely manage their conservation so that they remain part of London’s rich story.’
The London Wall was constructed of Kentish ragstone brought over from Maidstone, and was up to 20 feet (6 m) high and 10 feet (3 m) thick in some places.
It originally extended for around 2 miles (3.1 km) and enclosed an area of approximately 330 acres, but much of it has been destroyed over the last 1,700 years as the city has grown.
As well as protection – with the Riverside Wall, it forms a defensive ring around the whole city – the wall may have helped reinforce the status of Londinium.
Some parts of the Riverside Wall incorporate reused monumental masonry and demonstrate ancient Roman construction techniques, so improve our understanding of architecture during this period.
The section of the Riverside Wall under Riverbank House is about 66 feet (20 m) long and up to 4.6 feet (1.4 m) high.
Archaeologists also discovered the remains of some timber Roman quays that were used for loading and unloading boats.
About 148 feet (45 m) of the wall was found below Sugar Quay, as well as some quayside structures dating from the late 1st century and later Medieval period.
Finally, 115 feet (35 m) was excavated at Three Quays, as well as wooden piles made of reused wooden cornice or pediment from a building.
All three sections of the Riverside Wall have been left in-situ underground, beneath modern buildings.
These well-preserved wooden wharf and quay structures from the Roman and Medieval periods have also been granted protection.
Source: daily mail
4,000-Year-Old Hidden Tunnel Discovered in Ancient Castle in Turkey
4,000-Year-Old Hidden Tunnel Discovered in Ancient Castle in Turkey
The huge wall hidden beneath our FEET for 2,000 years: Archaeologists uncover the remains of a Roman barricade built to ‘seal London off from the Thames’