RSA Geotechnics undertook fieldwork at the proposed location of a Sea Sport Centre at Esplanade, Dover Harbour. The fieldwork was carried out in December 2005 and comprised the drilling of two boreholes by conventional light cable percussion methods, and the excavation of four trial pits using a mechanical excavator.

The seawall constructed of limestone/granite was located and continued to curve down from the promenade underneath the site depth. The seawall was overlain by Storm Gravel Beach deposits and was founded on a band of Marine Alluvium. The seawall was encountered from 6.80m to 7m in borehole 1 (After 45 minutes of chiselling the obstruction could not be removed and the hole was abandoned). It was also was encountered from 6.80m to 7m in borehole 2.

Alongside the stone sea wall, traces of a timber structure were also discovered during investigations at this site. A thick section of very hard marine hardwood, laying 45 degrees to the horizontal was cored from 6.30m to 6.70m, this was recovered along with fragments of limestone. It is believed that the timber is a cross brace for a timber groyne, present beneath the beach deposits, and potentially supporting the limestone rip-rap. Historic maps show various groynes in the vicinity of the site which have been buried over the course of the harbour development. (1)

<1> Royal Haskoning, 2015, The Dover Western Docks Revival; Geoarchaeological Assessment. Stage One: Review of Historic Ground Investigation Data (Unpublished document). SKE31745.