Part of the northern (inland) edge of the early post medieval East Brook Water, which is depicted on numerous early post medieval maps, was uncovered during excavations at the Townwall Street filling station, Dover. It consisted of an irregular, steep sided cut running roughly east-west across the southern side of the excavated area. (1)

East Brook Water was a large tidal lagoon, partially fed by the River Dour. It was perhaps originally around 500m in length and up to 100m wide. It would have occupied the area which is today occupied by 'The Gateway' between present day Townwall Street and Marine Parade. It is clearly shown Eldred’s map, dating to 1641 shows its extent and it is labelled as 'East Brook Water'. (2) It is also present on another plan (possibly) by Eldred which dates to 1631 (3) as well as Bevan's plan of the town and harbour which dates to 1737, and Hogbens which dates to 1769. (4-5). The lagoon came about after the early 16th century works on the harbour, at Clerks Pier, altered the natural balance and an extensive shingle spit was created by longshore drift from the west. By the mid-16th century an offshore shingle bar had been formed and this extended as far as the foot of the castle cliffs, enclosing a strip of tidal water. By the end of the 16th century a sheltered new harbour had been created, incorporating and consolidating this spit, and opening into the sea at the western end. After this consolidation, the eastern end ('East Brook Water') which was narrower, seems to progressively silted up and was eventually, deliberately infilled. By the mid-19th century Liverpool Street had been constructed across the infilled lagoon.

The remains of this tidal lagoon which were uncovered during the Townwall Street excavations appears to have removed all earlier Medieval buildings and deposits. It was too extensive to investigate fully, but it was examined by four deep machine trenches and one hand dug area. The feature was well over 2m deep and its base was not reached. A deposit of loose beach shingle was reached at a depth of between 2.9m and 3.5m OD, this presumably represents a marine deposit. Above this, the infilling of the lagoon is represented by deliberately dumped layers of soil, building debris and domestic rubbish. Significant quantities of pottery were recovered from the hand dug levels, the latest of which date to between c. 1550-1675. (6)

<1> Keith Parfitt, Barry Corke and John Cotter, 2006, Townwall Street, Dover: Excavations 1996 (Monograph). SKE31840.

<2> William Eldred, 1641, The Platt of Dover Castle Towne and Harbor (Map). SKE31804.

<3> William Eldred (?), 1631, Plan of lands belonging to the Priory and now to Master Buffkyn (Map). SKE31988.

<4> Bevan, J., 1737, Plan of the town Harbour and Fortifications of Dover (Map). SKE31990.

<5> Thomas and Henry Hogben, 1769, The topography and Mensuration of Dover Pier, Harbour, Houses and Lands from DHB (Map). SKE31992.

<6> Keith Parfitt, Barry Corke and John Cotter, 2006, Townwall Street, Dover: Excavations 1996 (Monograph). SKE31840.