thames discovery programme

Brentford Riverside FHL10/ Brentford Aits FRM22

This key site extends across two zones, one lying in the London borough of
Hounslow, and the other in Richmond Upon Thames (the Brentford Aits).
Access to the foreshore is via the stairs adjacent to the Waterman’s Art
Centre. The ground conditions on the site are generally firm (gravels),
however there is a considerable silt build up on the Aits, and while it is
possible to access these islands at low tide, it is easy to become cut off.

archaeological and historical background

prehistoric

Excavations in the area have suggested human activity from the Mesolithic period onwards.
Large quantities of Bronze and Iron Age artefacts, along with pits, post holes and ditches,
have been found in the Brentford area including a ceremonial chariot fitting (the Brentford
horn-cap).

roman

It may be that Brentford was the first point on the Thames which was easily fordable on foot,
and it has been suggested to be the location where Julius Caesar made his crossing and
defeated the Britons under their leader Cassivellaunus in 54BC. Caesar’s description of the
battle claimed that the British fortified the river bank with stakes; a large number of which
were discovered during the construction of Brentford Dock. It would appear that the pre-
Roman settlement continued in use into this period, pottery and features having been found
dating to the later 1st century AD, sealed by deposits containing later Roman pottery.

early medieval

Brentford is first documented in a charter of AD705 as Breguntford, meaning the ford over the
Brent. Bregunt is Celtic in origin, either meaning ‘holy river’ or possibly reflecting an
association with the goddess Brigant, and, therefore, may indicate some continuity of
occupation in the area from the Roman period. In 780-1 a council at Brentford resolved a
dispute between King Offa of Mercia and the Bishop of Worcester. Viking raids in the area are
recorded in AD 871 and again in AD 999. In 1016, Edmund Ironside chased a Danish army
from London to Brentford where they were slaughtered.

late medieval

A bridge had been built over the river Brent by 1281, when a toll was granted, and in 1307
Brentford received a charter to hold a market. In 1431 Syon Abbey was relocated to the area
from Twickenham; a friary and hospital administered by the Abbey was founded on the west
side of Brentford Bridge in 1446 and the bridge was also rebuilt in stone at this time. During
the late 16th century, Brentford became known to Elizabethan literary society, with the Three
Pigeons Inn reputed to be a favourite meeting place.

post-medieval

In 1642 yet another battle took place, this time between the armies of Charles I and
Parliament. While the Royalists won the battle and sacked the town, the dogged resistance of
the Parliamentarians allowed time for the London trained bands to be assembled at Turnham
Green, outnumbering the Royalists and effectively ending their march on the capital. Handily
placed on the main road west out of London, Brentford became an important coaching
station, its prosperity reflected in some splendid 17th century buildings. By this period a
number of wharves had been developed here, while by the later 18th century, Brentford had a
thriving soap industry along with a number of market gardens, tanneries, malthouses,
breweries and distilleries. It’s position on the west road and the Thames also led to it
becoming a centre of the corn trade, and the wealth this brought to the town manifested itself
in the construction of Kew Bridge (first built 1759 and rebuilt in 1789), and the first church to
be built in old Brentford (1760s). The completion, in 1805, of the Grand Junction Canal,
increased the prosperity of the area, allowing the import of manufactured goods and coal from
the midlands. This prosperity was further enhanced by the building of Brentford Dock in 1859
which linked imports from the Port of London with the Great Western Railway.

A vibrant service industry grew up to service the vessels that there constantly moving in and
out of Brentford. These dock yards provided essential repairs for the barges of both the
Thames and the canal. During the 20th century Brentford has suffered the fate of many
industrial areas that relied on the Thames. As the larger vessels were moved down stream
and container trade began to dominate Brentford lost trade. The canal system closed and with
it the docks. There have been recent refurbishments to the riverside area but of a limited
scale.

FHL10 A103 Standing building Shipyard building. Corrugated iron. Containing machinery
FHL10 A104 Access Slipway. Timber and iron.
FHL10 A105 Vessel Boat. Clinker built.
FHL10 A106 Vessel Barge. Hulk
FHL10 A107 Vessel Narrow boat? Used as hard for barge
Boat. Large fragments used as hard for barge. Probably more
FHL10 A108 Vessel than one vessel.
FHL10 A109 Vessel Barge. Complete. 'Trilby Rochester'
FHL10 A110 Vessel Stern post and other fragments used as hard.
FHL10 A111 Vessel Cherokee'. Complete
FHL10 A112 Vessel Boat. Hulk
FHL10 A113 Vessel Barge. Hull section used as hard for boat.
FHL10 A114 Moored vessels
FRM22 A101 Timber Stake. 50mm diam with bark. Angled.
FRM22 A102 Deposit Peat/organic clay. 2 patches of peat and clay nodule.
FRM22 A103 Timber Mooring post? Post 378mm x 180mm. c. 140mm high.
FRM22 A104 Drain Pipe. Held in place by timber shuttering.
FRM22 A105 Timber Stake. 300mm x 140mm.
FRM22 A106 Drain Pipe. 800mm diam. Held in place by timber shuttering.
FRM22 A107 Drain Pipe. Caste iron 650mm diam.
FRM22 A108 Timber Tree trunk. Modern?
FRM22 A109 Deposit Sand. Silty sand with organic and mollusc inclusions. Peat?
FRM22 A110 Deposit Sand. Silty sand with organic and mollusc inclusions. Peat?
FRM22 A111 Timber Mooring post? 280mm x 170mm.
FRM22 A112 Deposit Sand. Silty sand with organic and mollusc inclusions. Peat?
Silt. Sandy silt with organic and wood fragments lying
FRM22 A113 Deposit horizontally. Forest and peat?
FRM22 A114 Timber Boat. 3.0m x 0.05m.
FRM22 A115 Artefact scatter Animal bone Several pieces.
FRM22 A116 Deposit Silt. Sandy silt. Peat?
FRM22 A117 Vessel Boat. Timbers. with logs A122
FRM22 A118 Vessel Boat. Timbers.
FRM22 A119 Vessel Boat. Timbers.
FRM22 A120 Vessel Barge. Small. Double diagonal.
FRM22 A121 VOID VOID
FRM22 A122 Timbers Logs. with boat A117. Driftwood or boatyard waste?
FRM22 A123 Vessel Boat.
FRM22 A124 Vessel Boat.
FRM22 A125 Vessel Boat. Launch. Double skin. Carvel.
FRM22 A126 Vessel Boat.
FRM22 A127 Vessel Boat.
FRM22 A128 Vessel Boat. Hull appears largely complete but in several pieces
FRM22 A129 Vessel Boat.
FRM22 A130 Vessel Boat. Large dark timber with pegholes. At low water.
FRM22 A131 Vessel Boat. Inc. keel
FRM22 A132 Vessel Boat. Plywood
FRM22 A133 Vessel Boat.
FRM22 A134 Vessel Boat. Metal hulled
FRM22 A135 Vessel Boat. Hull. Clinker-built. 3.0m x 1.50m.
FRM22 A136 Artefact scatter Industrial. Kiln waste. Delft?