Société Jersiaise - Archaeology Review

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Archaeology Review - Autumn 2006

The Section continues to meet on most Thursday evenings at 8 pm. We spend some of the time in processing finds and also discuss current archaeology. Another group meets on Wednesday mornings and works mainly on pottery, clay tobacco pipes and the ongoing recording of the Island’s numerous lavoirs. Following a request from the former Receiver-General to record the nourrices in Rozel harbour, more nourrices are also being discovered and their investigation led by Mary Gibb has to be governed by the tides. The Section visited Le Saie Harbour and examined an enigmatic circle of boulders near the low spring tide line. It was concluded that it was not prehistoric but, although manmade, no satisfactory explanation of its function was forthcoming. During the summer two of the long evenings were spent at La Hougue des Platons in an attempt to reduce the danger to the monument from gorse roots. Other outings included the branchage at St Cyr Lavoir and La Bergerie.

The investigation at the site of the Royal Yacht Hotel extension came to an end when the concrete was laid for the basement. Since then documentary evidence and historic maps have brought together a picture of the development of the site and the town harbour. The origins of the town harbour development centred about a stream that ran across the site long before any buildings existed west of the Town church.

The Section was asked by the National Trust for Jersey to undertake a watching brief at the Gréve de Lecq Barracks when the parade ground and storeroom next to the stable had major stabilization carried out following subsidence. A quantity of 19th and 20th century domestic pottery and ink bottles was recovered. Four clay tobacco pipes were found that varied in origin from France, Holland and England. Surprisingly nothing of military significance was found.

Excavating the Tudor lartine pit at Mont Orgueil

The investigations at Mont Orgueil Castle that were due to be completed before the reopening in April were continued during the Spring when new discoveries were made in the Lodge Yard. When it was being cleared for re-siting of the toilets, wall foundations of a building were uncovered which proved to belong to a double privy. A Tudor latrine pit was excavated together with an 18th century rain-water cistern. This site was excavated and produced a considerable quantity of 19th century pottery relating to the first visitor period. Cally Nóel has been deciphering the inscription over the Mount Gate and her findings should be published shortly.

The dig in the floor of the Samarés Colombier has revealed that there had been a central pivot for a rotating ladder for collecting eggs. This may have decayed prior to the fatal fall on May 18th 1647 by a certain Mr Wright recorded by the diarist Chevalier.

Excavation work on Les Minquiers

A small group made two rather brief visits to Les Minquiers where two late 18th century fishermen’s huts are being rebuilt. The first visit recorded the form of one hut and a trench of 60cm x 30cm indicated that the iron age and bronze age surfaces still exist underneath the huts. These finds were consistent with the reports of Godfray in 1928 (B.S.J.1929). A second visit was made and across the adjacent hut a 1m x 4.5m trench was dug down onto the bronze age peat soil layer and a considerable number of potsherds, flint scrapers and flakes together with a single stone tool classified as a “bevel ender”. Many bones were collected which await detailed examination but appear to be from seals that were butchered and cooked on site. Several round pebbles were found that could have been used as “pot-boilers” for cooking. Perhaps the islands were used for boiling down seals for their fat. This would have been Jersey’s first off-shore oil industry! Fur and meat would also have been a valuable resource and probably taken to the Normany mainland. The 19th century rubbish produced a clay tobacco pipe commemorating the visit of Queen Victoria to Jersey in 1846. The ride to the site in a fast RIB with the added pleasure of seeing dolphins was nearly as exciting as the archaeology!!

We continue to have artefacts brought in for the Section to examine and record. Recently we have examined some granite fragments used as rubble in a wall being demolished. These proved to be carved with crude faces which may have come from an extinct chapel in St Peter. They have been recorded and are to be returned to the owner. Another two reports were of parts of granite hand mills. The first was in the form of a trough that was being used as a garden ornament; the second from a different property was an upper or rotating stone. The latter was in use as a capstone over a “French drain”. Their diameters do not coincide but it is hoped that they can be used as models to re-create a working hand-mill.

The Section is still collecting and recording bricks used in Jersey and hope to find clearly impressed examples from the brick-works of De La Mare and Le Huquet. Any information or photographs on the Jersey brick industry would be gratefully received.

We were pleased to welcome a new member; Peter Sims is an undergraduate at Bradford University pursuing an Archaeology Degree. We wish him success and hope that the Section can attract more young members.

John Clarke – Vice-Chairman