Gallions Reach Urban Village (Phase 5): Canal Extension, Thamesmead SE28 TQ 45375 80085 MoLAS (Julian Bowsher) watching brief February-May 2002 Tilfen Ltd GLU02
The watching brief was conducted on a 175m long section of canal. This comprised battered excavation of the line of the canal and a wider excavation for the construction of bridge foundations at the eastern end.
Archaeological deposits comprised made ground dumps containing redeposited 19th and 20th century material, much of which such as canon balls and foundry waste, related to the former use of the site as a testing ground of the Woolwich Arsenal.
The top of a peat horizon was recorded only in the deeper excavation for the bridge. Elsewhere, only the overlying alluvial deposit was revealed at an average truncated level of 0.00m OD. These lower deposits were archaeologically sterile.