News / Society
Bristol’s shipbuilding heritage revealed
The remains of eighteenth-century cottages have been discovered during preparations to begin the next phase of Wapping Wharf.
Up to nine cottages were uncovered in the dig behind M Shed, dating back as early as the 1730s.
Further discoveries include the wall of an early eighteenth-century ‘ropewalk’, which was an area where rope used on ships was made, now lending its name to a Bedminster pub.
Domestic items such as floor tiles and a stone-setting for a ladies’ ring have also been salvaged, suggesting that the homes were once occupied by mariners, shipwrights and other people involved in ship-building and the Atlantic trade.
Simon Cox, head of fieldwork at Cotswold Archaeology and who led the archaeological dig at Wapping Wharf, points out that some of Brunel’s most famous creations were born here: “Brunel’s Great Western, the first steam-ship purpose built for crossing the Atlantic, was launched in 1837 from West Wapping dock, and at the time was the largest ship in the world.
“These findings are significant as they help us piece together the story of Bristol’s shipbuilding trade, which played an important part in the city’s evolution.”
The listed Old City Gaol gatehouse has also been stabilised in the preparations, with further construction work on it beginning later this year. It will be renovated to provide a new pedestrian path through the site.
Read more: Discovering the history beneath our feet