Power Grab Digs Up London History

Chronicle (Levin), 19 November 1949, Page 5

Power Grab Digs Up London History

(N.Z.P.A.-

—Reuter.

, Covyright)

iceeeivea rriaay, i p.m. LONDON, Nov. 17. On a ruined bombed site in the heart of the City of London, near Cannon Street Station, arehaeoiogy is lighting an unequal battle against a gianc meehanical grab. The grab, operated from a talJ steel crane, is excavatmg foundations for a block of ofhce buildings, and while it works officials from the Guildhall Museum are observing and recording ancient remains and rolics which show that the site has been occupied since at least the early part of the first century. Wherever possible, antiquities are recovered and preserved, but as the preservation of the whole site is impossible, most of " the museum officials' work must be done while the grab swings above their heads. In a weex's time the work on the foundations wiil be complete, and all traces of these oid chapters of London 's story will have^ been obliterated. Ancient Raft Found. At the lowest level, approximate»y 25 feet below the present surfaee, the grab uncovered the remains of an ancient raft and of an oid stone bollard, showing that in the first century the Wai! Brook, which still gives its name to this part of the city, was navigabie where it flowed into the Thames near the site of Cannon Street Station. In suceessive layers above were found the remains of a Roman building, built about 60 A.D., and of a wattle-and-mud structure apparently built on the ruins of the Roman building about 100 years later. One interesting find was a wooden Roman writing tablet, showing several words scratciied through the wax which originaliy covered its surfaee. With it were found | several first century pots, one contain- i ing grain, and, above it, some human remains which had been buried with , coins dating back to the third century. I On a higher layer a medieval barTei j containing two 14th century jugs was also recovered.