REPOSITORy wOODS, wOOlwICH, gREATER ... - English Heritage

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DESCRIPTION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE REMAINSThe 19 th -century Repository (Figures 35 and 37)The linear fortificationOnly the northern half of the fortified line survives as an earthwork above ground. Itdefines the eastern boundary to the Napier Line compound, Rotunda compound andRepository Woods. It stretches for 366m from the modern entrance into the NapierLine compound (TQ 4273 7801), on a roughly north-south alignment, to the modernentrance to Repository Woods (also known as the Dell Gate, TQ 4263 7831), the pointat which the earthwork originally terminated.Between the entrance to the Napier Line compound and the Rotunda compound, theremains of one of the larger bastion sections (the ‘North Bastion’ on the 1867 Baylymap/Figure 36B) of the fortification is preserved as an earthwork platform, along with asection of curtain in the form of an east-facing scarp (Figure 18). Slight earthworks onthe top of the platform may relate to the buried remains of the numerous embrasuresand emplacements depicted in this section of the line on historic maps (Ordnance Survey1 st edition 25 inch map of 1869) and photographs (RAHT Collection Album 27).Figure 18: The earthwork platform which defines the remains of the northern-most bastionof the two original bastions, looking south towards Woolwich Common. Photograph: SarahNewsome 2008 © English HeritageTo the north of the bastion the Rotunda compound is defined by a stock brick walltopped by an iron fence. The wall may be a surviving part of the original revetment, asuggestion that is supported by its sloping angle close to the Rotunda compound, and© ENGLISH HERITAGE2614 - 2009
it may now appear perched on top of the earthwork due to erosion of the outer bank(which may have been deliberately slighted in order to fill in the ditch). The earthworkevidence indicates that this section of the practice fortification was constructed after,though perhaps not very long after, the bastion was constructed to the south. This couldrelate to different construction phases (possibly supported by the depiction on the 1821map - TNA:PRO MFQ 1/1274) but this should be treated with caution as many changeshave occurred in this area, including the insertion of the current access into the Rotundacompound between 1839 and 1869 (NMR MD 96/124; Ordnance Survey 1 st edition 25inch map 1869).Figure 19: The eastern (external) face of the practice fortification north of the Rotunda.Photograph: Sarah Newsome 2008 © English HeritageTo the north of the entrance to the Rotunda compound the earthwork is defined by aneast-facing scarp which turns through a number of different angles to create a variety offlanks, salients, spurs and demi-bastions of different angles and lengths which are muchmore irregular than the two large regular bastions that existed to the south (Figure19). It is possible that this irregularity was purposeful but it may have been influencedeither by the location of the Rotunda and possibly the earlier stepped boundary tothe Repository described above. The stock brick wall and iron fence continue alongthis section of the earthwork though it is clear that some sections of wall, such as thatdefining the northern boundary to the Rotunda compound, have been rebuilt with 20 thcentury brick. Again later erosion has given the impression that the wall sits on top ofthe earthwork but the difference in ground level to the west and east of the boundarywall suggests that it is probably original (Figure 20). It is likely that the berm or stepsuggested by the depiction of the earthwork on the 1869 Ordnance Survey map (1 stedition 25 inch) has been lost because of the earthen sod material eroding and slumping.The earthwork is probably most substantial on the spur which is located immediately tothe east of the Rotunda, framing the building and reaching a height of 5m, and this maybe no coincidence though erosion in other areas must be considered (Figure 21). If theearthwork were constructed after the building was relocated here then this stretch ofthe line probably had more of an aesthetic than a practical training function.© ENGLISH HERITAGE2714 - 2009
Page 2 and 3: Research Department Report Series14
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTSINTRODUCTION 1Background to
Page 6 and 7: Figure 1: The location of the surve
Page 8 and 9: PREVIOUS RESEARCHThe area has been
Page 10 and 11: Barrack Field at Woolwich, on which
Page 12 and 13: The Repository exercises have been
Page 14 and 15: tracks around the grounds and featu
Page 16 and 17: The arrival of the RotundaBy the en
Page 18: from 1820 by RW Lucas shows guns ar
Page 21 and 22: Figure 11: A photograph taken in 18
Page 23 and 24: Commissioned Officers, Royal Artill
Page 25 and 26: demonstrated by the coloured map dr
Page 27 and 28: the right to cut hay in the grounds
Page 29: of structures that are discussed in
Page 33 and 34: (Figure 22). The ditch appears to d
Page 35 and 36: particular detail. Photographs from
Page 37 and 38: to the Field Officers’ and Staff
Page 39 and 40: A structure related to the drainage
Page 41 and 42: Figure 30: Zigzag trench which is s
Page 43 and 44: later addition and that the scarp i
Page 45 and 46: Later 20 th century training facili
Page 47 and 48: added to the Repository’s teachin
Page 49 and 50: METHODOLOGYTotal StationDetail was
Page 51 and 52: Maurice-Jones, RA 1959 The History
Page 53 and 54: 1 inch to 10 feet. Surveyed under d
Page 55 and 56: © ENGLISH HERITAGE 5114-2009Figure
Page 57 and 58: Figure 36B: 1867 survey by Lt. Col.
Page 59 and 60: © ENGLISH HERITAGE 5514-2009Figure
Page 61 and 62: ReferenceNumberDescriptionDirection
Page 63: © ENGLISH HERITAGE 5914-2009AL27/6

REPOSITORy wOODS, wOOlwICH, gREATER ... - English Heritage

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