From the Dover Express, 14 April, 2000

By Toby smith

Water workers make amazing find near pub.

Old harbour wall is found

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have discovered an old harbour wall during water works near Folkestone port.

The remains of the 16th Century wooden wall have been found near the London and Paris pub.

Richard Cross, of Canterbury Archaeological Trust, said the wall, known as a revetment, would have stretched about a 100m along Harbour Street.

It has been dug to a depth of 3m but the trust believes it may go down to 5m.

The harbour has moved further out to sea through the ages. Earlier harbour walls would have been as far back as the harbour car park.

Mr Cross said: "We are lucky because the digs Southern Water have done have allowed us to excavate a trench. If you look at the old maps that Folkestone was a convenient harbour in medieval times."

The revetment was found in a trench the water company has uncovered for sewer works as part of a £120million wastewater scheme.

A Southern Water spokesman said: "We always ensure that construction and conservation go hand in hand which is why we carry out surveys before we do any major work.

"We have worked very closely with Canterbury Archaeological Trust and have managed to cooperate so that we can preserve the past while building for the future."

Other finds by archaeologists during the last few weeks have been 16th Century smoking pipes, some beams, leather shoes, and evidence of the old Pent Valley stream.

The trust members are allowed on site at times during the Southern Water works to inspect or remove items of interest.

Trust field officer Keith Parfitt said; "We used to believe that there were principal sites across the country where archaeological remains were to be found.

"The main thing we have learned over the last few years is that ancient man travelled everywhere."

He praised the company for giving them access to their sites, even though it is not usually required by law.

Other finds over the last two years on the pipeline. which runs from Folkestone to Broomhill Bank, Dover have included a hand axe, found near West Hougharn, which could be 250,000 years old.