The Purton Hulks

Phase 1 Report No 34

Chepstow Trow Edith

The Friends of Purton

Compiled 1st March 2010

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Contents 1.1 Vessel identification page 5 1.2 Photographic comparison page 6 1.2.1 Historic image c. 1966 1.2.2 Current image 2010 1.3 Initial Assessment page 7 1.3.1 Field notes 1.3.2 Field images 1.4 Damage Report page 11 1.4.1 Damage notes 1.4.2 Damage photographs 1.5 Further research page 12 Copyright © Louis Paul Barnett & The Friends of Purton, 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing of Louis Paul Barnett or The Friends of Purton. All images not marked remain the sole property of Louis Paul Barnett and are not to be reproduced without prior permission in writing

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1.1 Vessel identification

Vessel Name: Edith renamed MV Edith

Friends of Purton Site Number: 34

D.G.P.S. grid reference: Bow 051 44 061 002 27 580

Stern 051 44 058 002 27 596

Type: Chepstow open later motorised coasting Trow

Official Number: 111392

Signal Code: N/A

Builder: William Hurd, Chepstow Build date: 1901 Rebuilt: motorised 1928 & 1933

Beaching date: c.1962 Dimensions: Length 74.6ft

Width 17.1ft Depth 5.7ft Gross tonnage: 45

Heading: 068°

Significance: Rare example of a motorised deepwater Severn Trow

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1.2 Photographic comparison

1.2.1 Edith at Purton c. 1966

1.2.2 Edith 13th February 2010 (Daniell 2010)

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1.3 Initial Assessment

Edith field notes Phase 1 © The Friends of Purton PHR1.3.1

Surveyor name(s) N Baker Date of survey: 07-02-10

Site description Extended linear foreshore feature representing mature grassland and riverine marsh fringe over alluvial shale, mud and silt deposits.

Vessel Name Edith Vessel Site No. 34

Vessel type Chepstow Trow Official number 111392

Highlight vessel position on the plan:

Note extent of remains: Bow: n/a Port side: only midships visible Stern: n/a Starboard side: only midships visible

Visible external dimensions Length: 0.42m Width: 5.25 Depth: 1.19m Heading: 068º

Visible internal height Bow: 0.42m Port: 0.09m Starboard: 0.89m Stern: n/a

Height, in metres, of tallest visible part (state which): engine housing port funnel at 1.19m

Probe survey depth of buried features at centre of vesse 0.61m

Vessel O.S. Grid reference SO 68353 04060

Vessel Construction:

Wooden���� Clinker or Carvel���� built oakum visible/not visible����

Concrete Metal: Composite

Stern design: Square Canoe Elliptical Not obvious����

Structures: Rudder Futtocks���� Keelson Mast step Cargo

Cabin Pintle Port holes Mast fixings Internal planking stringers, wales

Funnel���� External planking���� stringers, wales

Chain plates Wooden knees Gunwale

Engine housing���� Boiler Bowstem Iron knees���� Cross bracing����

Bilge pumps Keel Sternpost Ballast holds Other:

Fixings: Treenails Nails���� Spikes���� Other:

Nuts / bolts���� Rivets����

Mooring/towing gear:

Anchors Winch���� Fairleads Other:

Rubbing strakes wood���� metal (bow)

Samson post���� Cleats Wood / metal

Markings Tar covering���� Toolmarks Rope marks Other:

Builders' marks (e.g. numerals)

Paint����

Other observed features: Engine housing dimensions are 4.625m (L) x 1.68m (H) x 0.825m (W). 2 small funnels on engine housing (port and starboard). Traces of grey and white paint visible inside engine housing. Forward part of engine housing originally covered in timber planking which partially survives.

Field notes & observations Engine Housing dimensions are 4.625m (L) x 1.68m (W) x 0.825m

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Figure 1: Oblique aerial view of Edith. The bow is lower left of photo (Fenton, 2009).

Figure 2: View of forward section of engine housing (Baker, 2010).

Figure 3: View of starboard section of engine housing (Baker, 2010).

5.25m

22.77m

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Figure 4: View of stern section of engine housing (Baker, 2010).

Figure 5: View of port section of engine housing (Baker, 2010).

Figure 6: External view of Edith’s bowstem (Baker, 2010).

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Figure 7: View of surviving port side timbers (Baker, 2010)

Figure 8: View of surviving starboard side structure (Baker, 2010).

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Edith damage report Phase 1 © The Friends of Purton PHR1.4.1

Known historical overview of damage: Removal of Name board pre 1967 Total destruction by arson 1986 (see fig 1) Removal of metal work 1990

Record all signs of observed damage (tick predominant type/s)

Removal of man-made features ����

Excavation Bait digging Graffiti

Irresponsible recreation Burning ���� Timber salvage ���� Vandalism ����

Vehicle disturbance BBQ Metal recovery ���� Erosion

Other activity (please specify) Chain theft 2006 Climbing

Noted period of damage: (tick)

Historic ���� Current On-going

Location of damage on vessel:

Bows Stern Port Starboard Entire Vessel ����

Estimated levels of damage to approximate remaining visible timbers

<30% ���� <50% <70%

Estimated archaeology remaining above current ground levels

<30% ���� <50% <70%

Appraise/rate location as per environmental damage (tick)

Imminent Marginal ���� None apparent

Vegetation coverage Dense Medium ���� Low

Area of deposition (tick)

Bow ���� Amidships ���� Stern ���� Port ���� Starboard ����

Area of erosion (tick):

Bow Amidships Stern Port Starboard

Photographs (dated copies) of newly damaged areas attached: YES NO ����

Site photographs (tick) YES ���� NO Submitted to archive YES ���� NO

Field Notes compiled (tick) YES ���� NO Submitted to archive YES ���� NO

Image References Thumbnail image of damage (insert digital picture)

figure 1 Continued incidents of arson 1986 SIGNED: ..................... PRINT: L P BARNETT DATE: 31

st January 2010 TIME: 11.00 – 2.00 PM

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1.5 Further research It is proposed to conduct an ongoing programme of in depth archaeological surveys to include: Phase Two: duration 2011 - 2014 Full DGPS site survey Comprehensive programme of historical research and data review Full off set archaeological survey *Comprehensive scale drawing to include engine housing and winch Photo-mosaic survey Full depth probe survey Phase two final report submission date 2014 Phase Three: duration 2013 - 2015 Aerial survey Ground penetrating magnetometer survey Comprehensive 3D Laser survey Limited excavation amidships - intersecting port/starboard to determine keel construction and condition. Limited excavation forward - intersecting bow to determine construction and condition. Ongoing annual monitoring programme of decomposition Phase three final report submission date 2015 *Report pending