Civil War fort, originally Colonel Greye's Sconce, on Trent Bank opposite Crankley Point. One bastion and ditch investigated prior to destruction. Ditch 5.5ft deep with rough fire step and post holes on inner edge 9in diameter, 2ft apart. Posts later removed and inner part of bank thrown into ditch. (1)
This feature no longer exists, the S part of the earthwork being covered by a large tank attached to the adjoining sewage works. (3)
Colonel Gray's Sconce ... lay beside the River Trent opposite Crankley Point; all but a fragment of the fort was destroyed in 1960 during enlargement of the Newark sewage works. It was built to protect the bridge of boats across the Trent, and also to prevent riverborne supplies reaching the town. The work, enclosing an area of 5/6 acre, was square on plan with the NW side parallel to the Trent; it had bastions at the S and E angles and demi-bastions at the N and W angles flanking the sides leading from the river; the sides were 150ft long between the bastions. The defences survived in 1958 as a low bank, about 1 ft high, with an external ditch, 2 ½ - 3 ft deep, bank and ditch together being approximately 30 ft. (4)
Investigation on the ground revealed no traces surviving of the former earthwork, alterations to the sewage works since 1964 having completed the destruction of 1960. Colonel Gray's Sconce, and the adjacent remnant of the line of circumvallation, have been entirely effaced. (6)
Earthworks of sconce, SE bastion exceptionally clear. (7)
See (4) for full description. Was SAM 23. See M3609, M3610 for further earthworks, M8401 for line of circumvallation.

Data Held (Document). SNT2647.

(4), Arch office

Data Held: Aerial Photograph (Aerial photograph). SNT2645.

1 BW print, CPE/UK2009/3420

Data Held: Aerial Photograph (Aerial photograph). SNT2645.

CUCAP L14

<1> EMAB eds, 1958, East Midlands Archaeological Bulletin, p 10 (Published document). SNT152.

<2> Thoroton Society, 1958, TTS, pp 36- 42 (Published document). SNT372.

<3> SS Reviser, --/01/1961, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT1316.

<4> RCHM, 1964, Newark on Trent - The Civil War Siegeworks, pp 37-8 (Published document). SNT1176.

<5> CUCAP, Air photos (Aerial photograph). SNT594.

Other Refs: L14

<6> TPAT, c.1994, Crankley Point Sewage Works, Newark - Archaeological assessment (Unpublished document). SNT1981.

<7> RAF, 1947, Air photographs (Aerial photograph). SNT2001.

Other Refs: CPE/UK2009/3420