Exciting Excavations at London Bridge City

The Museum of London's Archaeological Service has been digging on the south bank of the Thames near Tower Bridge as part of preparatory work for the new London Bridge City development.

Finds include three huge tanks, originally over 10 metres long and 2 metres deep, which appear to be part of a late medieval fish farm. Built into the walls of one tank is planking from a 13th-century rowing galley, a type of ship never previously excavated in England. When the fish farm closed in the middle of the 16th century, the tanks were filled with vast quantities of pottery, metalwork and leather - including shoes and armour. The excavations are funded by CIT Markborough, developer

The timbers are currently dated to the 13th century, but samples will be taken for dendrochronological analysis (tree-ring dating), which will tell us precisely when the ship was built. The timbers are to be lifted and taken to the Museum of London for preservation and display.

Visit the Museum of London Web site for more on the Southwark excavations and rowing galley.