National Museum of the Royal Navy, No. 6 Boathouse, Portsmouth, Hampshire. Watching Brief Report

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Ridge and Partners LLP ('the client'), to undertake an archaeological watching brief during the excavation of three boreholes within and three geotechnical investigation pits outside of No. 6 Boathouse, 1/23, College Road, Portsea, Portsmouth, PO1 3PT (centred on NGR 463048 100423) The monitored works were located in Portsmouth City Council Conservation Area 22 - H.M. Naval Base and St George's Square, outside and within a listed building NHLE 1244594: "SU 6300 SW COLLEGE ROAD (Northwest side) HM Naval Base 774-1/30/201 No.6 Boathouse (Building No 1/23) and slipway to front". The archaeological monitoring and recording was carried out, intermittently throughout January and April 2025. The works consisted of six small trenches, hand excavated to a depth of approximately 1.0 m. The three borehole trenches, exterior to the building, identified deposits of rubble that potentially relate to WWII bomb damage overlaying layers of made ground. The three geotechnical investigation trenches, inside the building, identified layers of made ground which may relate to construction of No. 6 Boathouse beneath the existing concrete floor. The watching brief determined that there were no significant archaeological features, deposits, structures, artefacts or ecofacts within the specified work areas.