Burgstraat | cry (1999)

During a sewer remediation in the Burgstraat In Gorinchem on 16, 19 and 29 April 1999, Pieter Floore and Martin Veen documented the remains of two brick constructions.

Bridge vaults, photographed looking west.

The first was a fixed bridge that was laid from the Laantje over the former Haventje (now Vissersdijk) to the eastern extension of the city. The construction consisted of three vaults, of which the westernmost, near the Laantje, was still intact. This arch possibly had an ear hole. The other two had been partly demolished for the construction of an old sewer (possibly from 1869). The easternmost arch construction had a span of at least 6 metres. There may also be bridge remains in the subsoil at the intersection with the Vissersdijk and further to the east. Based on historical data and cartography, the period of use of this bridge can be dated between 1596 and 1873.

Detailed map of Gorinchem with the Burgstraat by Nicolaas Wijdtmans (ca. 1600)

Dark Heul

The second construction consisted of two vaults, heulen, of the so-called 'Dark Heul' which approximately 20 metres east of the intersection with Keizerstraat, drained the water from the Kalkhaven to a small canal north of the BurgstraatThe heul was a 60-metre long canopy under the Vissersmarkt and the Burgstraat which provided space for a 40 x 50 meter square with a continuous row of houses on the north side and to the south of the Burgstraat offered space for a fish market hall. This old-fashioned 'Dark Heul' two vaults have been documented that had a diameter of 4,6 meters. In the nineteenth century these two heuls were filled in with sand. A former manhole at the top was closed with a square natural stone slab. The heul is located approximately at the spot where until the end of the 16^de century the bridge was located in front of the old Burgpoort. After the old Burgpoort lost its function the bridge was replaced by a bridge with an exceptional length of 60 meters. The bridge is dated at the end of the 16^de century. Both the bridge and the canal were located only 50 cm below the current street level. The vaults of the bridge and the canal were removed over the width of the new sewer trench (approx. 1,5 meters) and to a depth of 2,5 meters below the current street level, on both sides of the sewer trench the brick constructions are still present.

Overview of research location. For legend see p. 31 of the publication.

Conclusions

Two interesting archaeological structures have been found within the plan area in the BurgstraatThe discovery of the bridge and the canal, through a combination of historical data and archaeology, also provided clear indications of the location of the former Burchtpoort, a mid-16th century fortification.^de century roundel, the Quellingpoort and the new Burchtpoort with the former late 16^de century bastionThis confirms that the area runs the entire length of the Burgstraat is of great importance for the research into the Late Medieval and Modern Age city fortifications. It is therefore recommended to include the remains found during this research and the mapped locations of the individual structures with emphasis in the archaeological assessment of this part of the city.