Colony of Avalon Walking Tour - Avalon Defenses

Colony of Avalon, 1621 - 1638
Colony of Avalon, 1621 – 1638
Reproduced by permission of the Colony of Avalon Foundation, Ferryland, NL, © 2001.

One of the colonists' chief concerns was defense. Captain Wynne, the first governor, reported that he had "thrown up a face of defense to the waterside ward, with earth digged from the cellar and kitchen...". Part of the defenses included this ditch, about 20 feet wide and 4 feet deep. Shown here is a profile through the ditch.

Defensive Ditch
Defensive Ditch
Reproduced by permission of the Colony of Avalon Foundation, Ferryland, NL, © 2001.

The image below shows the defensive ditch looking south. The stone scarp of the rampart can be seen at the right of the image; the counterscarp, or outer face of the ditch is at the left.

Defensive Ditch Showing Scarp and Counterscarp
Defensive Ditch Showing Scarp and Counterscarp
A scarp and a counterscarp are the inner and outer sides of a ditch or moat used in fortifications.
Reproduced by permission of the Colony of Avalon Foundation, Ferryland, NL, © 2001.

The image below is the restored stone facing of the counterscarp. This image is looking north.

Reconstructed Counterscarp, Looking North
Reconstructed Counterscarp, Looking North
A counterscarp is the outer sides of a ditch or moat used in fortifications.
Reproduced by permission of the Colony of Avalon Foundation, Ferryland, NL, © 2001.

The ditch can be dated to the early years of Avalon by a number of artifacts found in the very lowest layers. Among these artifacts are an undecorated German stoneware jug made sometime between 1575 and 1625 (1st image below), and a large fragment of a gravestone, possibly that of Nicholas Hoskins who was at Avalon during the winter of 1622/23 (2nd image below).

German Stoneware Jug
German Stoneware Jug
Reproduced by permission of the Colony of Avalon Foundation, Ferryland, NL, © 2001.
Large Fragment of a Gravestone
Large Fragment of a Gravestone
Reproduced by permission of the Colony of Avalon Foundation, Ferryland, NL, © 2001.

Also found in the lowest layers of the ditch were an Irish silver shilling from the reign of James I and a gold-plated brass boot spur.

Irish Silver Shilling and Brass Boot Spur
Irish Silver Shilling and Brass Boot Spur
Reproduced by permission of the Colony of Avalon Foundation, Ferryland, NL, © 2001.

The following image shows the sills remaining from a bridge that crossed the defensive ditch and led from the village to the Ferryland Downs to the east. To the right can be seen the location of the east gate to Avalon and the east end of the cobble pavement that seems to run through the entire settlement.

Remains of Sills from the Bridge Over the Defensive Ditch
Remains of Sills from the Bridge Over the Defensive Ditch
Reproduced by permission of the Colony of Avalon Foundation, Ferryland, NL, © 2001.

The cobblestone street leads westward from the east gate for some 400 feet. Although it seems to make a number of turns and bends along its course, the west is the same width - 13 feet - as the eastern end.

Large Stone Warehouse
Large Stone Warehouse
Reproduced by permission of the Colony of Avalon Foundation, Ferryland, NL, © 2001.
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Also follow the Audio Visual Version of this text and image-based tour at the Colony of Avalon Foundation website.