ANTWERP | Archaeologists discover 19th-century lock at Noordkasteel

City of Antwerp archaeologists uncovered unique remains of the Noordkasteel fort in the construction pit of the Oosterweel Junction, where Lantis is carrying out work as part of the Oosterweel Connection. It concerns a brick water tunnel that regulated the drainage of the Schijn through the historic fort to the River Scheldt. The discovery is special because of its large size and gives an impression of how large the Noordkasteel fort used to be. The monumental building is still in good condition and is being further investigated.

The future Oosterweel Junction is sunken into the landscape and will connect the Scheldt Tunnel with the Channel Tunnels. Together they will complete the Antwerp Ring and bring the motorway to the port area. Its construction is a complex construction project that is being carried out in phases by the Rinkoniên consortium, which also includes archaeological research. The Oosterweel Junction will cut through large parts of the area where the Noordkasteel fort was located.

Noordkasteel

The Noordkasteel was the large fort to defend Antwerp on the Scheldt Bend, which formed the northern end of the Brialmont Ramparts. Its construction in 1862 on the Scheldt bank fitted in with the plan to transform Antwerp into a National Redoubt, where the government could retreat in the event of a threat of war.

The new ‘Grote Omwalling’ or Brialmontomwalling replaced the outdated Spanish ramparts. The castle had the shape of a heptagon and was approximately 170 hectares in size, with three earthen ramparts around an inner courtyard, separated by a large moat and a front moat.

Less than twenty years after its construction, the eastern part of the Noordkasteel was abandoned in favor of the expansion of the harbor for the Lefebvre and America Docks. The closed character of the fort was then further broken by the construction of footpaths and passages through the rampart.

In 1910, the fort was officially declassified and large parts were destroyed by the harbor expansion. Only the southernmost moat, a weapons depot and the rampart against the Scheldt were preserved. The underground lock was also preserved because of its deep location.

Acting Mayor Els van Doesburg (N-VA): “In the current perception, the Noordkasteel is mainly associated with the pond and its recreational use. Due to the expansion of the harbour, a large part of the fort disappeared to make way for docks and harbour infrastructure. The awareness of the original size of this military construction disappeared from the collective memory. During the current works, a part of the original fort is being cut into again. Among other things, the archaeologists exposed the historical lock construction. This research gives us the opportunity to realise the gigantic size of the original Noordkasteel again.”

Water from Schijn to Scheldt

The canals of the Noordkasteel were fed by the water of the Scheldt, which was regulated from two locks on the Scheldt Bank. The north lock in the bank served the fore-moat and could also flood the polders in the event of a military threat.

The lock that was now discovered at the Oosterweel works, is less well known and connected the fore-moat to the main canal. It was a massive brick structure of approximately 30 meters wide and 20 meters long, finished with blue limestone at the tunnel openings and plasterwork at the height of the earthen wall. It consisted of two retaining walls, with two vaulted water tunnels in between. The tunnels are 2 meters wide and are located diagonally in the fore-moat, oriented towards the flow of the Scheldt.

According to the archaeological research, this is a drainage lock, which was added after 1883, when the River Schijn also flowed into the main canal. This river was diverted for the construction of the docks. The lock that was now discovered ensured that excess water from the main canal could flow away via the front canal to the Scheldt.

The excavations also provided insight into the structure of the construction and the foundation technique. For example, it turned out that the walls, due to the unstable subsoil, were built on wooden pile foundations and crossbeams.

Further research

The lock that was now excavated is being thoroughly measured and documented by the archaeologists. In addition, aerial photographs also provide a good picture of the relationship between this water structure and the Scheldt. After this documentation, the lock will be dismantled to continue the excavation of the construction pit for the planned Oosterweel works.

More information

The city archaeologists will continue to monitor and investigate the works around the Oosterweel junction, in the hope of finding other historical relics. During previous research on the embankment of the Noordkasteel, they unexpectedly found a train carriage from the London North Eastern Railway.

Interested parties can follow the archaeological site on www.antwerpenmorgen.be. There’s also a media gallery.