Monument record HMY 033 - Post Medieval sea bank on the western side of the Deben.

A Post Medieval sea bank is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs taken in 1945, on the western side of the River Deben in Hemley and Waldringfield parishes. The bank is roughly 1.9 km in length and runs nearly continuously from TM 28994388, to the south of Waldringfield, down to TM 29064227, just to the east of the village of Hemley. A number of breaches are visible in the bank, at TM 29154308, TM 29054246 and TM 29054240. At TM 29294343 a bank is visible curving around in order to repair a breach in the bank. (S1) This bank is not depicted on the 1st and 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey 25" maps of circa 1884 and 1904 (S2, S3), suggesting that the repair was carried out some time between 1904 and 1945. Another short bank is visible running inland from the main bank for 70m from TM 29024246.(S1) The 1st and 2nd Ordnance Survey 25" maps of circa 1884 and 1904 depict a bank in the same position as the main bank and the shorter stretch of bank mentioned above. It is therefore likely that the flood defences are of Post Medieval or earlier date. (S2) (S3)