Monument record ADB 151 - A Post Medieval boat hard at Slaughden.

A Post Medieval boat hard roughly 110m north of Martello tower CC at circa TM46245501, is visible as a structure and possible earthworks on aerial photographs from 1940 onwards (S1). The hard is marked on the first and second edition Ordnance Survey maps of circa 1884 and 1904, setting the date for its construction in the Post Medieval period (S2, S3). The hard is visible as a post-built structure running for about 32m from circa TM4621501 to circa TM46245501, where it meets, and possibly crosses, sand dunes. The hard may continue into the dunes, but any structure that may be present cannot be seen clearly on the photographs, although a possible revetted earthwork may be visible on 1952 photography (S4). A channel cut into the saltmarsh runs alongside the hard from circa TM4625 to the beach, ending at about TM46295502. This runs parallel to the location of the hard and if it is part of this feature it may have allowed access to both the river and sea. The boat hard appears to have suffered damage to its eastern end during the storms of 1953, and is visible in a truncated form up to 1972 (S5, S6).