The work on the 3,4 kilometre long Gorinchem dike section is proceeding according to plan. According to Koot van Bavel, project leader at the Polderdistrict Tieler- en Culemborgerwaarden for this dike section, the required Delta strength and height can be achieved in December. The first half of 1997 will be used for the finishing: the construction of the on and off ramps and the road surfacing with rubble and asphalt.
Archaeological research into the castle of the lords of Arkel in the Wijdschild
At the moment, the contractor combination Mourik-Koop is working on the large length, mainly outside the dike, to realise the reinforcement and elevation. Van Bavel: “We are trying to sow the clay slopes outside the dike before the winter. It would be nice if grass would grow on them before winter sets in. But in that respect, we still have to wait and see what nature will do.”
At Fort Vuren, the concrete work for the U-shaped trough between the old ditch and the lock, which must maintain the valuable landscape and cultural-historical character of this section of the dike, is in full swing.
Stagnation
Between the Dalemse Zeiving and the Beatrixlaan, the dike outside the dike has now been brought to almost the required height. The application of the basalt and basalt concrete slope covering has already begun here. Inside the dike, the work is experiencing some stagnation. This is caused by the fact that cables and pipes cannot be rerouted here in time.
The new cables and pipes must be laid in the work strips at the bottom of the dike that have been temporarily taken into use by the Polder District. Some dike residents have objections to the construction through their plots. The Utility Companies are trying to find a solution with the parties involved as soon as possible.
Leave
Recently, the piling of the steel sheet piles perpendicular to the dike at the so-called 'overflows' has begun. These sheet piles are intended to limit the outflow openings of the overflows when, in the event of a dike breach, the water from the polder flows back into the Waal.
Residential mounds
The mounds of sand and clay for the reconstruction of homes inside and outside the dike have now been constructed. However, the Polder District cannot yet make a statement about the time at which the residents can start building. “First, we have to wait for the settlement of the applied clay and sand mass. Such a mound has to lie for a while so that the largest settlement has already occurred before the reconstruction starts,” says Van Bavel.
Lock
The final plan for the renovation of the drainage lock at Dalem, which is part of the protected cityscape of Gorinchem, will be assessed this month by the Coordination Committee Dike Improvement (CCD) of South Holland. The intention is to have the plan ready for specification by the end of this year so that implementation can start in early '97.
Archaeological research into the castle of the lords of Arkel in the Wijdschild
Remains of castle
When excavating the floodplains east of the city walls, with the aim of creating a marshy nature reserve to compensate for the natural values lost during the dike improvement, the Polder District came across the remains of foundations.
An amateur archaeologist who was previously involved in excavations inside the dike discovered that it was the former castle of the lords of Arkel, at that time the master of Gorinchem. This castle was demolished in the fifteenth century by the Count of Holland. The rubble was dumped in the then castle moat.
During excavation work in 1977, remains had already been found inside the dike. However, these remains did not provide an idea of the size of the castle. The remains that have now been found show that the castle is considerably larger than previously assumed.
The Polder District has provided the team of archaeologists with a crane to further scrape the terrain and determine the boundary of the former castle site.
Research
The excavation work will be limited to this exploratory field research. In addition, some aerial photographs have also been taken. The research has now established that the castle remains found do not concern the main castle but the so-called outer bailey. In the Middle Ages, this was the place where the residences of the staff of the noble Van Arkel family were located.
The Polder District has asked the National Service for Archaeological Heritage (ROB), which was involved in the investigation, how to deal with the finds. According to Van Bavel, the ROB's advice could lead to the original plan for the site -water with reeds- being changed.
If a plan change is in order, the Polder District will take the initiative. Van Bavel: "We want to deal responsibly with what we have found now." He emphasizes that the archaeological research and the finds currently have no consequences for the planning of strengthening the dike near Gorinchem.
Publication of the Polder District Tieler- and Culemborgerwaarden
September 17, 1996
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