Testwood Lakes

Part of a bronze age boat was discovered during the excavation of Meadow Lake, the most northerly in the Testwood Lakes complex. This photo shows a 'replica' of the kind of boat that the find came from. A plaque on the side of the boat reads 'Boats of this type were once used to cross the English Channel 3500 years ago. They were made of oak planks sewn together with twisted yew bark. The remains of a Bronze Age boat like this were found during the construction of the lakes in 1996.' The River Blackwater is about 50 metres to the east of this site - it flows into the River Test, which then flows into Southampton Water and on the Solent and the English Channel.