Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

Excavations in advance of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2002-3 identified a number of property boundaries west of the Ebbsfleet. Within property 7 which was aligned along the branch road from Wating Street, was a series of substantial post holes which represented the line of a fence between the road and the property. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• POST HOLE (Roman - 75 AD? to 325 AD?)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

Excavations in advance of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2002-3 identified a number of property boundaries west of the Ebbsfleet. Within property 7 which was aligned along the branch road from Wating Street, was a series of substantial post holes which represented the line of a fence between the road and the property.

This fence line line extended to the south-east beyond the corner of the building. Here, as in other properties, the evidence also indicates that the fencelines were constructed within individual properties. For example, the post-holes in property 7 were larger and of a more consistent size and spacing than the 12 post-holes alongside the road in property 8 to the north-west. The post-holes in property 7 were spaced at roughly 2 m intervals, were c 1 m diameter with an average depth of 0.70 m and had post-sockets c 0.20 m diameter. At the south-eastern end of this group were two later,
particularly substantial post-holes which, on the basis of the ceramic evidence, are dated to the late Roman period. One of these was 1.60 m diameter, 1.25 m deep with a post-socket 0.70 m diameter, and the other was approximately 2 m diameter, 1.4 m deep and with a post-socket 0.90 m diameter. Perhaps these two post-holes defined a 2 m wide entrance to a yard adjacent to the building uncovered in this property, though it is uncertain whether this was still standing at this time. (1)

<1> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2010, Settling the Ebbsfleet Valley. CTRL Excavations at Springhead and Northfleet, Kent. The Late Iron Age, Roman, Saxon, and Medieval Landscape (Unpublished document). SKE31245.

Sources and further reading

Related records