Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Earthwork relating to curvilinear enclosures identified from aerial photographs within a site of Iron Age and Roman activity. Is this a ditch? Now destroyed by quarrying.

Monument Types

• ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
• LINEAR EARTHWORK (Unknown date)

Full description

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Two conjoined enclosures and related fragments of earthworks all within area of IA/R occ site (15). Destroyed by quarrying. (1)

The earthwork remains of two large irregular curvilinear mounds thought to be medieval saltern mounds seen at TQ 7229 7710 within the former low-lying marsh. The mounds were described as enclosures by the previous authority, possibly due to the raised rim of the mounds and slightly sunken centres of the mounds. Saltern mounds are the result of large-scale salt manufacturing where brine was extracted from salt-rich sands and sediments, concentrated and evaporated using process known as sleeching. The discarded waste material from the process built up around the production area into a sizeable mound, often with a hollow in the centred where a hut stood. These medieval saltern mounds are typically described as `floriate' in form because of their irregular lobed formation of dumped waste. They often occur in clusters around former and surviving tidal water-courses within the marsh. There has been considerable reclamation and subsequent sea wall construction since the medieval period which has isolated these sites from the sea.

Many of these mounds were subsequently utilised as sheepfolds, sheep washes and stock refuges in the post medieval period because of their slightly elevated position in the readily flooded marshes.

Roman finds have been extracted from some of these sites, but are believed to be from the lower levels, and not associated with the mounds. Post-Roman flooding and silt deposition has resulted in Roman sites lying typically several feet below the current land surface.

This site was mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project.
Since being photographed in 1951 this mound has been destroyed through clay quarrying for the local cement industry. (2-3)

<1> RAF CPE/UK 1923 F4038 (16-01-47) (OS Card Reference). SKE48957.

<2> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9449.

<3> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9776.

<4> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9857.

Sources and further reading