Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A watching brief was maintained on the area and between 1975 and 1982, close to the site of a prehistoric lake (mke871). An Iron Age farmstead was excavated. Fifty-two pits and 66 post-holes were recorded, some defining eight rectangular structures, as well as small ditches, gullies, two hearths and three quarry pits. Over 4,000 pottery fragments were found ranging from 950-500BC and 350-50BC. Small finds included clay-baked loom weights, a coloured bead, quern stones, a carved antler and an iron sickle. The earliest occupation of the site seems to have been in the centre and then in the later phase moved to the north.

Monument Types

• FARMSTEAD? (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD? (at some time))

Associated Finds

• BURNT FLINT (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
• LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• POT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• PATERA (Late Bronze Age to Roman - 950 BC? to 50 AD?)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
• LOOMWEIGHT (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
• QUERN (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
• SICKLE (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)

Full description

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In January 1975 a prehistoric lake site discovered at Darenth. The site occupied part of the flood plain and terrace of the River Darent about 4 miles from its confluence with the River Thames and 1 1/2 miles from the town centre of Dartford. On discovery a four week training excavation was undertaken in April excavating 7% of the peat deposit before the area destroyed by quarrying in November 1975. Finds and features(?) dating from the mesolithic to the neolithic period were found. Animal bones included oxen, sheep, pig, roe and red deer. No further details are given. Environmental evidence recovered from the former lake included hazel nuts, elder and raspberry seeds, a cherry stone, beech nuts and pollen of bracken, lime, hazel and elder. Nine radio-carbon dates were taken from the peat giving a date range of 5160-2280 BC (corrected to 6000-2960 BC).

A watching brief was kept on the area and between 1975 and 1982, close to the site of a prehistoric lake (mke871). An iron age farmstead was excavated. Fifty-two pits and 66 post-holes were recorded, some defining eight rectangular structures, as well as small ditches, gullies, two hearths and three quarry pits. Over 4,000 pottery fragments were found ranging from 950-500BC and 350-50BC. Small finds included clay-baked loom weights, a coloured bead, quern stones, a carved antler and an iron sickle. The earliest occupation of the site seems to have been in the centre and then in the later phase moved to the north. (1 & 4)

Additional data (2 & 3).

Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1994 Jan, A2/A282 Dartford - Historic Environmental Assessment (Unpublished document). SWX6767.

Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1994 Jan, A2/A282 Dartford - Historic Environmental Assessment (Unpublished document). SWX6767.

Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, 1998, Neolithic and Iron Age sites at Darenth, Kent (Bibliographic reference). SKE13568.

Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, 1998, Neolithic and Iron Age sites at Darenth, Kent (Bibliographic reference). Ske13568.

<1> Edna Mynott, 1976, A Major Prehistoric Site Discovered at Darenth, Kent, Kent Arch Review No.43 (1976) 60,61 plate. (Article in serial). SKE12019.

<2> Arch Excavations 1975 42-3. (OS Card Reference). SKE36498.

<3> Arch Excavations 1976 61. (OS Card Reference). SKE36499.

<4> Philp, B. J., 2002, Archaeology in the Front Line: 50 Years of Kent Rescue 1952 - 2002 (Monograph). SKE11928.

Sources and further reading