Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Excavations in advance of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2002-3 identified a number of Romano-British property boundaries west of the Ebbsfleet. This is Property 3. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• GULLY (Roman - 50 AD? to 125 AD?)
• BOUNDARY (Roman - 75 AD? to 200 AD?)
• FENCE (Roman - 75 AD? to 100 AD?)
• HEARTH (Roman - 75 AD? to 175 AD?)
• INHUMATION (Roman - 75 AD? to 100 AD?)
• PATH (Roman - 75 AD? to 225 AD?)
• PIT (Roman - 75 AD? to 100 AD?)
• STRUCTURE (Roman - 75 AD? to 100 AD?)
• WELL (Roman - 75 AD? to 120 AD?)
• YARD (Roman - 75 AD? to 100 AD?)
• INHUMATION (Roman - 150 AD? to 300 AD?)

Associated Finds

• AUCISSA BROOCH (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD?)
• THISTLE BROOCH (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 409 AD?)
• TWO-PIECE COLCHESTER BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• TWO-PIECE COLCHESTER BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• TWO-PIECE COLCHESTER BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• COLCHESTER BROOCH (Roman - 50 AD? to 80 AD?)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Roman - 75 AD? to 150 AD?)

Full description

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Excavations in advance of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2002-3 identified a number of property boundaries west of the Ebbsfleet. This is Property 3.

Property 3 extended east from Watling Street to a small bay in the River Ebbsfleet. It was defined by Watling Street to the west and the river to the east. To the north it was defined by a ditch and subsequently a path that led from Watling Street to the river. The path remained in use into the 3rd century. To the south the boundary was defined by a sequence of ditches that had all been infilled by the end of the 1st century. The southern boundary may, however, have been extended towards the end of the 2nd century. The main feature was the substantial road-side ditch that ran north-west to south-east through the property and that was dated by pottery to c. AD 60-70. A hollow in this ditch was later developed into the 'bakery' structure (TQ 67 SW 1404). South of this structure, and outside the first southern boundary, was a group of three hearth and two small pits, all of early Roman date. East of the 'bakery' was a cobbled surface, fence lines and a number of neonate burials.

South-east of the bakery was a small, ill-defined structure accompanied by a number of post holes and a square, timber-lined well. Towards the waterfront were a number of gullies containing mid-1st to early 2nd century pottery and a sub-adult burial that was not placed in a grave cut.

The river edge in this property showed signs of modification, probably to enable boats to be drawn up.

In the middle Roman period an open-fronted structure (6m x 9m with the open side facing west) was constructed in the middle of the property. A flint and chalk rubble wall would have supported a timber-superstructure. A large hearth to the west of the structure was built and remained in use until the mid-late 2nd century. A cluster of nearby pits also contained pottery of this date. By the river were a number of gullies parallel to the shore and an inhumation burial. Dark soils sealed by a medieval trackway suggested that the riverfront was abandoned by the late 2nd or 3rd century. (1)

A copper alloy Colchester brooch, three two-piece Colchester brooches (copper alloy, leaded bronze and leaded brass), one brass Rosette (Thistle) brooch and one Aucissa brooch were found (2).

Location accurate to 2m based on available information.

<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.

<2> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2011, Settling the Ebbsfleet Valley. CTRL Excavations at Springhead and Northfleet, Kent. Volume 2: Late Iron Age to Roman Finds Reports (Monograph). SKE32435.

Sources and further reading

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