Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Numerous Palaeolithic artefacts (handaxes, cores, and flakes) found at Bowman's Lodge gravel pit in the four years immediately preceding 1950. The gravel pit is now backfilled and turfed as an open green space, but undisturbed deposits survive around its edge

Monument Types

• LITHIC WORKING SITE (FLINT WORKING SITE, Lower Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 150001 BC)
• OCCUPATION SITE (SETTLEMENT, Lower Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 150001 BC)

Associated Finds

• CORE (Lower Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 150001 BC)
• FLAKE (Lower Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 150001 BC)
• HANDAXE (Lower Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 150001 BC)
• SCRAPER (TOOL) (Lower Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 150001 BC)

Full description

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Numerous and diverse Palaeolithic artefacts (handaxes, cores, flake-tools and flakes) were found at Bowman's Lodge gravel pit by PJ Tester in the four years up to 1950 (1, 2).The handaxes are chiefly ovates, some of the cores are thought to have "proto-Levalloisian" characteristics, many of the flakes are reported to have faceted striking platforms, and many of the flakes are considered as flake-tools on the basis of apparent retouching. The handaxes are typologically similar to those from the nearby Wansunt Loam [ TQ 57 SW 25] , and were found in situ from 2 to 15 feet below the surface, on top of the gravel, and beneath the overlying loam. The site and finds are discussed by Roe (3) and Wymer (4) and included in the Southern Rivers Project (5, 6). It was visited in 2003 as part of the KTG MES, site KT 731 (7). The site is now backfilled and turfed over as a public open green space. Various surviving Pleistocene sediments were noted. One outcrop of probable in situ gravelly Pleistocene sediments seen, in woodland in middle of W side of quarry, close to Swan Road. Otherwise, raised bank in several places around perimeter along N and E faces, and in area inset into quarry with house off end of Bowmans Road, where possible in situ sediments survive around edge of old quarry, abutting backs of residential properties (7).

Various other references (8-12).

Historic England Archive (13)

<1> Tester PJ,, 1950, Palaeolithic implements from the Bowman's Lodge Gravel Pit, Dartford Heath., ) (Article in serial). SKE32198.

<2> Tester PJ,, 1975, Further consideration of the Bowman's Lodge industry. (Article in serial). SKE32197.

<3> Roe, D.A., 1968, British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic handaxe groups, pp6, 9 (Article in serial). SKE29702.

<4> Wymer, JJ, 1968, Lower Palaeolithic Archaeology in Britain as represented by the Thames Valley., p328 (Monograph). SKE29697.

<5> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text], NWK 3.12 (Monograph). SWX6569.

<6> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project: maps for Report No. 2, Regions 4 & 1, The South West and South of the Thames [Vol II - maps], NWK 3.12 (Unpublished document). SKE12023.

<7> Essex County Council & Kent County Council, 2003, Archaeological Survey of Mineral Extraction Sites around the Thames Estuary, #731 (Unpublished document). SKE12012.

<8> BOWMAN'S LODGE GRAVEL PIT PALAEOLITHIC IMPLEMENTS FR DARTFORD., Arch Theory and Practice 1973 84-85 (DE Strong) (Photograph). SKE1427.

<9> BOWMAN'S LODGE GRAVEL PIT PALAEOLITHIC IMPLEMENTS FR DARTFORD. (Photograph). SKE1424.

<10> BOWMAN'S LODGE GRAVEL PIT PALAEOLITHIC IMPLEMENTS FR DARTFORD. (Photograph). SKE1425.

<11> BOWMAN'S LODGE GRAVEL PIT, DARFORD SITE PLAN AT DARTFORD. (Photograph). SKE1421.

<12> BOWMAN'S LODGE GRAVEL PIT PALAEOLITHIC IMPLEMENTS FR DARTFORD. (Photograph). SKE1426.

<13> Historic England, Historic England Archive associated with Bowman's Lodge Gravel Pit (Archive). SKE53792.

Sources and further reading

Related records