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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 67 SW 307
Type of record:Monument
Name:Upper Palaeolithic knapping site, Springhead

Summary

A concentration of prehistoric struck flints some of which are characteristic of the final Upper Palaeolithic long blade industry. It is believed that they represent a flint working site. Found during work on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

Location approximate based on available information


Grid Reference:TQ 6177 7261
Map Sheet:TQ67SW
Parish:GRAVESEND, GRAVESHAM, KENT

Monument Types

  • LITHIC WORKING SITE (Upper Palaeolithic - 40000 BC to 10001 BC)

Associated Finds

  • BLADE (Upper Palaeolithic - 40000 BC to 10001 BC)
  • DEBITAGE (Upper Palaeolithic - 40000 BC to 10001 BC)

Full description

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During excavation work on the line of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, close to Springhead, a concentration unstratified struck flints were recovered around the head of the Ebbsfleet. Some of the flints are characteristic of late upper palaeolithic long blades. It is believed that they represent a flint working site. The precise location is not known but must have been nearby . Other flints are probably of a mesolithic date (TQ 67 SW 308) although disturbance of the area by later bronze age activity (TQ 67 SW 309) make this conclusion uncertain (1). Full report due out in 2017, still not out Feb 2020 (2).

Location approximate based on available information


<1> Wessex Archaeology, 2003, Channel Tunel Rail Link Archaeological works at Springhead Roman Town (ARC SPH00): interim fieldwork report (Unpublished document). SKE31600.

<2> Wenban-Smith FF, et al.,, 2012, Prehistoric Ebbsfleet: Excavations and Research in Advance of High Speed 1 and STDR 4. (Monograph). SKE32262.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2003. Channel Tunel Rail Link Archaeological works at Springhead Roman Town (ARC SPH00): interim fieldwork report.
<2>Monograph: Wenban-Smith FF, et al.,. 2012. Prehistoric Ebbsfleet: Excavations and Research in Advance of High Speed 1 and STDR 4..

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