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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 67 SW 1530
Type of record:Monument
Name:Early Medieval Tidal Watermill, Ebbsfleet Valley - Undercroft

Summary

A well-preserved example of a tidal water mill dating to sometime between 684 and 720 AD. It was found in association with a mill pond, water trough and wattle revetments/fish traps. The dual-chuted construction of the mill and the size of the wheel-pit suggests that horizontal wheels would have powered the mill. it does not seem to have been use for long before it was demolished possibly due to rising water level and silting. A number of the timbers are currently under conservation. Preliminary investigation has revealed a number of axe marks and on one of the larger chute timbers compass marks; evidence of the use of geometry.

Location accurate to 2m based on available information.

Images

Saxon watermill at Ebbsfleet under excavation   © Kent County CouncilSaxon watermill at Ebbsfleet   © Kent County CouncilSaxon watermill at Ebbsfleet   © Kent County Council
Grid Reference:TQ 6155 7413
Map Sheet:TQ67SW
Parish:SWANSCOMBE AND GREENHITHE, DARTFORD, KENT

Monument Types

  • UNDERCROFT (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 691 AD to 720 AD)
  • WATERMILL (Abandoned, Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 691 AD? to 720 AD? (at some time))

Full description

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During archaeological investigations associated with the Channel Tunnel Rail Line in 2001-2003, and in particular the investigation of the Roman wharves associated with Northfleet Roman villa, which lies c. 30 m to the south, the archaeologists discovered a well preserved example of a tidal water mill dating to sometime between 684 and 720 AD (probably AD 691/2) and lasting for c. 30 years. It was found in association with a mill pond, water trough and wattle revetments/fish traps. The dual chuted construction of the mill had the size of the wheel-pit suggests that horizontal wheels would have powered the mill.

The undercroft represents the central part of the mill which would have contained the driven water wheels that were attached by vertical shafts to the millstones on the milling floor above. The undercroft was represented by the lower beams and planks defining three sides of a sub-rectangular area measuring 2.4 m long by 4.0 m wide. Across the base of the undercroft, immediately to the north of the pentroughs, was an axe-squared sill-beam set on the undercroft floor but not attached to any other surviving part of the mill structure. Sockets and pegholes were evident on the beam. the base of the undercroft was defined by the truncated firm sandy silt
natural. The remains of wattle panelling was evident within the undercroft, particularly on the eastern side. A group of four vertical piles was situated in the centre of the undercroft, approximately 1.8 m north of the pentrough outlets. (3)

Rare wooden find from the mill include a turned hornbean bowl (AD 692-3); a wooden peg, structural timbers and a perforated oak disc that may have been part of a fish trap. The mill also yoielded rare environmenal evidence in the form of moss used as a sealant (3, 4).

Location accurate to 2m based on available information.


<1> Oxford Archaeology, 2003, Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation Works, Northfleet, Kent: Interim Statement (Unpublished document). SKE12256.

<2> Rail Link Engineering, 2003, CTRL SECTION 2: ARCHAEOLOGY PROGRAMME EBBSFLEET MILL - PROVISIONAL REPORT ON THE RECORDING, SAMPLING AND CLEANING OF THE ANGLO-SAXON AND ROMAN TIMBERS (Unpublished document). SKE12258.

<3> 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.

<4> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2011, Settling the Ebbsfleet Valley. CTRL Excavations at Springhead and Northfleet, Kent. Volume 4: Saxon and Later Finds and Environmental Reports (Monograph). SKE32437.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Unpublished document: Oxford Archaeology. 2003. Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation Works, Northfleet, Kent: Interim Statement.
<2>Unpublished document: Rail Link Engineering. 2003. CTRL SECTION 2: ARCHAEOLOGY PROGRAMME EBBSFLEET MILL - PROVISIONAL REPORT ON THE RECORDING, SAMPLING AND CLEANING OF THE ANGLO-SAXON AND ROMAN TIMBERS.
<3>Unpublished document: 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.
<4>Monograph: Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture. 2011. Settling the Ebbsfleet Valley. CTRL Excavations at Springhead and Northfleet, Kent. Volume 4: Saxon and Later Finds and Environmental Reports.

Related records

TQ 67 SW 298Part of: Early Medieval Tidal Watermill, Ebbsfleet Valley (Monument)