Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

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.

The dam comprised of two parallel revetments 3.2m apart. Construction consisted of planks on edge and piles. The space between the revetments was filled with sandy silt and the two pentroughs were housed into the surviving upper edges of both revetments.

The pentroughs were housed in dam revetments to achieve a fall of 0.50m at an angle of less than 10 degrees. Construction consisted of splitting and hollowing a large trunk.

Location accurate to 2m based on available information.

Images

Monument Types

• DAM (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 dam comprised of two parallel revetments 3.2m apart. Construction consisted of planks on edge and piles. The space between the revetments was filled with sandy silt and the two pentroughs were housed into the surviving upper edges of both revetments. (3)

The pentroughs were housed in dam revetments to achieve a fall of 0.50m at an angle of less than 10 degrees. Construction consisted of splitting and hollowing a large trunk. (3)

The eastern pentrough measured 3.6m long, the inlet end measured 0.65m wide by 0.64m high (internally 0.47m by 0.45m), the outlet end measured 0.45m by 0.42m. (3)

The inlet of the western pentrough measured 0.48m wide by 0.42m deep. The outlet was partly collapsed but the maximum diameter measured at 0.13m. (3)

Finds included a near complete wooden bowl made of hornbeam in the sandy silt.

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

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