Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During works associated with the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2002, three late iron age pit groups were discovered, within a larger late Iron Age Ritual Landscape and close to the site of a possible rocessional way. The the third and largest of these pit groups fell within an area measuring approximately 30 m by 25 m and consisted of as many as 23 pits. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• PIT (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 150 AD?)

Full description

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During works associated with the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2002, three late iron age pit groups were discovered, within a larger late Iron Age Ritual Landscape and close to the site of a possible processional way. The the third and largest of these pit groups fell within an area measuring approximately 30 m by 25 m and consisted of as many as 23 pits. most assigned on the basis of the
late Iron Age pottery they contained, although four also contained early Roman sherds in their upper fills. There were two further pits, containing only late Iron Age pottery, which may represent outliers to this group. The main group of features included at least one possible posthole and several shallow features that were little more than scoops, some of which had suffered subsequent tree root disturbance. No obvious patterning was distinguished amongst this group of pits, scoops, and post-holes but one pit was of particular interest as it contained parts of a minimum of six vessels that
might be considered to represent structured deposition. (1) (information summarised from source)

<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 The Late Iron Age, Roman, Saxon, and Medieval Landscape (Unpublished document).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.

Sources and further reading

Related records