Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Excavations carried out by the Gravesend Historical Society throughout the 1950s and 1960s revealed the presence of an important temple complex, known as a Temenos, at Springhead. Temple 1 is one of five or possibly 6 temples in the complex. It has a square cella, surrounded by a square ambulatory or portico and has a porch entrance to the east. There is a projecting store room to the west and wings on each side of the porch, the wings being later additions. It had tessellated floors throughout including several mosaics. (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information)

Monument Types

• TEMPLE (Roman - 43 AD to 300 AD)

Associated Finds

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• ARMLET (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• AXEHEAD (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• BEAD (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• BEZEL (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• BOLT (FASTENING) (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• BRACELET (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD? to 399 AD?)
• CHATELAINE (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• CHISEL (Roman - 43 AD to 300 AD)
• COIN (Roman - 43 AD? to 399 AD?)
• COUNTER (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• DOOR KEY (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• FIGURINE (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• HANDLE (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• HARNESS FITTING (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• HINGE (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• HORSESHOE (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• KNIFE (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• NAIL (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• PIN (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• RING (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• RIVET (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• SEEDS (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• SHERD (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• SHERD (Roman - 43 AD? to 399 AD?)
• SICKLE (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• STAPLE (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• STYLUS (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• TACK (Roman - 43 AD? to 300 AD?)
• DISC BROOCH (Roman - 100 AD? to 199 AD?)

Full description

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Excavations carried out by the Gravesend Historical Society throughout the 1950s and 1960s revealed the presence of an important temple complex, known as a Temenos, at Springhead. Temple 1 is one of five or possibly 6 temples in the complex. It has a square cella, surrounded by a square ambulatory or portico and has a porch entrance to the east. There is a projecting store room to the west and wings on each side of the porch, the wings being later additions. It had tessellated floors throughout including several mosaics.

The earliest phase of activity here is possibly Claudian in date and there may have been a timber precursor to the later structure. The main structure is however dates to the late 1st or early 2nd century and comprised flint and chalk rubble foundations and walls that were around 50cm wide and which appear to have been plastered both internally and externally. The internal plaster appears to have had a simple line design. The walls survived to a maximum height of 40cm above the floor level and the collapsed material recovered from over the remains suggests that they were of flint and chalk rubble construction to their full height (rather than masonry dwarf walls supporting a timber super structure). The roof was tiled and many tiled, both broken and complete were discovered above the floors. A layer of flints was discovered by the side of the porch and chalk at the west side of the temple which might indicate the presence of a walk around. All of the walls appear to have been rebuilt between AD 150 and 160, at this time a mosaic floor was laid in the cella and the floor levels were raised. In the late 2nd century further alterations were made to the temple, these included the addition of two wings on either side of the entrance and a mosaic built into the porch. Iron working material including charcoal and iron slag covered an area of blackened earth in the western corridor of the temple. This suggests the presence of Iron working within the temple, a possible black smith’s workshop. The possible presence of a furnace is also indicated in the northern half of the west corridor. A fine alter and its base were discovered in the cella, near its centre. A suggestus was also discovered against the western wall of the cella, it is a hollow fronted type measuring c.1m in width and possibly held a cult statue. The coin evidence indicates that the temple remained open but ceased to be used for religious purposes in some time during the fourth century and eventually collapsed.

There was a large quantity of finds from within the deposits overlaying the temple and from the occupation deposits between the phases of construction, many of these have been interpreted as votive objects including an alter figurine of Venus which was discovered in situ within the cell. Votive offerings including seeds were also discovered. The pottery included decorated and plain Samian ware, mortaria, course wares and standard forms. A wide variety of iron objects were uncovered, including nails, a knife, rivets, a key, staples, hinges, a sickle and a horseshoe, these may be associated with the smithy located in the corridoor of the temple.39 coins were discovered. (1-2)

<1> WS Penn, 1965, Archaeologia Cantiana, Springhead - map of Discoveries (Article in serial). SKE12613.

<2> W. S. Penn, 1959, Archaeologia Cantiana - The Romano-British Settlement at Springhead; Excavation of Temple 1, Site C1 (Article in serial). SKE53577.

Sources and further reading

Related records