Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Large chalk pit or series of pits lying to the south-west of Northfleet Hill, divided centrally by the North Kent railway. Quarrying to the north of the line was established by the late 19th century and continued until the 1930s. These quarries supplied the London Portland Cement Work (now Blue Circle) to the north of the High Street. This was originally achieved via a tunnel situated toward the north-eastern corner of the pit, which extended for some length below The Hill and latterly (post-war) through a second tunnel to the west and below the High Street. Quarrying to the south of the railway started around the 1920-30s and when the quarries the north had been exhausted. A tunnel was bored below the railway line and linked into a reduced eastern tramway.

Monument Types

• CHALK PIT (Abandoned, Post Medieval to Modern - 1865 AD? to 1939 AD? (at some time))

Full description

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Large chalk pit or series of pits lying to the south-west of Northfleet Hill, divided centrally by the North Kent railway. Quarrying to the north of the line was established by the late 19th century and continued until the 1930's. These quarries supplied the London Portland Cement Work (now Blue Circle) to the north of the High Street. This was originally achieved via a tunnel situated toward the north-eastern corner of the pit, which extended for some length below The Hill and latterly (post-war) through a second tunnel to the west and below the High Street. Quarrying to the south of the railway started around the 1920-30's and when the quarries the north had been exhausted. A tunnel was bored below the railway line and linked into a reduced eastern tramway.

Access into the quarry was not possible, although the quarry was viewed from a pedestrian bridge (dating at earliest to the second quarter of the 20th century) which bridges the cutting between St Botolph’s Church and housing to the west.
Evidence of the curving early 20th century route of the eastern tramway survived as hardstanding, although no track or other signs of the tramway remained. Access denied verification as to whether the tunnel remained, although its survival, in a modernised form, is likely. The much later western tunnel does remain, although blocked, as does a considerable length of the tram track, providing direct access to sidings adjacent to the main North Kent line. Tunnels below the rail track also survive but, have been modernised as part of the CTRL works. These works have significantly re-landscaped the railway corridor in the immediate area. The later quarry to the south of the railway is now a large water filled reservoir.

Component : quarry
Remains : few
Current use :redundant/construction site (CTRL)
Industrial potential: low

Significance:
Large excavation with low levels of industrialisation. Subsequent use has removed most of the quarry features, although a modern line and tunnel remain. Recent works associated the CTRL corridor have significantly compromised the central section of the site.

Recommendations
The north-eastern tramline tunnel should be inspected and surveyed prior to any serious structural/development proposals. Little evidence survives across the remainder of the site.

<1> Essex County Council, 2003, Aggregates Levy Survey Industrial Sites, KN554 (Unpublished document). SKE12009.

Sources and further reading

Related records