Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A number of Iron Age ditches were identified during evaluation work at Springhead. They were interpreted as possible field boundaries.

Location accurate to 20m based on available information

Monument Types

• DITCH (Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 1000 BC to 401 BC)

Associated Finds

• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 1000 BC to 401 BC)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)

Full description

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A number of iron age features were identified during evaluation work at Springhead. They were confined to the east of the evaluation area. At least two ditches were identified in different trenches (Trench 1168 and 1197) , interpreted as possible field boundaries on the higher ground to the east. Pottery retrieved from both ditches suggests a late bronze age/early iron age date. Several other undated features from this area may also belong to this period [1 and 2].

The ditch in trench 1168 was north-south aligned and 1.5m wide by 0.5m deep with an irregular U-shaped profile. This trench produced 6 sherds of Early Iron Age pottery.

The ditch in trench 1197 was shallow and NW-SE aligned. It contained 2 sherds of Early Iron Age Pottery and 2 sherds of Romano-British pottery.

Location accurate to 20m based on available information

<1> Wessex Archaeology, 1997, Archaeological Evaluation at Springhead (ARC SPH95), Gravesend, Kent, Environmental Statement Route Window 13, Interim Report. (Unpublished document). SKE12217.

<2> Wessex Archaeology, 1997, Archaeological Evaluation at Springhead (ARC SPH95/STP 97), Kent, Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Environmental Statement Route Window 13. Final Fieldwork Report. (Unpublished document). SKE12218.

Sources and further reading