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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 67 SW 298
Type of record:Monument
Name:Early Medieval Tidal Watermill, Ebbsfleet Valley

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.

Location accurate to 2m based on available information.

Images

Saxon watermill at Ebbsfleet under excavation   © Kent County CouncilSaxon watermill at Ebbsfleet   © Kent County CouncilSaxon watermill at Ebbsfleet   © Kent County Council
Grid Reference:TQ 6155 7413
Map Sheet:TQ67SW
Parish:SWANSCOMBE AND GREENHITHE, DARTFORD, KENT

Monument Types

  • FISH TRAP (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD? to 1065 AD? (at some time))
  • MILL POND (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 691 AD? to 720 AD? (at some time))
  • WATERMILL (Abandoned, Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 691 AD? to 720 AD? (at some time))

Associated Finds

  • SEEDS (Roman to Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 43 AD? to 1065 AD?)
  • WHEAT GRAIN (Roman to Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 43 AD? to 1065 AD?)
  • BOWL (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
  • DIATOMS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD? to 1065 AD?)
  • FISH TRAP? (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FORAMINIFERA (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD? to 1065 AD?)
  • INSECT REMAINS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD? to 1065 AD?)
  • MOSS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
  • OSTRACOD REMAINS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD? to 1065 AD?)
  • PEG (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
  • PLANT REMAINS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD? to 1065 AD?)
  • POLLEN (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD? to 1065 AD?)
  • STRUCTURAL TIMBER (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 684 AD? to 720 AD?) + Sci.Date
  • DISC (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Medieval - 720 AD? to 1539 AD?)

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 structure lay in a c. 5 - 7 m wide north-south cut that cut across a sandbank that separated the main channel of the Ebbsfleet to the north from a backwater to the south. Water trapped in the backwater would have flowed through two oak pentroughs (timber pipes) to the Ebbsfleet at low tide. To the south of the pentroughs was a wattle screen to protect them from debris. The pentroughs were made from hollowed tree trunks. The water existing the pentroughs would have driven horizontal waterwheels attached to millstones above. West of the mill a spillway was discovered linking the backwater/pond with the river. This would have been used to help control the level of water in the pond although no sluice was found.

A number of examples are known from Ireland, but only a handful found on the mainland.(1)

In 2002 sections of the mill were lifted and taken to Chatham Historic Dockyard for cleaning, recording and conservation along with sections of timbers from the nearby Roman wharf/quay associated with Northfleet Villa (TQ 67 SW 38). Many of the mill timbers have marks from narrow bladed axes used, it seems likely, to demolish the mill after a short period of use possibly as a result of rising water levels and silting. In addition there was evidence of cut marks from broad "T" axes on the larger water chute timbers. The timbers had been connected using joints and all cut with axes. Some were of unusual proportions and not particularly regular in shape.

Marked out on one of the larger chute timbers were elaborately drawn compass marks. It seems that the timber was used as a temporary drawing board before use. These geometry marks might possibly represent the sub-division of a circular shaft for a mill wheel which would need to be made accurately and symmetrically to avoid undue wear.

A timber found close to the mill has been identified as coming form a different type of mill possibly with a vertical waterwheel which may have been sighted further up stream.(2, 3)

Rare wooden find from the mill include a turned hornbean bowl (AD 692-3); a wooden peg, structural timbers and a perforated oak disc that may have been part of a fish trap. The mill also yoielded rare environmenal evidence in the form of moss used as a sealant (3, 4).

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

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Unpublished document: Oxford Archaeology. 2003. Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation Works, Northfleet, Kent: Interim Statement.
<2>Unpublished document: 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.
<3>Unpublished document: 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.
<4>Monograph: 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.

Related records

TQ 67 SW 1531Parent of: Early Medieval Tidal Watermill, Ebbsfleet Valley - Dam and Pentrough (Monument)
TQ 67 SW 1532Parent of: Early Medieval Tidal Watermill, Ebbsfleet Valley - Debris screen and Y shaped pile (Monument)
TQ 67 SW 1533Parent of: Early Medieval Tidal Watermill, Ebbsfleet Valley - Mill Pond (Monument)
TQ 67 SW 1530Parent of: Early Medieval Tidal Watermill, Ebbsfleet Valley - Undercroft (Monument)
TQ 67 SW 299Part of: Early Medieval Settlement, Ebbsfleet Valley (Monument)

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