Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Iron Age and Romano-British occupation and several Romano-British inhumation burials, accompanied by pottery, were found during quarrying in 1953 in the chalk pit on Pinden Farm.

Monument Types

• SETTLEMENT (SETTLEMENT, Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• INHUMATION (INHUMATION, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• SLAG (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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Several RB inhumation burials, accompanied by pottery, were found "laid in a line" (b) at approximately 3 feet below ground surface, during quarrying in 1953 in the chalk pit on Pinden Farm. (a). In Dartford Museum, from this site, are a 1st c. AD carinated beaker of Upchurch ware, a domestic flask, sherds of a bead-rimmed pot, a large shallow stamped patera of dark grey ware and of a globular jar of pink ware. Also some human bones. Mr J. Southey of Pinden Farm, indicated the approximate findspot, at TQ 59426978, the quarry face having advanced a few yards since the date of the discovery. The quarry is worked only occasionally for farm purposes and no further finds have been made. (1) TQ 59456970. An area of Iron Age and Romano British occupation has been revealed during the removal of topsoil from the chalk hillside, for extension of Martin's Quarry, Pinden Farm. Six ditches cross the site and their intersections indicate two or three phases of construction; other features include circular and rectangular pits andseveral post holes. Pottery has been recovered in substantial quantities; fragments of iron slag and wattle-imprinted cob were also found. The site clearly extends some distance eastwards along the hillside. (2) TQ 59456970. Further work at St Martins Quarry using a soil resistivity meter and also steel probes, traces a 30m extension of the Iron Age ditches found in 1974. (3) TQ 59386980. Excavation in a field, immediately north of Martin's Quarry, following a ditch visible in the quarry face, revealed a 50m length of ditch, draining into a natural depression in the chalk. The field sherds found were compatible with the early Romano-British date of the adjacent site. (4)

<1> Dartford Museum Donations File (OS Card Reference). SKE39669.

<2> Inf. Mr J Southey (OS Card Reference). SKE44388.

<3> F1 ASP 02-OCT-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE41899.

<4> Arch Cant 89 1974 218-219 (R A C Cockett) (OS Card Reference). SKE35985.

<5> Arch Cant 92 1976 249 (R A C Cockett) (OS Card Reference). SKE36099.

<6> Arch Cant 93 1977 219 (R A C Cockett) (OS Card Reference). SKE36135.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 56 NE 22 - October, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2890.

Sources and further reading