Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

A cremation and flint knife in an inverted collared urn was found in a gravel pit on Staines Hill pre 1866. Nearby were several heaps of burnt bones which also seemed to have originally been in urns. Workmen reported 'old pots full of bones' were often found. Several pieces of Roman pottery, including Samian, were also found but are possibly connected with the nearby Roman burials.

Monument Types

• CEMETERY? (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• CREMATION (CREMATION, Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Finds

• COLLARED URN (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2190 BC to 1501 BC)
• KNIFE (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 1900 BC to 1501 BC)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

A cremation and flint knife in an inverted collared urn was found 8 feet from the surface in a gravel pit at Summer [now Staines] Hill, Westbere. Nearby were several little heaps of burnt bones which seemedto have been originally placed in urns which decayed. Several pieces of Upchurch and one or two pieces of Samian were also found. [These may have been connected with the Roman burials - TR 16 SE 8]. Workmenstated that "old pots full of bones" were often dug out and destroyed.[Brent, the original authority for this site, does not mention the urn being found in a barrow, as noted by later authorities]. (1) Staines Hill has been extensively worked for gravel and it is now impossible to site these finds to any one pit. (2) Additional bibliography. (3-5,7)

<1> JBAA 22 1866 241-5 ILLUST (C Brent) (OS Card Reference). SKE44912.

<2> F1 ASP 28-NOV-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42336.

<3> Arch of Kent 1030 122 264 (R F Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE36859.

<4> Arch Cant 74 1960 58 (FP Ashbee and TG C Dunning) (OS Card Reference). SKE35580.

<5> PPS 27 1961 295 (I H Longworth) (OS Card Reference). SKE48588.

<6> Field report for monument TR 16 SE 15 - November, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5564.

<7> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1994, A28 Sturry Bypass: A Interim Review of the Archaeological Resource and Historic Landscape, p56 (Unpublished document). SKE7002.

Sources and further reading