Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Excavation carried out as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and ahead of development at Sprinhead, uncovered middle Saxon inhumation cemetery. The cemetery was uncovered in several parts, two groups were uncovered during the excavations carried out in 2000-2002 this revealed the southern extent of the cemetery. The northern part was revealed during evaluation trenching and the Springhead quarter excavation undertaken between 2007 and 2008. 147 graved were identified in total. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• CREMATION CEMETERY? (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD? (at some time))
• INHUMATION CEMETERY (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD? (at some time))

Associated Finds

• (Unknown date)
• CHAIN (Undated)
• BASE SHERD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• FERRULE (Roman to Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 300 AD? to 700 AD?)
• BEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• BOX (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• BRACELET (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• CHAIN (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• FITTING (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• FITTING (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• MOUNT (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD? to 700 AD?)
• PENANNULAR BROOCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• PENANNULAR RING (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• RING (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• RING (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• SOCKETED AXEHEAD? (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• STRIKE A LIGHT (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 475 AD? to 725 AD?)
• BEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• BEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• BUCKLE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• DISC BROOCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• KNIFE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• PENANNULAR BROOCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• PIN (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• PURSE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• SEAX (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• SHEARS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• SHIELD BOSS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• SPEARHEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• SWORD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• VESSEL (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• VESSEL (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 700 AD)
• COIN (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 685 AD to 700 AD)

Full description

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Excavation carried out as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link uncovered middle Saxon inhumation cemetery. It is situated less than 30m from another cemetery identified through the same scheme of works and it seems likely that they form part of the same large cemetery. This northern portion of the cemetery comprised two distinct groups, a northern and a southern. The northern included 14 graves showing what might be described as a dispersed layout though possibly within north–south rows, and a southern group of nine graves which appear more clearly to fall within two parallel north–south rows. These two groups lay to the north and east respectively of a grave which was enclosed by a ring-ditch. To the west of the southern group were at least three graves placed in ring-ditches. One was aligned north-south, one north-east to south-west and one east-west. There were also up to four other ring-ditches, two complete and two fragmentary. (1)

Due to the ground conditions skeletal material survived poorly.

A number of other sections of ditches survive that could represent further enclosed burials. (1)

Evaluation work in 2003 at Springhead Quarter has traced the approximate site of the larger northern cemetery. It is suggested that it there are a further 60 to 70 inhumations in the Springhead Quarter site. The presence of iron and copper alloy objects in grave cuts (some possibly swords) recorded by metal detecting indicates that a number of these burials are likely to be of high status.

The presence of two possible cremations, as well as another possible area of burials to the south could indicate another separate cemetery. Although not dated such a group might have parallels with the distinct groups (families?) in the excavated area to the west. (2)

The northern cemetery was excavated by Wessex Archaeology in 2007-8. A total of 122 graves were excavated during this work, bringing the total to 147 for the cemetery as a whole. Preservation within the graves of skeletal material was very poor. The graves were grouped into an area 80m by 53m. The majority (80 graves) were arranged in rows. The Bronze Age field system in this part of the site may have defined the limits of the cemetery, the banks or perhaps parts of the ditches still evident at that time. 19 graves were within a separate enclosure formed of parallel ditches 22m long and 4.2m apart with a later ring ditch at the northern end. There were gaps within the enclosure though they were perhaps too narrow to have served as entrances; they may have had some symbolic significance. The graves within the enclosure were very closely spaced and the goods included indicate the presence of high status individuals. Apart from one seax, all the graves had goods that suggested female inhumations. At least two had been buried with amethyst necklaces and others had glass beads. The burial within the ring ditch centre had a pot and a knife. Other graves in the wider cemetery also contained high status objects. One had a composite disc brooch and belt fittings. Other high status finds included an amethyst necklace, a possible purse mount (found during the earlier evaluation), a group of silver tacks from either a belt or scabbard (this individual also had a sword, a knife, two spearheads, a shield and a pot) and a composite disc brooch with a millifiore glass bead, other beads and silver wire and fittings. There were numerous weapon burials; one included a sword, a seax, a shield and a spear. (3)

Description from record MKE58567:
Find Type: grave contents (matching thesaurus term not found).
Treasure case 2007 489, awaiting report. Contents of an Early Medieval grave, context 2074. 1 gold composite disc brooch, 1 smalll globular pottery vessel. 1 copper alloy hinge clasp and 1 iron object.
Period: Early Medieval
Broad Period:
OS GridRef: TQ61837291
Easting: 561830
Northing: 172910
Methods of discovery: Metal detector
Recorded by: Jennifer Jackson
Primary Identifier: Jennifer Jackson
County: KENT
District: DARTFORD
Parish: SOUTHFLEET
Known as: Southfleet

<1> 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.

<2> Wessex Archaeology, 2004, Springhead Quarter Ebbsfleet, Kent: Archaeological Evaluation Report (Unpublished document). SKE12271.

<3> Wessex Archaeology, 2008, Archaeological Investigations at Springhead Quarter (Phase II), Northfleet, Kent: Archaeological Assessment Report and Updated Project design (Unpublished document). SKE17943.

<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

Related records