Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During excavations undertaken In 2007/8 by Wessex archaeology ahead of development at Springhead, a series of ditches forming part of a Late Medieval or early post medieval field system were uncovered. Two of the ditches appeared to form a funnelled droveway, funnelling from east to west. It is possible that parts of these ditches was first established in the Bronze Age as they appear to respect some Bronze Age features and contained sherds (of possibily residual) Bronze Age pottery. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• DITCH (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1800 AD?)

Associated Finds

• (Undated)
• SHERD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• SHERD (Medieval - 1100 AD to 1300 AD)

Full description

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During excavations undertaken In 2007/8 by Wessex archaeology ahead of development at Springhead, a series of ditches forming part of a Late Medieval or early post medieval field system were uncovered. Two of the ditches appeared to form a funnelled droveway, funnelling from east to west. The ditches of the droveway were generally 1m in width, up to 3m deep and were traced for a total of 130m, the southern ditch continuing into the area excavated during works associated with the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. The ditches terminated to the east and likely respected a possible trackway. the segmented nature of the ditches is of interest and the segmented areas produced a small quantity of Bronze Age pottery sherds and worked flint. These may have been residual but it is possible that at least parts of the ditch were of Bronze Age origin, somehow surviving into the post medieval period. (1)

<1> Wessex Archaeology, 2008, Archaeological Investigations at Springhead Quarter (Phase II), Northfleet, Kent: Archaeological Assessment Report and Updated Project design (Unpublished document). SKE17943.

<2> Wessex Archaeology, 2012, North Kent Community Church, Springhead, Ebbsfleet, Kent: Archaeological Assessment Report (Unpublished document). SKE18142.

Sources and further reading

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