Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During an archaeological evaluation undertaken by Wessex archaeology in 2008, a large backfilled quarry with a post medieval date was uncovered. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• QUARRY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Lower Palaeolithic to Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500000 BC to 1065 AD)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Post Roman - 410 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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During an archaeological evaluation undertaken by Wessex archaeology in 2008, a large backfilled quarry was uncovered. The quarry was seen in two of the evaluation trenches and situated in the central part of the site. It is probably roughly circular in plan with steep sides, and measures c. 40m in diameter. Hand-excavation and augering implied that this hollow was over 4m deep and therefore it was not fully excavated. Although no finds were revealed, it is likely that this hollow is of post-medieval date, as it likely forms part of the same quarry pit excavated during an evaluation in 2004. (1)

later evaluation trenching undertaken in 2018 also encoutered the pit when it was dicovered in the north eastern end of trench 3. It was broadly circular in plan where exposed, with steep sides and measured c. 40m in diameter based on extrapolated data and c. 4m in depth where augured. Its fills produced several animal bones fragments and pottery sherds providing a mixed date range. The pottery includes four prehistoric sherds, one of samian and one grog tempered of Roman date, and 16 sherds of Saxon pottery. The Saxon pottery was discovered alongside animal bone and were recovered from within a deliberate backfill deposit. The bones include a relatively high number of pig bones which implies high-status. It is still most likely however, that the feature is of post-medieval origin and the material recovered is residual. (2)

<1> Wessex Archaeology, 2008, Springhead Quarter: Phase 2 & Phase 3 Trial Trench Evaluation, Ebssfleet, Kent: Archaeological Evaluation Report (Unpublished document). SKE17952.

<2> Wessex Archaeology, 2018, Springhead Residential Phase 3. Springhead, Kent, Archaeological evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE53081.

Sources and further reading