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 Roman road. First recorded as a cropmark. Confirmed during work between 1991 and 1994 at the garden centre, in cable trench works in 1994/5 to the south of Springhead and found adjacent to Pepper Hill cemetery in 1997 during excavation works for the laying of new electric cables and Channel Tunnel Rail Link works. It is not known where the road goes south from Pepper Hill cemetery.

Monument Types

• QUARRY (Roman - 43 AD to 150 AD?)
• ROAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 375 AD)
• SHERD (Roman - 43 AD to 99 AD)

Full description

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

Cropmark of a trackway sited to TQ 6185 7228 from good quality air photographs. (1)

In 1991 an evaluation was carried out on the garden centre site south of Springhead. The trackway was found to be a metalled road running north-south across the site. (2)

In 1993/4 an excavation was carried out on the garden centre site south of Springhead. The road crossed the western-most part of the excavation area. The road was made up from a layer of pebbles generally 3-10cm thick (25cm thick at most) occasionally on a layer of chalk and flint. It was sealed below a layer with domestic rubbish including some 30 coins of late 3rd and 4th century date. (3)

During cable trench works in 1994/5 to the south of Roman Springhead remains associated with a north-south Roman road were discovered. Pottery of 1st century date was contained in the fill of ditches to the side of the road and the road has been interpreted as being of 1st century date. (4)

An excavation was carried out as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link works at Pepper Hill following the discovery of the Roman cemetery. A metalled road ran across the site, aligned NW-SE. It was probably laid by the mid 1st century AD, probably before the adjacent cemetery came into use. It may therefore be a metalled replacement of a Late Iron Age trackway. Late 4th century coins were found in the upper deposits that accumulated after road maintenance had ceased. Six quarries were located north of the cemetery and are thought to have been for gravel either to construct or maintain the road. (5-6)

It is not known where the road goes south from Pepper Hill cemetery.

<1> Classification of Cropmarks in Kent. RCHM APU (1989) list 55 (OS Card Reference). SKE39018.

<2> Philp, B. & Chenery, M., 1991, Springhead 1991: An Archaeological Evaluation of a Site at Southfleet, Nr Gravesend, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE11915.

<3> Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, 1995, A Roman site at Springhead (Vagniacae) near Gravesend (Monograph). SWX6856.

<4> Oxford Archaeological Unit, 1998, Northfleet East - Pepper Hill Cable Diversion Works Pepper Hill, Kent Roman Cemetery First Interim Report (Unpublished document). SKE12614.

<5> Oxford Archaeological Unit, 1997, Excavations at Springhead Roman Town, Southfleet, Kent (Unpublished document). SWX6937.

<6> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2006, The Roman cemetery at Pepper Hill, Southfleet, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE17706.

Sources and further reading