Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Excavations in 2000-2002 carried out as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link found a small middle Saxon inhumation cemetery dating probably to the second half of the 7th century. It may in fact be part of a single larger cemetery as further graves were located approximately 30m to the north east. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• GRAVE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)
• INHUMATION CEMETERY (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)

Associated Finds

• BEAD (Roman to Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 43 AD? to 1065 AD?)
• BUCKLE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)
• COFFIN? (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)
• DISC BROOCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)
• FERRULE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)
• KNIFE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)
• PIN (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)
• SHEATH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)
• SPEARHEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)
• STRAP FITTING (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)
• TAG? (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD? to 700 AD?)

Full description

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Excavations in 2000-2002 carried out as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link found a small middle Saxon inhumation cemetery (cemetery 300257). In combination with TQ 67 SW 1360 it may in fact be part of a single larger cemetery. The cemeteries occupied a small spur at 27m OD. This part of the cemetery was fully excavated and consisted of 10 burials and two other features. It occupied an area 20 m x 15 m towards the north-east corner of an earlier iron age enclosure that may have still be visible in the Saxon period.

Eight of the graves were orientated east-west and seven were accompanied with grave goods. In most cases the bones were poorly preserved.

Grave 2101
No surviving skeletal remains. Grave goods consisted of an iron knife with possible sheath, an iron spearhead, a ferrule (fixing attached to the bottom of a spear), (1)

Grave 2105
Adult, probable male aged 18-35. Grave good consisted of an iron knife, possible belt fittings, ferrule (possibly part of an ox goad or staff)

Grave 2112
Adult over 40 years old. Grave goods consisted of possible coffin lid or cover, iron knife, spearhead

Grave 3703
Largest grave in the cemetery. Possible step to edge. No surviving sketal remains. Grave goods consisted of an iron spearhead.

Grave 3788
Probable infant or juvenile. No grave goods

Grave 3816
Infant or juvenile. No grave goods

Grave 3829
No surviving skeletal remains.
Grave goods consisted of an iron knife

Grave 3991
Subadult over 13 years old.
Grave goods consisted of silver disc brooch with gold foil pendants and garnets, coppy alloy pin, two glass beads, an iron knife

Grave 3993
Adult (possibly female) over 20 years old.
Grave goods consisted of a copper alloy buckle, an iron spearhead, an iron knife.

Grave 3997
Adult over 25 years old
Grave goods consisted of a copper alloy tag by the feet (presumed)

There were three other features that might have been graves. (1)

Subsequent excavations showed that the excavated area was only c. one-third or one-quarter of the total cemetery. (2)

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

<3> 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