Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Archaeological investigations carried out as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link works in 2001 discovered a number of late neolithic/early bronze age pits close to the Ebbsfleet river. This group consisted of at least seven small pits in a north-south line adjacent to the river edge. They were associated with a shallow hollow filled with a flint assemblage (447 pieces) some of which refit. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• PIT (Late Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age - 2460 BC to 1520 BC) + Sci.Date

Associated Finds

• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Early Neolithic to Middle Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2701 BC)
• BURNT FLINT (Late Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 1500 BC)
• Charcoal (Late Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 1500 BC)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Late Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 1500 BC)
• WORKED FLINT (Late Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 1500 BC)

Full description

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Archaeological investigations carried out as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link works in 2001 discovered a number of late neolithic pits close to the Ebbsfleet river. This group consisted of at least seven small pits in a north-south line adjacent to the river edge. All were filled with burnt flint and charcoal and there were also numerous finds of worked flint and small sherds of both late neolithic and undiagnostic pottery. The largest assemblage of pottery consisted of 56 sherds all from the upper fill of a single pit, these sherds probably represented a single vessel. (1) A shallow hollow filled with a flint assemblage (447 pieces) some of which refit. The product and the technique suggest a late Neolithic or EBA date and appears to represent the production of flakes for use. Within some of the pits an assemblage of residual early to middle Neolithic pottery comprises 107 sherds. Most notable were the 62 sherds recovered from pit 453, including two incised decorated sherds; one from the neck of a bowl with a lattice pattern. (2)

<1> Wessex Archaeology, 2002, Ebbsfleet River Crossing (ARC ERC01) (Unpublished document). SKE32339.

<2> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2020, Prehistoric Ebbslfeet (Monograph). SKE54979.

Sources and further reading