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 evidence of the early Roman Ebbsfleet channel at the northern end of the site. This consisted of peat layers that sealed alluvial layers. The alluvial layers contained small quantities of pottery, coins and ceramic building material. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 150 AD?)

Associated Finds

• COIN (Roman - 43 AD? to 150 AD?)
• PEAT (Roman - 43 AD? to 150 AD?)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Roman - 43 AD? to 150 AD?)
• TILE (Roman - 43 AD? to 150 AD?)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 475 AD? to 700 AD?)
• DISC (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD to 1050 AD?)

Full description

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Archaeological investigations carried out as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link works in 2001 discovered evidence of the early Roman Ebbsfleet channel, along the western side of the site. The trenches revealed the east side of a steep-sided (c. 45°), flat-bottomed river channel, approximately 2m deep, running north/south. A considerable quantity of burnt flint was present in some of the lower fills and it is clear that the edge of the channel had moved eastwards, cutting into and in some places entirely removing earlier deposits. Peat layers were present in some parts of the channel, particularly at the north end of the site, where they sealed alluvial deposits and were themselves sealed by colluvium. The alluvial layers contained small quantities of pottery, coins and ceramic building material, and an alloy disc of mid or late Anglo-Saxon date (1-2).

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 Wessex Archaeology, 2002, Ebbsfleet River Crossing (ARC ERC01) (Unpublished document).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

<2> 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