Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Eastern Mound is one of two mounds of chalk debris which became part of the ornamental landscape of Ingress Abbey, in Ingress Park. At the top of the mound is a folly, the furthest from Ingress Abbey, with views over the site. Evidence suggests that the mound was not formed until the mid 19th century.

Monument Types

• FOLLY (Post Medieval to Modern - 1800 AD? to 2050 AD (between))
• PROSPECT MOUND? (Post Medieval to Modern - 1800 AD? to 2050 AD (between))

Full description

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The eastern mound is one of two mounds of chalk debris, which became part of the ornamental landscape. It is referred to as a 'Tudor' mound in the early assessments of the site [1 and 2].
Three archaeological investigations were conducted on the mound, to determine its construction, to examine some flint foundations at its base and to record the flint folly on top of the mound. They demonstrated that the mound is composed of a core of chalk bedrock upon which layers of chalk rubble have been dumped. The layers on the northern side of the mound were created by erosion and dumping and mark a limit to quarrying, possibly dating to the 18th century or earlier. It has been suggested that the western and eastern sides also mark the limit of quarrying forming a promontory for access to the Thames. The southern side was formed later, creating the 'mound' when the model farm buildings were established (in the 1840's) and the 'mound' became isolated from the cliff edge.These buildings were then linked to the mound by an arcaded facade which allowed access through to the chalkpits to the southeast and a walkway above to the top of the mound and the flint folly. This connection was lost when the arcade was demolished in the mid 20th century.The flint folly at the top of the mound would have provided views across the ornamental landscape. It is a small flint grotto, composed of part flat struck and part unworked flint, built in horizontal courses and bonded by a hard grey lime mortar, with a curved roof. Slumping on the southern side of the mound has lead to the partial collapse of the folly, which has been dated to the 19th century when the mound was separated from the cliff edge [3].
In addition, a watching brief has monitored the cutting back of vegetation on the top of the mound and the flint folly has been further photographed. The developers plan to encase the mound in a larger mound to consolidate it and prevent further subsidence [4].

<1> AOC Archaeology Group, 1998, Ingress Abbey Greenhithe Kent. An Archaeological Impact Assessment. (Unpublished document). SKE12234.

<2> Debois Landscape Survey Group, 1999, Ingress Abbey, Greenhithe, Kent A record of the landscape. (Unpublished document). SKE12236.

<3> AOC Archaeology Group, 2004, Results Of Archaeological Excavation And Recording At Ingress Abbey, Greenhithe, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE12239.

<4> AOC Archaeology Group, 2002, An Archaeological Watching Brief at the Eastern Mound, Ingress Abbey, Greenhithe, Kent. Written scheme of investigation. (Unpublished document). SKE12242.

Sources and further reading

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