Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Tramways are visible on historic OS maps of the area from the end of the 19th century onwards. Two are positioned within a chalk quarry and cement works both appear to pass through a tunnel under the High Street at the southern end of the quarry. One of the lines also terminates on a jetty at the northern end, on the southern banks of the Thames. It is likley that these are mineral trams associated with the cement works. (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information)

Monument Types

• TRAMWAY (Post Medieval to Modern - 1825 AD? to 1990 AD?)

Full description

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Tramways are visisble on historic OS maps of the area from the end of the 19th century onwards. Two are positioned within a chalk quarry and cement works both appear to pass through a tunnel under the High Street at the southern end of the quarry. One of the lines also terminates on a jetty at the northern end, on the southern banks of the Thames. It is likley that these are mineral trams associated with the cement works.

Multiple tramlines are visisble on the mapping, the earliest runs alsmost centrally through the quarry and enters it through a tunnel at its south western coner (1). By the second edition a second tram line has been added this time entering the quarry through a tunnel at its south eastern corner. (2) by the early-mid 20th century the earlier tram had been removed (3) it it not known if any remnants of this feature survive in the area today. Area now occupied by LaFarge Blue Circle Cement works, it is not clear what historic features remains and what have been built over, no visible remains of the tramway noted during the 2005 coastal survey, but layout of the cement works means it may just have been missed (4)

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1858-73, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 1st Edition : 1872-1897 (Map). SWX11831.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1893-7, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 2nd edition : 1893-1898 (Map). SWX11832.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1928-1947, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 4th edition 1928-1947 (Map). SKE12644.

<4> Thames Valley Archaeological Services, 2003, Bronze Age, Roman and Saxon sites on Shrubsoles Hill, Sheppey and at Wises Lane, Borden, Kent: A Landscape of Ancestors and Agriculture by The Swale (Monograph). SKE12323.

Sources and further reading

Related records