Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A system of tide walls on Littlebrook Marshes, known as Littlebrook Walls, mentioned in a charter of Ethelred, A.D.995. The whole system of earthworks has been destroyed by the erection of Littlebrook Power Station, except for a small portion

Monument Types

• EARTHWORK (poss Late Saxon, Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)

Full description

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[TQ 55807605] The Walls [G.T.] (1) A system of tide walls on Littlebrook Marshes, known as Littlebrook Walls, mentioned in a charter of Ethelred, A.D.995, was mapped by Spurrell (2) [See AO/LP/63/324] "There is good reason to believe that Littlebrook Walls was the site of an important settlement in late Saxon times". The whole system of earthworks known as Littlebrook Walls has been destroyed by the erection of Littlebrook Power Station, except for a small portion extending from TQ 55797598 to TQ 55757583. This consists of a low much-spread bank approximately 15.0 m.wide and 0.3 m. high. Very little can be gleaned from this remnant and the engineer in charge of operations at the power station could offer no information which might have assisted in identifying the nature or period of this site. (2-6) The bank has been further reduced in length, and the north end now terminates at TQ 55787594, and is under corn (7). No change (8).


Additional references from relevant sources (9-13) and site indicated on early chart (14) and site photographs (15-21).

<1> O.S. 25" 1939. (OS Card Reference). SKE47809.

<2> Arch. Cant.18,1889, 311 (F.C.J. Spurrall) (OS Card Reference). SKE37134.

<3> Arch. Cant.53,1940, xlii-xliii (A. Cumberland) (OS Card Reference). SKE37138.

<4> Arch. Cant.54,1941,69-70 (A.H.A. Hogg) (OS Card Reference). SKE37139.

<5> V.C.H.Kent 1,1908,454-5 (F.C.J.Spurrell) (OS Card Reference). SKE50785.

<6> F1 AC 23-NOV-51 (OS Card Reference). SKE41826.

<7> F2 ASP 15-JUL-60 (OS Card Reference). SKE43116.

<8> F3 ASP 04-SEP-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43369.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 57 NE 8 - November, 1951 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3020.

<10> Field report for monument TQ 57 NE 8 - July, 1960 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3021.

<11> Field report for monument TQ 57 NE 8 - September, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3022.

<12> Spurrell, F. C. J., 1885, Early sites and embankments on the margins of the Thames estuary., p297-8 (Article in serial). SWX7560.

<13> Spurrell, F. C. J., Dartford Antiquities, p 311 (Article in serial). SWX7380.

<14> D. Steel, 1802, Medway and Thames (Chart). SWX8090.

<15> 1945, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9694.

<16> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9773.

<17> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10027.

<18> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10028.

<19> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10032.

<20> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10039.

<21> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10053.

Sources and further reading