Excavation in 2000-2002 carried out as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link found five early Anglo-Saxon sunken-featured buildings (SFB 16636, 16637, 16638, 16635, 16699) in the vicinity of Northfleet Roman villa. All were c. 3-4m in length and c. 2-3m in width. They had post holes at each end and some had additional post holes within the structures. Finds from the structures included pottery, charcoal (radiocarbon dated to AD 420 - 570), animal bone, nails, lead weights, daub, iron slag, a spindle whorl (1) and an applied saucer brooch (2).

The backfill of SFB 16638 contained an unusual antler spearhead, as well as a bone pin beater and a bone spindle whorl, while a possible toggle was found in both SFB 16635 and SFB 16636 (2).

The animal bone included a cattle atlas with osteoarthritis from SFB 16635, a right sheep humerous with 'penning elbow' also from SFB 16635, a cattle metacarpal with probable ossified haematoma from SFB 16638, and butchered red deer bone from several SFBs (2).

SFB 16638 was cut into infilled Roman Phase 2 enclosure ditches.The structure was a shallow rectangular pit which was flat-bottomed, and with steeply sloping sides, measuring 3.10 m long by 2.50 m wide and 0.20 m deep. Two structural post-holes were identified within the SFB and both the SFB pit and the post-holes contained the similar fills. (1)

Finds from the lower fill included 5th–6th century pottery, animal bone, and flint along with amounts of residual Roman CBM, glass, and metal. Recovered from the later fill was an antler spearhead.(1)

Location accurate to 2m based on available information.

<1> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2010, Settling the Ebbsfleet Valley. CTRL Excavations at Springhead and Northfleet, Kent. The Late Iron Age, Roman, Saxon, and Medieval Landscape (Monograph). SKE31245.

<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.