During archaeological investigations associated with the Channel Tunnel Rail Line in 2001-2003, and in particular the investigation of the Roman wharves associated with Northfleet Roman villa, which lies c. 30 m to the south, the archaeologists discovered a well preserved example of a tidal water mill dating to sometime between 684 and 720 AD (probably AD 691/2) and lasting for c. 30 years. It was found in association with a mill pond, water trough and wattle revetments/fish traps. The dual chuted construction of the mill had the size of the wheel-pit suggests that horizontal wheels would have powered the mill.

The undercroft represents the central part of the mill which would have contained the driven water wheels that were attached by vertical shafts to the millstones on the milling floor above. The undercroft was represented by the lower beams and planks defining three sides of a sub-rectangular area measuring 2.4 m long by 4.0 m wide. Across the base of the undercroft, immediately to the north of the pentroughs, was an axe-squared sill-beam set on the undercroft floor but not attached to any other surviving part of the mill structure. Sockets and pegholes were evident on the beam. the base of the undercroft was defined by the truncated firm sandy silt
natural. The remains of wattle panelling was evident within the undercroft, particularly on the eastern side. A group of four vertical piles was situated in the centre of the undercroft, approximately 1.8 m north of the pentrough outlets. (3)

Rare wooden find from the mill include a turned hornbean bowl (AD 692-3); a wooden peg, structural timbers and a perforated oak disc that may have been part of a fish trap. The mill also yoielded rare environmenal evidence in the form of moss used as a sealant (3, 4).

Location accurate to 2m based on available information.

<1> Oxford Archaeology, 2003, Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation Works, Northfleet, Kent: Interim Statement (Unpublished document). SKE12256.

<2> Rail Link Engineering, 2003, CTRL SECTION 2: ARCHAEOLOGY PROGRAMME EBBSFLEET MILL - PROVISIONAL REPORT ON THE RECORDING, SAMPLING AND CLEANING OF THE ANGLO-SAXON AND ROMAN TIMBERS (Unpublished document). SKE12258.

<3> 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.

<4> 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.