Monument record TQ 67 SW 1649 - Possible kiln or oven within 'Property 9' at Roman settlement, Springhead

Excavations in advance of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2002-3 identified a number of property boundaries west of the Ebbsfleet. Within property 9 which was located along the west side of Watling Street was a rectangular kiln or oven. This has been assigned a likely mid–late 2nd century date. Only the base of this feature survived, but there was sufficient to show that it measured approximately 2.8 m by 1.3 m, was aligned parallel to Watling Street and set back approximately 7 m from the street frontage. It was built of flint and chalk, with a flue extending the length of the feature and another opening on the north-east side. If this feature was indeed a drying kiln then some sort of agricultural function might be assumed for this property. (1)

<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.