[AREA CENTRED: TQ 6650 7045] Discovered in 1825 in an entrenchment in Claylane Wood on Watling Street, "three waggon loads of human bones mingled with leather, many metal celts, spearheads, and armour" Some of the celts, pieces of armour and weapons are in a musuem at Gravesend. (1) Anglo-Saxon skeleton with spearhead, armour, etc., found in 1826. [Payne merely quotes Gents Mag. (1)] (a) (2) The bones, leather, metal celts, spearheads and armour found in Claylane Wood are not Roman. (3) No information in respect of these burials gained during recording or fieldwork. Perambulation of the area, under heavy undergrowth and thick leaf mould produced no further evidence. (4)

A number of possible interpretations for this discovery have been advanced. (7)

<1> Gent's Mag. Vol. 26, 1846 p. 591 (A.J. Dunken) (OS Card Reference). SKE43605.

<2> Coll Cant. 1893 151 (G. Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE39171.

<3> Maidstone Museum (Kent Arch. Soc. 6") (OS Card Reference). SKE46352.

<4> V.C.H. Kent vol. 3, 1932, p. 150 (OS Card Reference). SKE50754.

<5> F1 AC 03-DEC-51 (OS Card Reference). SKE41748.

<6> Field report for monument TQ 67 SE 7 - December, 1951 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3593.

<7> Alan Ward, 2012, Archaeological trial trenching at Sheldon House, Valley Drive, Gravesend, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE25081.