Monument record TQ 75 NW 22 - Numerous Palaeolithic finds (mostly handaxes) and Pleistocene mammal bones from Aylesford Sand Quarry (formerly Silas Wagon's Pit)

Summary

Numerous Palaeolithic finds (mostly handaxes) and Pleistocene mammal bones from Aylesford Sand Quarry (formerly Silas Wagon's Pit), found from Terrace 2 sand/gravel deposits exposed by quarrying from the late 19th century through to the second half of the 20th century.

Location

Grid reference TQ 7300 5930 (point) FCE
Map sheet TQ75NW
County KENT
District TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT
Civil Parish AYLESFORD, TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

At Hall's Aggregates' Aylesford Sand Quarry (otherwise known as Silas Wagon's Pit, Wagon's Pit, Welton Bros), various Lower/Middle Palaeolithic flint artefacts have been found over the period of its working since the late 19th century (1, 2, 3, 4), as well as abundant Pleist mammal bones. Report in 1905 (4) that some material from other sites (Eg. "new Hythe pits") was brought to this well-known prolific site for sale to collectors, so some "Wagon's Pit" material may be mis-provenanced. No well-provenanced records of any finds, but deposits at the site were mostly relatable to the 2nd (50ft) terrace of the Medway (5). Roe identified collections in several museums, mostly Dartford and Maidstone (6). Handaxes are mostly pointed or sub-cordate (10). Mammalian remains include mammoth, elephant, woolly rhinoceros, lion and red deer (7). Some artefacts may be reworked from older periods, and the wide range of mammal species also suggests a range of climatic/geographic conditions, and thus a range of different contexts. As noted during fieldwork for the Medway Valley project in 2005, higher/older terrace deposits may still be present at the north side of the2005 extraction area at c. 17-18m OD (TQ 598 730), whereas lower/younger terrace deposits outcrop in the southern side of the current quarry (10 - p29). The area of the old Silas Wagon's Pit was reported in 1964 as largely reverted to agricultural land (11). Additional references (8-9, 12).


<1> Huddleston W.H, 1876, Excursion to the gorge of the Medway. (Article in serial). SKE51478.

<2> Evans, J., 1897, The Ancient Stone Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain, p610 (Monograph). SWX6573.

<3> James, F., 1899, Some remains of the Bronze Age found at Aylesford, Kent. (Article in serial). SKE51479.

<04> Hinton, M.A.C. & Kennard, A.S., 1905, The relative ages of the stone implements of the Lower Thames Valley., pp86-87, p94 (Bibliographic reference). SKE13247.

<05> Worssam, B.C. , 1963, Geology of the Country Around Maidstone: Memoir for 1:50 000 Geological Sheet 288 (England and Wales). , p120 (Monograph). SKE29902.

<06> Roe, D.A., 1968, Gazetteer of British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Sites, p138 (Monograph). SWX6570.

<07> Skempton, A.W. & Weeks, A.G., 1976, The Quaternary history of the Lower Greensand escarpment and Weald Clay vale near Sevenoaks. (Article in serial). SKE51480.

<08> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text], M4.5 (Monograph). SWX6569.

<09> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project: maps for Report No. 2, Regions 4 & 1, The South West and South of the Thames [Vol II - maps], M4.5 (Unpublished document). SKE12023.

<10> Wenban-Smith F. F., Bates M.R and Marshall G., 2007, Medway Valley Palaeolithic Project Final Report: The Palaeolithic Resource in the Medway Gravels (Kent) (Unpublished document). SKE29351.

<11> Field report for monument TQ 75 NW 22 - February, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3875.

<12> Cook W.H, 1923, Excursions [III - Geological Excursion to Lower Greensand Beds and Pleistocene Drifts at Aylesford]. (Article in serial). SKE51481.

Sources/Archives (12)

  • <1> Article in serial: Huddleston W.H. 1876. Excursion to the gorge of the Medway.. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association of London 4: 503-505..
  • <2> Monograph: Evans, J.. 1897. The Ancient Stone Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain. p610.
  • <3> Article in serial: James, F.. 1899. Some remains of the Bronze Age found at Aylesford, Kent.. Proc. of the Society of Antiquaries 17: 373-377.
  • <04> Bibliographic reference: Hinton, M.A.C. & Kennard, A.S.. 1905. The relative ages of the stone implements of the Lower Thames Valley.. : . pp86-87, p94.
  • <05> Monograph: Worssam, B.C. . 1963. Geology of the Country Around Maidstone: Memoir for 1:50 000 Geological Sheet 288 (England and Wales). . p120.
  • <06> Monograph: Roe, D.A.. 1968. Gazetteer of British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Sites. 1-355. p138.
  • <07> Article in serial: Skempton, A.W. & Weeks, A.G.. 1976. The Quaternary history of the Lower Greensand escarpment and Weald Clay vale near Sevenoaks.. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A 283: 493-526.
  • <08> Monograph: Wessex Archaeology. 1993. The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text]. M4.5.
  • <09>XY Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 1993. The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project: maps for Report No. 2, Regions 4 & 1, The South West and South of the Thames [Vol II - maps]. M4.5. [Mapped feature: #19779 find, ]
  • <10> Unpublished document: Wenban-Smith F. F., Bates M.R and Marshall G.. 2007. Medway Valley Palaeolithic Project Final Report: The Palaeolithic Resource in the Medway Gravels (Kent).
  • <11> Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 75 NW 22 - February, 1964.
  • <12> Article in serial: Cook W.H. 1923. Excursions [III - Geological Excursion to Lower Greensand Beds and Pleistocene Drifts at Aylesford].. The South Eastern Naturalist 28: lxvi-lxx..

Finds (10)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • Non-Intrusive Event: Silas Wagon's Pit, Medway Valley Palaeolithic Project review of existing information (Ref: MVPP: SWP01) (EKE9575)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: The Southern rivers Palaeolithic Project (EKE20337)

Record last edited

Jul 14 2025 3:00PM