In 1998 Museum of London Archaeology Service carried out an excavation as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link project. A group of enclosures were laid out in the 1st century AD and continued in use no later than that 3rd century AD. Two adjacent enclosures were created on the north side of a road. There was a large enclosure on the south side of the road, possibly a field. These ditches were established by the late 1st century AD. Domestic activity appears to have been focused in the eastern enclosure north of the road, where there were a number of pits, ovens and possible structural elements. A beehive oven was constructed in the base of a pit. Burnt deposits contained crop processing waste. There were two neonate burials in the south-east corner of the enclosure. One was buried with a carinated beaker in Upchurch fine grey ware dated AD 70-130. Other small pits in the area could have been similar such burials though these did not survive later ploughing. The corner of the enclosure could have been separated off by two small ditches. A timber building in the enclosure was destroyed by fire, AD 70-120. There is some evidence for rematalling of the roads, AD 50-100, but they fell into disuse in the 2nd or early 3rd century. Elements of the site appear to fall out of use around this time with the enclosure ditches silting and features being dug across the roads. Other parts of the site continue in use though having been reorganised, with old entrances blocked and reduced domestic activity. (1-3)

<1> Museum of London Archaeology Service, 1998, Project Area 330 Northumberland Bottom ARC WNB 98 Archaeological Excavation Interim Report (Unpublished document). SKE12767.

<2> Museum of London Archaeology Service, Oct 2001, Area 330 (Zone 3) Northumberland Bottom (ARC WNB 98) Archaeological Post Excavation Report (Unpublished document). SWX12866.

<3> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2006, The Prehistoric, Roman and Medieval Landscape at Northumberland Bottom, Southfleet, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE17842.