In 1998 Museum of London Archaeology Service carried out an excavation as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link project. Mid to Late Roman activity was focused around Downs Road. A metalled road, a field system to the west and a corn dryer. It is likely that these features were all laid out before the 3rd century.

The road was flaked by banks and ditches, was metalled and was c.3m wide. Wheeled traffic along the road had left ruts in the surface. In the mid 3rd century, the road deteriorated, though the ditches were recut and further wheeled traffic used the route. Maintenance probably ceased in the late 3rd century. The rectilinear field system was arranged at right angles to the road and probably dates from the 2nd century. The corn drying oven was a twin-chambered structure, 8m by 6m, east of the road. Bricks and roofing tiles, plus box-flue tiles and voussoir tiles suggest that the upper structure was built of reclaimed ceramic building material most likely from a building equipped with a hypocaust. Charred plant remains from within the structure were mainly wheat grains (most resembled spelt with a few grains of emmer, barley and oat). None showed signs of sprouting suggesting it was a drying oven. The oven went out of use in the mid 4th century, or perhaps later. A few pits and ditches post dated this activity, suggesting the area was still in use in the very late Roman period, with 4th century coins found across the site. (1)

<1> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2006, The Prehistoric, Roman and Medieval Landscape at Northumberland Bottom, Southfleet, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE17842.