Monument record TQ 67 SW 1384 - Possible late iron age processional way, Springhead

Summary

Excavations carried out in advance of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2001 discovered a possible late iron age processional way which may have formed part of a larger ritual landscape in the late prehistoric period. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Location

Grid reference Centred TQ 6176 7291 (181m by 420m) (6 map features)
Map sheet TQ67SW
Civil Parish GRAVESEND, GRAVESHAM, KENT
County KENT
District GRAVESHAM, KENT

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Excavations carried out in advance of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from 2000-2002 (ARC SPH00) discovered a possible late iron age processional way. This may have been part of a late iron age ritual landscape. It comprised two parallel ditches c. 15 m apart that ran north-south along the eastern side of the River Ebbsfleet for c. 450m. They led from a small bay in the riverbank, upstream towards a rise on the slope where the nearby springs come into view. Towards this southern end the ditches widen to 20m and then 35m at the end. The ditches run close to, but not on, the crest of the slope which the excavators believed indicated a ritual rather than practical function (eg a droveway).

The ditches ranged from 1.3 to 3.0 m in width and 0.4 to 1.0 m deep.
The feature appears to be late iron age although there is some suggestion that it may have stayed open into the early Roman period.(1-2)


<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.

<2> Wessex Archaeology, 2003, Channel Tunnel Rail Link Archaeological works at Springhead Roman Town (ARC SPH00): interim fieldwork report (Unpublished document). SKE31600.

Sources/Archives (2)

  • <1> Monograph: 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.
  • <2> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2003. Channel Tunnel Rail Link Archaeological works at Springhead Roman Town (ARC SPH00): interim fieldwork report.

Finds (1)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (5)

  • Intrusive Event: Area A, Strip, map and sample excavation at Springhead Roman Town, carried out during CTRL works (Ref: ARC SPH00) (EKE18150)
  • Intrusive Event: Area B, Strip, map and sample excavation at Springhead Roman Town, carried out during CTRL works (Ref: ARC SPH00) (EKE18152)
  • Intrusive Event: Area C excavation, Springhead Roman Town, carried out during CTRL works (Ref: ARC SPH00) (EKE18153)
  • Event Boundary: Strip, map and sample, excavation work and watching brief at Springhead Roman Town, carried out during CTRL works (Ref: ARC SPH00) (EKE8575)
  • Intrusive Event: Watching Brief at Springhead Roman Town, carried out during CTRL works (Ref: ARC SPH00) (EKE8576)

Record last edited

Apr 8 2020 5:44PM