Monument record TQ 67 SW 1392 - Early Roman trackway Springhead, Northfleet
Summary
Location
Grid reference | Centred TQ 6186 7257 (86m by 23m) |
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Map sheet | TQ67SW |
Civil Parish | GRAVESEND, GRAVESHAM, KENT |
County | KENT |
District | GRAVESHAM, KENT |
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
Excavation in 2000-2002 carried out as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link found an early Roman trackway that ran to the south of the ritual pool. The trackway appears to have been long-lived and its course was respected by a gap left in later (mid-Roman) enclosing ditch, so it survived into at least the middle Roman period and may have been visible as late as the 6th or 7th century as an early medieval sunken feature building was build adjacent to it. The track has two possible phases, both of which were hollow ways. The hollow-way on the lower south-west side was the earlier, up to 0.9 m deep with the lowest metalling almost 7 m wide. The hollowway on the higher, north-east side was approximately 1 m deep and there was a single metalling just over 4 m wide in the base. The location and longevity of the trackway coupled with the fact that its course was respected by rather than blocked by the mid-Roman enclosing ditch suggests that it was a route of some importance. It appears to have provided access to the rear of the mid- Roman Sanctuary complex from the higher ground to the south-east, perhaps from an as yet undiscovered settlement in this area, and may have continued to the south-west as far as Watling Street. (1)
<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.
Sources/Archives (1)
- <1> SKE31245 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.
Finds (0)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (3)
- 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
Jul 13 2020 2:03PM