Monument record TQ 67 SW 1398 - Roman Watling Street, Springhead, Northfleet

Summary

Excavation at Springhead Nursery in 2002-2003 found clear evidence of Roman Watling Street. The road entered the site from the south-east after zigzagging around the nead of the Ebbsfleet and then divided with Watling Street running to the west and a branch road to the north-west. The road was up to 7.5m wide with gravel metalling. Roadside ditches flanked both Watling Street and the branch road. The ditches were dug in the later 1st century and the latest finds from the road dated to c. AD 350-360. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Location

Grid reference Centred TQ 6158 7269 (56m by 17m)
Map sheet TQ67SW
County KENT
District DARTFORD, KENT
Civil Parish SOUTHFLEET, DARTFORD, KENT

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Excavation at Springhead Nursery in 2002-2003 (ARC SHN02) found clear evidence of Roman Watling Street. The road entered the site from the south-east after zigzagging around the nead of the Ebbsfleet and then divided with Watling Street running to the west and a branch road to the north-west. The road was up to 7.5m wide with gravel metalling. Roadside ditches flanked both Watling Street and the branch road. These were some distance from the road though - in places up to 8.5m. The ditches were mostly dug in the later 1st century although one section may have dated to just after the Conquest. Most went out of use after a few decades. The latest finds from the road dated to c. AD 350-360. (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>XY 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. [Mapped feature: #106350 road, ]

Finds (1)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (4)

Related Events/Activities (9)

  • Event Boundary: CTRL Excavation Springhead Nursery, Southfleet: Excavation phase (Ref: ARC SHN02) (EKE8581)
  • Intrusive Event: CTRL Excavation Springhead Nursery, Southfleet: Excavation phase (Ref: ARC SHN02) (EKE18819)
  • Event Boundary: CTRL Excavation Springhead Nursery, Southfleet: watching brief (Ref: ARC SHN02) (EKE18820)
  • Intrusive Event: CTRL Excavation Springhead Nursery, Southfleet: watching brief (Ref: ARC SHN02) (EKE18821)
  • Intrusive Event: Excavation at Springhead Nursery, Southfleet (Ref: W51724) (EKE8582)
  • Intrusive Event: Excavation at Springhead Nursery, Southfleet (Ref: W51724) (EKE16205)
  • Event Boundary: Excavation at Springhead Nursery, Southfleet (Ref: W51724) (EKE18295)
  • 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 27 2020 3:02PM