Pleistocene Environmental Findspot record TQ 67 SW 449 - Ebbsfleet Site A, Northfleet allotments, abundant mammalian fossils and other palaeo-environmental remains, and a few lithic artefacts
Summary
Location
Grid reference | TQ 6115 7435 (point) Accurate in Source |
---|---|
Map sheet | TQ67SW |
County | KENT |
District | DARTFORD, KENT |
Civil Parish | SWANSCOMBE AND GREENHITHE, DARTFORD, KENT |
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
The site - now protected as a Scheduled Monument and designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest - was discovered by AT Marston in the 1950s (1). Carreck made a large collection of fossil bones from the site (his Channel A) and made an initial record of the stratigraphy, as well as identifying rich molluscan presence in at least one horizon and recovering a few lithic artefacts (1). The site was reinvestigated by the British Museum in 1965-1971 (2), and then by F Wenban-Smith in 1990, 1993 and 1994 (3, 4, 5, 6). This work, which includes OSL dating and amino acid dating, has shown that the sequence relates to the period MIS 8-7, between c. 250,000 and 200,000 BP, and contains at its base [bed 2 of Wenban-Smith's synthesis (3)] evidence of an interglacial episode within MIS 7 that is different from, and earlier than, the interglacial episode represented in the Temperate Bed at Site B [HER: TQ 67 SW 448]. A broken handaxe and a flake were recovered from the interglacial deposits at the base of the sequence by Carreck [his horizons IV and V respectively, equivalent to bed 2 of Wenban-Smith's synthesis (3)], and another flake was recovered by him from the thick body of brickearth that caps the sequence [Carreck's horizon VIII, equivalent to bed 5 of Wenban-Smith's synthesis (3)]. Four flakes were also recorded from bed 2 during the British Museum work, shown on the archival section drawing held by the British Museum at Franks House, although their present whereabouts is unknown.A condition survey of the scheduled monument and the other areas where deposits are known to survive between 2012 and 2015. It is noted that this area heavily overgrown and un-maintained. This has minimal negative impact on the sensitive fossiliferous sediments, as they are deeply buried, probably at least c. 3 m below the ground surface over most of the area. (7-9)
<1> Carreck JN, 1972, Chronology of the Quaternary deposits of south-east England, with special reference to their vertebrate faunas. (Monograph). SKE32238.
<2> Kerney MP & Sieveking G de G, 1977, Northfleet. (Article in monograph). SKE32246.
<3> Wenban-Smith F. F., 1995, The Ebbsfleet Valley, Northfleet (Baker's Hole) (Article in monograph). SKE17727.
<4> Wenban-Smith FF,, 1996, The Palaeolithic Archaeology of Baker's Hole: a Case Study for Focus in Lithic Analysis. (Unpublished document). SKE32294.
<5> Wenban-Smith FF, et al.,, 2012, Prehistoric Ebbsfleet: Excavations and Research in Advance of High Speed 1 and STDR 4., ch 5 (Monograph). SKE32262.
<6> Wenban-Smith FF, et al.,, 2017, MIS 7, the "Ebbsfleet Interglacial": sub-stage structure and recognition in the UK record. (Article in serial). SKE32272.
<7> Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Archaeology, 2015, Baker's Hole SM and SSSI, strategic condition field survey, final report, current condition and future management recommendations, draft for discussion (Unpublished document). SKE53442.
<8> F.F. WENBAN-SMITH, 2014, Baker's Hole field survey, EV14, Fieldwork summary report (Unpublished document). SKE53122.
<9> Francis Wenban-Smith, 2015, Baker's Hole SAM and SSSI, Strategic Condition Field Survey Final Report: Current Condition and Future Management Recommendations (Unpublished document). SKE52310.
Sources/Archives (9)
- <1> SKE32238 Monograph: Carreck JN. 1972. Chronology of the Quaternary deposits of south-east England, with special reference to their vertebrate faunas..
- <2> SKE32246 Article in monograph: Kerney MP & Sieveking G de G. 1977. Northfleet..
- <3> SKE17727 Article in monograph: Wenban-Smith F. F.. 1995. The Ebbsfleet Valley, Northfleet (Baker's Hole).
- <4> SKE32294 Unpublished document: Wenban-Smith FF,. 1996. The Palaeolithic Archaeology of Baker's Hole: a Case Study for Focus in Lithic Analysis..
- <5> SKE32262 Monograph: Wenban-Smith FF, et al.,. 2012. Prehistoric Ebbsfleet: Excavations and Research in Advance of High Speed 1 and STDR 4.. ch 5.
- <6> SKE32272 Article in serial: Wenban-Smith FF, et al.,. 2017. MIS 7, the "Ebbsfleet Interglacial": sub-stage structure and recognition in the UK record..
- <7> SKE53442 Unpublished document: Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Archaeology. 2015. Baker's Hole SM and SSSI, strategic condition field survey, final report, current condition and future management recommendations, draft for discussion.
- <8> SKE53122 Unpublished document: F.F. WENBAN-SMITH. 2014. Baker's Hole field survey, EV14, Fieldwork summary report.
- <9> SKE52310 Unpublished document: Francis Wenban-Smith. 2015. Baker's Hole SAM and SSSI, Strategic Condition Field Survey Final Report: Current Condition and Future Management Recommendations.
Finds (3)
Protected Status/Designation
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (4)
- Non-Intrusive Event: Aggregates Levy Survey: Palaeolithic Sites (EKE8260)
- Intrusive Event: Baker's Hole, F Wenban-Smith PhD investigations, Site A (Ref: EV 1993) (EKE16143)
- Intrusive Event: Baker's Hole, F Wenban-Smith PhD investigations, Site A (Ref: EV 1994) (EKE16144)
- Event Boundary: Baker's Hole, walkover survey to assess condition (Ref: CC-077-A) (EKE16140)
Record last edited
Nov 26 2020 1:04PM