Monument record TQ 67 SW 298 - Early Medieval Tidal Watermill, Ebbsfleet Valley

Summary

A well-preserved example of a tidal water mill dating to sometime between 684 and 720 AD. It was found in association with a mill pond, water trough and wattle revetments/fish traps. The dual-chuted construction of the mill and the size of the wheel-pit suggests that horizontal wheels would have powered the mill. it does not seem to have been use for long before it was demolished possibly due to rising water level and silting. A number of the timbers are currently under conservation. Preliminary investigation has revealed a number of axe marks and on one of the larger chute timbers compass marks; evidence of the use of geometry. Location accurate to 2m based on available information.

Location

Grid reference Centred TQ 6155 7413 (8m by 15m) (5 map features)
Map sheet TQ67SW
County KENT
District DARTFORD, KENT
Civil Parish SWANSCOMBE AND GREENHITHE, DARTFORD, KENT

Map

Type and Period (3)

Full Description

<1> Oxford Archaeology, 2003, Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation Works, Northfleet, Kent: Interim Statement (Unpublished document). SKE12256.

<2> Rail Link Engineering, 2003, CTRL SECTION 2: ARCHAEOLOGY PROGRAMME EBBSFLEET MILL - PROVISIONAL REPORT ON THE RECORDING, SAMPLING AND CLEANING OF THE ANGLO-SAXON AND ROMAN TIMBERS (Unpublished document). SKE12258.

<3> 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.

<4> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2011, Settling the Ebbsfleet Valley. CTRL Excavations at Springhead and Northfleet, Kent. Volume 4: Saxon and Later Finds and Environmental Reports (Monograph). SKE32437.

Sources/Archives (4)

  • <1> Unpublished document: Oxford Archaeology. 2003. Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation Works, Northfleet, Kent: Interim Statement.
  • <2> Unpublished document: Rail Link Engineering. 2003. CTRL SECTION 2: ARCHAEOLOGY PROGRAMME EBBSFLEET MILL - PROVISIONAL REPORT ON THE RECORDING, SAMPLING AND CLEANING OF THE ANGLO-SAXON AND ROMAN TIMBERS.
  • <3> 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.
  • <4> Monograph: Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture. 2011. Settling the Ebbsfleet Valley. CTRL Excavations at Springhead and Northfleet, Kent. Volume 4: Saxon and Later Finds and Environmental Reports.

Finds (14)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (5)

Related Events/Activities (9)

  • Intrusive Event: Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation: Channel Tunnel Rail Link works 2001-2003: ArcEBB01 - 3971TT (Ref: ARCEBB01) (EKE19085)
  • Intrusive Event: Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation: Channel Tunnel Rail Link works 2001-2003: ArcEBB01 - 3972TT (Ref: ARCEBB01) (EKE19086)
  • Intrusive Event: Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation: Channel Tunnel Rail Link works 2001-2003: ArcEBB01 - 4017TT (Ref: ARCEBB01) (EKE19087)
  • Intrusive Event: Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation: Channel Tunnel Rail Link works 2001-2003: ArcEBB01 - Chalk Spine (Ref: ARCEBB01) (EKE19088)
  • Intrusive Event: Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation: Channel Tunnel Rail Link works 2001-2003: ArcEBB01 - Ebbsfleet Sportsground (Ref: ARCEBB01) (EKE19083)
  • Intrusive Event: Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation: Channel Tunnel Rail Link works 2001-2003: ArcEBB01 - Northfleet Roman Villa (Ref: ARCEBB01) (EKE19082)
  • Intrusive Event: Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation: Channel Tunnel Rail Link works 2001-2003: ArcEBB01 - Palaeolithic Area 6 (Ref: ARCEBB01) (EKE19084)
  • Event Boundary: Ebbsfleet Valley Detailed Mitigation: Channel Tunnel Rail Link works 2001-2003: ArcEBB01 (Ref: ARCEBB01) (EKE16358)
  • Event Boundary: Recording, Sampling and Cleaning of the Early Medieval Ebbsfleet Mill and Roman Timbers, Swanscombe, Dartford (Ref: 342-RMA-RLEVC-0007-AA) (EKE8561)

Related Thematic Articles (2)

Record last edited

Jul 24 2019 1:19PM