Monument record TQ 57 SE 219 - The Swanscombe Skull, Barnfield Pit, Swanscombe

Summary

At Barnfield Pit, a quarry in Swanscombe, three parts of the same skull (The Swanscombe Skull) were found separately in 1935, 1936 and 1955. This is the oldest skull found in Britain. The remains are an ancient form of human called Homo heidelbergensis, dating to around 380,000 years old. In addition to the skull >6000 handaxes, >250 cores, >500 flake-tools and nearly 15,000 pieces of debitage have been found together with a wide range of vertebrate fossils and mollusc remains. (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information)

Location

Grid reference TQ 59760 74300 (point)
Map sheet TQ57SE
County KENT
District DARTFORD, KENT
Civil Parish SWANSCOMBE AND GREENHITHE, DARTFORD, KENT

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Type and Period (1)

Full Description

<1> Bridgland DR, 1994, Quaternary of the Thames., p193-218 (Monograph). SKE32233.

<2> Swanscombe Committee, 1938, Report on the Swanscombe skull: prepared by the Swanscombe Committee of the Royal Anthropological Institute. (Article in serial). SKE32212.

<3> Ovey, C. D., 1964, The Swanscombe Skull: a Survey of Research on a Pleistocene Site (Monograph). SWX9319.

<4> Stopes H,, 1895, A prehistoric metropolis in Kent. (Article in serial). SKE32279.

<5> Smith RA, Dewey H,, 1913, Stratification at Swanscombe: report on excavations made on behalf of the British Museum and H.M. Geological Survey., p 177-204 (Article in serial). SKE32207.

<6> Smith R.A and Dewey H, 1914, The High Terrace of the Thames: report on excavations made on behalf of the British Museum and H.M. Geological Survey., p 187-212 (Article in serial). SKE32181.

<7> Wymer, JJ, 1968, Lower Palaeolithic Archaeology in Britain as represented by the Thames Valley. (Monograph). SKE29697.

<8> Conway BW, McNabb J, & Ashton N, (ed's), 1996, Excavations at Barnfield Pit, Swanscombe, 1968–72. (Monograph). SKE32240.

<9> Wenban-Smith F. F., 2004 (March), The Stopes Palaeolithic Project: Final Report, site #2 (Unpublished document). SWX12877.

<10> Wenban-Smith FF,, 2009, Henry Stopes (1852-1902): engineer, brewer and anthropologist. (Article in serial). SKE32263.

<11> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text], NWK 4.19 (Monograph). SWX6569.

<12> Essex County Council & Kent County Council, 2003, Archaeological Survey of Mineral Extraction Sites around the Thames Estuary, #911 (Unpublished document). SKE12012.

<13> Wessex Archaeology, March 2004, Swanscombe Heritage Park and Craylands Gorge, Swanscombe, Kent. Archaeological and Geological Desk Based Assessment (Unpublished document). SWX12883.

Sources/Archives (13)

  • <1> Monograph: Bridgland DR. 1994. Quaternary of the Thames.. p193-218.
  • <2> Article in serial: Swanscombe Committee. 1938. Report on the Swanscombe skull: prepared by the Swanscombe Committee of the Royal Anthropological Institute.. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 68, 17-98..
  • <3> Monograph: Ovey, C. D.. 1964. The Swanscombe Skull: a Survey of Research on a Pleistocene Site.
  • <4> Article in serial: Stopes H,. 1895. A prehistoric metropolis in Kent.. Athenaeum 3541 (Sept. 7th): 325..
  • <5> Article in serial: Smith RA, Dewey H,. 1913. Stratification at Swanscombe: report on excavations made on behalf of the British Museum and H.M. Geological Survey.. Archaeologia 64: 177-204.. p 177-204.
  • <6> Article in serial: Smith R.A and Dewey H. 1914. The High Terrace of the Thames: report on excavations made on behalf of the British Museum and H.M. Geological Survey.. Archaeologia 65: 185-212. p 187-212.
  • <7> Monograph: Wymer, JJ. 1968. Lower Palaeolithic Archaeology in Britain as represented by the Thames Valley..
  • <8> Monograph: Conway BW, McNabb J, & Ashton N, (ed's). 1996. Excavations at Barnfield Pit, Swanscombe, 1968–72..
  • <9> Unpublished document: Wenban-Smith F. F.. 2004 (March). The Stopes Palaeolithic Project: Final Report. site #2.
  • <10> Article in serial: Wenban-Smith FF,. 2009. Henry Stopes (1852-1902): engineer, brewer and anthropologist.. Lithics 30: 65-85. [Great Prehistorians: 150 Years of Palaeolithic Research 1859-2009, RT Hosfield, FF Wenban-Smith, MI Pope (eds)].
  • <11> Monograph: Wessex Archaeology. 1993. The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text]. NWK 4.19.
  • <12> Unpublished document: Essex County Council & Kent County Council. 2003. Archaeological Survey of Mineral Extraction Sites around the Thames Estuary. #911.
  • <13> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. March 2004. Swanscombe Heritage Park and Craylands Gorge, Swanscombe, Kent. Archaeological and Geological Desk Based Assessment.

Finds (2)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (3)

  • Event Boundary: Excavations at Barnfield Pit by A. T. Marston (EKE19973)
  • Intrusive Event: Excavations at Barnfield Pit by A. T. Marston, Skull site (EKE19974)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: The Southern rivers Palaeolithic Project (EKE20337)

Related Thematic Articles (3)

Record last edited

May 5 2021 5:36PM