Settling the Ebbsfleet Valley: High Speed 1 Excavations at Springhead and Northfleet, Kent, the Late Iron Age, Roman, Saxon and Medieval Landscape, Volume 4 : Saxon and Later Finds and Environmental Reports

This volume presents specialist reports, and illustrations, on the Saxon and later finds and environmental remains recovered during archaeological investigations in the Ebbsfleet valley, near Gravesend, Kent. It is the fourth part of a four-volume publication on investigations at Springhead and Northfleet, undertaken in connection with engineering works for Section 2 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), now High Speed 1. The archaeological discoveries made during HS1 Section 2, which range in date from the late Iron Age to the medieval period, are reported in Volume 1. Specialist reports on the Iron Age and Roman artefacts are reported in Volume 2, while those on the Iron Age and Roman human bone, and faunal and environmental remains are reported in Volume 3; additional data is available via the website (http://owarch.co.uk/ hs1/springhead-northfleet/). These reports have been prepared by the Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture in conjunction with Rail Link Engineering for Union Railways (North) Limited (URN). High Speed 1 is the new high-speed railway linking London mainline stations to the Channel Tunnel. Section 1 of HS1, running from the tunnel portal at Folkestone, passes through Kent to Pepper Hill near Gravesend, whilst Section 2 continues the line under the Thames at Swanscombe and then runs through Essex and East London to London St Pancras. The massive engineering and construction project necessitated one of the largest programmes of archaeological works ever undertaken in Britain. Deskbased assessment was followed by extensive evaluation, comprising field walking, trial trenching, test pitting and borehole investigation. This allowed HS1’s impact on the finite archaeological resources along the route to be assessed and mitigated. Where archaeological sites could not be bypassed, or preserved in situ, excavations were undertaken in advance of construction. The principal archaeological work for Section 1 took place in 1998– 2001, while that for Section 2, commissioned by URN, took place between September 2000 and March 2003. Construction work relating to Section 2 in the Ebbsfleet valley included HS1 itself, Ebbsfleet International Station and associated access roads, and a connecting line to the existing North Kent Line. Oxford Archaeology undertook detailed excavation and a watching brief on land south of Northfleet, centred on NGR 516413 174196, towards the north end of the valley, while Wessex Archaeology undertook detailed excavation, strip, map and sample excavation, evaluation and a watching brief on various sites around the south end of the valley, at Springhead, centred on NGR 618000 727500. Following completion of the HS1 programme of work in 2003, there have been further, sometimes extensive investigations within and adjacent to the Ebbsfleet valley, in advance of infrastructure works and housing and commercial developments. Although these have revealed Palaeolithic and other early prehistoric remains, as well as further discoveries of late Iron Age, Roman, and Saxon date, it is not anticipated that any major revisions will be required to what is presented in this publication. The four volumes of this publication comprise one of two separate archaeological studies reporting on the HS1 Section 2 excavations in the Ebbsfleet valley. The other publication, on Prehistoric Ebbsfleet, focuses on Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age and earlier Iron Age activity. The present publication, Springhead and Northfleet, concentrates on Roman and later activity, but also takes into account the late prehistoric origins of the Roman occupation of the area. The overlap with the Prehistoric Ebbsfleet study, however, is slight as the most important later prehistoric remains – the late Iron Age ritual or ceremonial activity near the Ebbsfleet spring at Springhead – are outside the period covered by the Prehistoric Ebbsfleet study. The Springhead and Northfleet publication reports on three major excavations, as well as on minor excavations, evaluations and other investigations, both HS1 and non- HS1. The principal discoveries comprise late prehistoric, Roman, and Saxon features at Springhead, including a sanctuary complex within the Roman town of Vagniacis, and two Middle Saxon cemeteries to its east (site code: ARC SPH00); the Roman roadside settlement at Springhead Nursery (site codes: ARC SHN02 and WA 51724); and late prehistoric, Roman, and Saxon features at Northfleet, where a middle Saxon watermill was discovered immediately adjacent to the Northfleet Roman villa (site code: ARC EBB01). Investigations were also undertaken on the site of a Roman high status walled cemetery south-east of Springhead, first investigated between 1799 and 1802 (site codes ARC WCY02 and WA 52379). This publication also considers the results of excavations at two HS1 Section 1 sites, the Pepper Hill Roman cemetery which is associated with Vagniacis, and the rural settlement at West of Northumberland Bottom, to the east of Springhead. Finally, the results of earlier (as well as ongoing) non- HS1 investigations and excavations undertaken by a variety of groups at both Springhead and Northfleet Roman villa, including work on the South Thameside Development Route 4, are considered. The detailed specialist reports in this volume of the Springhead and Northfleet publication cover all the Saxon and later finds recovered during the reported excavations, including human bone and animal bone, and environmental remains and dating evidence relating to contemporary landscape, and subsistence and economy. These reports include the analysis of over 19 kg of Saxon pottery. Most of it (c. 80%) was recovered from Northfleet where it is dated to the 5th–early 6th century, and was recovered from contexts that include demolition layers over the Roman buildings, nine sunken-featured buildings, and the area of the Saxon mill although apparently not directly associated with its period of use. Of the pottery from Springhead, where contexts include two sunken-featured buildings, some of the material was of a similar date to Northfleet, but some appears to be of 6th–7th century date. Eight Saxon and medieval coins were recovered from Springhead, including two from a grave in the Saxon cemetery and a group of three medieval pennies and a halfpenny close to Watling Street, possibly from a ‘pilgrim’s purse’. In addition, 31 post-medieval and modern coins and two tokens were recovered, from both Springhead and Northfleet. The report on Saxon metal small finds provides an overview of grave finds from that part of the two Saxon inhumation cemeteries at Springhead that were excavated in ARC SPH00, comprising 36 graves. The smaller cemetery to the south was fully excavated, while the larger cemetery to its north, which extends to the east, was excavated in 2007-8 (not as part of the HS1 works). The small finds report also provides details on mineral-preserved textiles and other organic remains from the graves. Full analysis of these grave finds will be integrated with those from the further 123 burials to the east, still to be reported. Likewise, the report on the Saxon human remains, deriving from 30 individuals, relates solely to the graves in ARC SPH00. Other finds reports concern the small quantity of smithing slag recovered from Saxon contexts at Northfleet, although this could be residual Roman material. Medieval and post-medieval ceramic building material was also recovered from Northfleet, and from a tile kiln exposed during a watching brief west of Springhead, and there was also a small quantity of fired clay and daub, much of it from a late Saxon crop dryer at Springhead. There are also reports on a wood plane, and on objects of worked bone, including comb fragments, pin beaters, a spindle whorl, toggles and an antler spearhead, all from Northfleet. Most of the 4237 fragments of animal bone in the Saxon faunal assemblage came from Northfleet, with only a very small proportion from Springhead. The data indicates animal use focusing on sheep and pig, with horses, dogs and cats also present in the assemblage, but with the hunting of hare, deer, wild boar, and wild fowl making only a limited contribution to the diet. In addition, 51 fish bones were recovered, predominantly of marine species, and the claw of an edible crab. The environmental evidence for Saxon subsistence and economy is presented in reports on waterlogged wood, much of it associated with the Saxon mill, along with charred plant remains, wood charcoal, and marine shell. Environmental sequences and remains relating the development of the Saxon landscape were recovered mainly from waterlogged deposits at Northfleet, associated with the Saxon mill and millpond. The range of evidence is presented in reports on sediments and soils, soil micromorphology, pollen, diatoms, foraminifera and ostracoda, waterlogged plant remains and insects, with dating evidence presented in reports on radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology.