The Excavations at Springhead, Kent

Phil Andrews of Wessex Archaeology Recent Lecture

The site at Springhead in Kent is just to the south of Gravesend at the head of the Ebbsfleet river valley. The site was excavated in advance of the Channel Tunnel Rail-Link and has proved to be a long and arduous project. The archaeologists were on site for over two and a half years and a post excavation process that has already gone on for two years is not yet fully complete or published.

Following a site evaluation carried out in 1997 an 11-hectare excavation was started in early 2000. The site is characterised by its steeply sloping nature, which during periods of bad weather through wet British winters made work on site extremely difficult.

Whilst the main focus of the site was its use during the Roman period there was also evidence of occupation during pre-history with remains of Bronze Age barrows. Boiling pits and associated areas of burning together with flint deposits suggested a ritual use of the site even at this early stage. The barrows were buried by hillwash during the late Iron Age but the site appeared to continue as a special place.

There appeared to be a defined area enclosed by a ditch to deliberately keep the majority from the space immediately surrounding the spring although there were remains of platforms cut into the hill overlooking the spring for those excluded to watch what was going on from a distance. Many pits dating to this period were revealed together with over 70 coins.

During the Roman era the Springhead site was located on Watling Street, one of the main roads into London and was a major religious/ritual centre from the late 1st century until it appears to have gone out of use in the 3rd century. In addition to its relationship with Watling Street it is likely the River Ebbsfleet was navigable up to the complex

The earliest evidence of Roman occupation of the site was a three sided enclosure which it has been suggested formed a supply base, possibly dating soon after the invasion/conquest. The site then developed as a religious/cult centre centred around the natural spring with a number of connected features. The excavations revealed evidence for up to nine temples and a significant number of cremation burials.

Archaeologists found the location of what may have been a sacred tree due to the number of pits that centred around it. The remains of a number of bakeries were also discovered, presumably to meet the earthly demands of visitors to the site. Evidence was found, in the form of postholes, of a timber palisade enclosing the site and to reinforce the idea of inclusion/exclusion several “viewing platforms” were identified outside the enclosure with views from the higher slopes over onto whatever was going on next to the spring.

The finds were very consistent with the ritual use of the site, over 1500 hundred coins were found during the excavations together with over 150,000 shards of pottery and many animal bones. Several significant pits were excavated, including one over 4.5m in depth with the remains of a cow at its base and another 2.5m deep with an unfortunate dog with a chain around its neck at the bottom.

No evidence of any settlement was discovered by the excavators lending further weight to the ritual site hypothesis. Indeed the remains of further temples have been discovered nearby and were left in-situ under the adjacent A2 road.

Thanks to Phil for another excellent talk.

John Hood