Tollgate (West of) ARC TGW 97
Museum of London Archaeology, 2004. (updated 2017) https://doi.org/10.5284/1044766. How to cite using this DOI
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This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.
Primary contact
Stuart
Foreman
Senior Project Manager
Oxford Archaeology (South)
Janus House
Osney Mead
Oxford
OX2 0ES
UK
Tel: 01865 263800
Fax: 01865 793496
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 1851
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1044766
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
As part of an extensive programme of environmental mitigation measures associated with the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, a series of archaeological investigations have been commissioned by Union Railways Limited (URL). The Museum of London Archaeology Service (MoLAS) has undertaken a number of these archaeological field evaluations along the route of the rail link.
The site, Area of Neolithic Potential West of Tollgate (ARC TGW97), covered an area of 9.3 ha across the slopes of a dry valley, under arable crop at the time of the evaluation. It lies some 4km to the south of Gravesend, immediately to the south of the A2 and west of the A227. A Neolithic polished stone axe was picked up in the area in 1929 and a recent surface find collection survey and geophysical survey have identified the north-western area of the site as having potential for Romano-British cut features.
A number of field ditches dating from the Late Iron Age/Romano-British through to the early 3rd century AD were recorded, cut into the chalk natural of the upper south-east and east facing slopes of the valley. The core area of these features covered an area of approximately 100 square metres. Several discrete cut features and a linear cut, of unspecified function, of a similar date were also recorded. The ditch cuts were orientated at perpendicular angles to form a system of rectangular shaped fields. On the basis of the evidence found, the ditches are considered to be contemporary; in the instance of one ditch intersecting another, the deposits were seen to be contemporary. There was very little archaeological evidence for occupation; a single posthole and only a moderate amount of building material (brick, tile and daub) was collected. A medieval field ditch was also recorded in the area of Roman features. A large circular quarry pit, at least 5 metres in diameter, was found to the south-east of the site but no datable finds were recovered from it.
N.B. Much of this work here has been superseeded by works associated with the Phase Two and Schemewide programmes, but are included here for completeness. Those wishing to use the most current data are urged to view the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Section 1 Project pages.
