Thurnham Roman Villa and Land South of Corbier Hall, ARC THM 96
Oxford Archaeology (South), 2004. (updated 2017) https://doi.org/10.5284/1044768. How to cite using this DOI
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Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 1853
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1044768
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
As part of a larger programme of archaeological investigation along the route of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, Union Railways Ltd commissioned the Oxford Archaeological Unit to undertake a field evaluation of 4 ha of land north of the M20 at Thurnham, near Maidstone. The site of the Scheduled Ancient Monument of Thurnham Roman Villa was examined together with a corridor to the south-east which included land close to the Scheduled Ancient Monument of medieval Corbier Hall.
The wall footings of the villa were exposed under the modern ploughsoil, together with the footings of an aisled building 50 m to the east and evidence of other structures in adjacent trenches. Archaeological deposits, including ditches, pits, cobbled spreads and building debris, were widespread in an area extending for 200 m NW-SE and the 90 m width of the evaluation corridor, both on the knoll on which the villa stood and off the slope to the south-east. Intact floor surfaces associated with the villa were not present although plough-damaged remnant surfaces possibly survived elsewhere, including the aisled building. Stratified deposits were found under the villa and aisled building, and in other areas on the slope of the knoll, but were generally absent elsewhere.
The pottery was nearly all dateable to the 1st and 2nd centuries, with a pre-conquest component almost certainly present. It is possible that later Roman deposits had been lost to the plough. There were no medieval remains associated with Corbier Hall. The `moat' of Corbier Hall was revealed. It had been levelled in the 1950s and any earlier underlying sediments were not examined. A 19th century brick structure within the valley was enigmatic but possibly a small ice-house.
An Archaeological Excavation (ARC THM 98) was also undertaken at Thurnham Roman Villa as part of CTRL phase 1.
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.
