Findspot record TQ 67 SW 1838 - Palaeolithic discoveries at Southfleet Road Widening Scheme, 2008

The wider project formed part of the early infrastructure and enabling works for the Ebbsfleet/Eastern Quarry redevelopment. It included the proposed Southfleet Road Widening Scheme, utility diversions, sewage infrastructure, construction compounds and access improvements to support major mixed-use development at Eastern Quarry, Station Quarter South and Springhead Quarter. The archaeological work was undertaken to mitigate impacts on nationally important Palaeolithic deposits known to survive beneath the development area.

Trench 3, excavated for a proposed sewage settling tank at Eastern Quarry, revealed a significant artefact-bearing gravel deposit beneath topsoil. The gravel, identified as a mainstream Thames deposit and probably equivalent to the Swanscombe Lower Middle Gravel, dates to the Hoxnian interglacial (c. 400,000-380,000 years ago). Sieving of 500 litres of gravel recovered 24 Palaeolithic flint artefacts, comprising waste flakes and debris from stone tool production. Although no complete handaxes were found, some flakes are consistent with handaxe manufacture. The artefacts indicate repeated Lower Palaeolithic activity in the area. The deposit is important because it marks the southern extent of the Swanscombe sequence and links it with the nearby Southfleet Road Elephant Site. (1)

<1> Wessex Archaeology, 2011, South Fleet Road widening scheme, Swanscombe, Ebbsfleet, Kent, Report on an archaeological watching brief and an archaeological, Palaeolithic test pit evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE53061.