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Fawkham and Ash Archaeological Group (FAAG)

The Discovery and excavation of a Late Iron-Age and Early Roman Farmstead at Viewpoint, Wellfield, Hartley, Kent 1975/76 and 1984 TQ6084/6842

Introduction
Rescue Excavations carried out by members of the Fawkham & Ash Archaeological Group during November 1975 to January 1976 and July 1984, led to the discovery of lengths of boundary ditches, pits and a tiled hearth. These were dated by pottery and a coin to the late Iron-Age and early Roman periods, and indicated the presence of a Romano-British Farmstead.   Ted Connell

On Sunday 9th November 1975 Brian Tremain found the neck and some wall sherds of a late 1st Century Roman Flagon. They were at the foot of a spoil heap that had been formed during the excavation of a new section of road, (now serving nos. 17 to 41 Caxton Close) prior to the construction of Council Houses.
   On Monday 10th November 1975 Brian Tremain and Ted Connell visited the site where houses were being built using direct labour by the then Dartford District Rural Council. We met Mr Gordon Longhurst, Site Foreman, and explained about finding the pottery and permission was given to look around the site.

   Houses had already been constructed and were occupied to the west of the old 1930s detached house called View Point, that was being used as the site office, with materials stored in a compound at the rear.

   To the east of the house, View Point, the next phase of house building was in progress. A spur road starting just 10 metres to the east, ran approximately 40 metres due east. During the construction of this, the south side had caused a terrace to form of about 1½ metres high. The face of the terrace was examined, after clearing with a J.C.B., and a ditch could be seen cutting into the chalk, running at an angle of about 45o to the face. Immediately some fragments of pottery were recovered from the top section of the ditch. (Ditch A, VP2).
   The discovery was explained to Mr Longhurst and he readily agreed to members of the Fawkham & Ash Archaeological Group (FAAG) undertaking rescue excavations prior to the construction of a row of terraced houses in the area.
   Over the eleven Sundays, in the depth of winter, members of FAAG carried out excavations on the site.
   In 1984 the old house View Point was demolished and two new houses built. The Group returned to record further lengths of ditch and a pit revealed in the house footing trenches.

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