KAFS Geophysics Resistivity Surveys at Wye

By Bill Martin

Three resistivity surveys in March 2019, September and October 2020 at a site near Wye in Kent by members of Kent Archaeological Field School (KAFS) have uncovered evidence of significant Roman buildings, including the possible site of a Roman mill. The image shows an overlay of the two greyscale surveys; dark is higher resistivity, light is lower resistivity. Darker areas of higher resistivity are often the result of stone, brick, and other dense building materials in walls and footings. The dark areas in the southeast corner were excavated in 2019 by KAFS and proved to be a Roman-era building thought to be the mill. All of the surveys were aligned on the NE/SW axis of the mill to make it easier to interpret the data.

The rectangular pattern at the eastern edge of the overlay is probably an outbuilding or substantial enclosure of dimensions 5x10m. There may be other faint, much larger rectangular features around this possible enclosure.

To the west is a dense range of features that are likely the remains of a significant building, although much disturbed by deep ploughing.

These may, in part, be the remains of a structure containing a hypocaust floor excavated during 1960s. This building may extend over an area of 20x20m. Continuing to the north and west, there is more evidence of linear features on the same alignment as the mill, and these could be a further range of buildings. A previous magnetometry survey of the field showed some features at the northwest edge, but there are only faint signs in the resistivity.

Top, left

Fig 1: Started with a building spotted on GoogleEarth with potential leat running north-south.

Top, right

Fig 2: Resistivity results showing at least 5 Roman buildings including a watermill in the southeast

Bottom

Fig 3: Resistivity results overlain GoogleEarth

Finally, there is an intriguing northeast/southwest linear feature at the edge of the overlay, which seems to point to further demolished structures to the south on the same alignment as the mill and possibly connected to the central features. This is a fascinating site and promises even more exciting results when we can survey more of the area to the south with the farmer’s cooperation. Resistivity is highly revealing of buildings and buried structures

but is hard work and frankly boring on large sites such as this. The KAFS members who participated in the three surveys in the cold, wind and rain will undoubtedly be rewarded in a future life. They were Rebecca Parr, Stewart Brown, Zoe Schofield, and Beatrice Nicholas.

KAFS plan to continue excavations at Wye for a further two weeks this summer once the crop is in.

Please contact KAFS at www. kafs.co.uk for further details.

Top, left

Fig 4: Previous work on site during the 1960s but clearly not the buildings excavated last year. Top, right

Fig 5: KAFS work on possible Roman watermill in same field

Middle

Fig 6: KAFS excavations underway

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Fig 7: Roman buildings