‘The Bone Yard’: A Preliminary Note on Excavations at Temple Hill, Dartford
Several phases of excavations have recently been completed by Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust at St Edmund's Church, Temple Hill, Dartford. The area commands wide views over the town and surrounding countryside and was extensively built up with suburban housing in the post-war period. The church was constructed in 1955, and is now in the process of being rebuilt and redeveloped on a larger scale. According to local residents, the site has been known for some years as 'The Bone Yard,' suggesting that scattered archaeological remains were found during the initial development in the 1950s and during later, more recent building work nearby.
An initial evaluation by Project Officer Wesley Keir revealed significant quantities of ceramics and human bone, and consequently an expanded investigation was undertaken by Project Officer Dan Hounsell to cover a wider area. Post-excavation analysis is still at an early stage, but several important observations can already be made.
The key area of archaeological features comprised a dense palimpsest of ditches and pits, though several lines of post-holes were also identified and may yet prove to be the remains of dwellings or timber structures. Most of the associated ceramic evidence is of handmade coarsewares, which immediately creates difficulty in identification. Given the nature of the local clay, separating Anglo-Saxon fabrics from earlier Iron Age types is still problematical, though analysis suggests that flint and shell-tempered fabrics are generally of prehistoric date and those with a quartz base of Saxon origin. Almost half the pottery derived from a single pit feature, where 847 sherds form the fragmented remains of approximately fifteen complete or semi-complete Iron Age vessels in excellent condition. Other finds from the period include a number of heavy clay loom weights, suggesting some minor industrial activity in the immediate vicinity.
By contrast, Roman material was ephemeral and poorly represented. The small amount of pottery recovered was abraded and apparently residual. These are, however, invariably early in date and include Gaulish Samian, Highgate Wood products, Upchurch Fine Reduced Ware and North Kent Fine Reduced Ware. Several sherds were recovered from securely dated Saxon contexts, suggesting that the material was deliberately collected by later occupants on the site.
The Saxon assemblage is by far the most significant, comprising part of an inhumation cemetery with associated ceramics and other remains. Forty-five bodies were recovered in total, though the underlying free-draining geology meant that few were well-preserved. Despite the fact that over half the skeletons were less than 25% complete, important observations may still be made. Several were surrounded by shallow, horse-shoe shaped enclosures or circular ditches, which clearly defined these individuals as being of exceptional status. Post-holes may also indicate the presence of grave markers or structures over the graves. Several were furnished with grave goods, though conservation is still being undertaken and their nature and significance has not yet been considered. Among the associated finds, two small but well-preserved accessory vessels (fig 1) help to establish a general context for the group in the 5th or 6th century. Three quarters of the bodies were adults and most appear to have been in a good state of physical and dental health, though the females had slightly poorer teeth. Two of the burials were of female adults with infant children. One child was cradled in the left arm (fig 2), while a second infant had been laid across the lower legs of the deceased. The stature of this small sample was of particular interest. Overall, the men were generally of a similar height to the modern population, while the women were markedly shorter, with no apparent overlap between the two. Similar samples from comparative sites have suggested that the males and females may have different migratory origins, and Dartford may also reflect a heterogeneous population.
At such an early stage, the post-excavation analysis has posed more questions than can yet be answered, but the site is clearly one of great interest which will benefit from further, more detailed analysis.
Dr. Liz Prosser
Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust