Geoarchaeological Field Evaluation of Land at Joyce Green, Dartford, Kent

In March 2000, ARCUS were commissioned by Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit to undertake an archaeological evaluation on a site at Joyce Green, Dartford, Kent (NGR TQ 540 764). The evaluation was required as a condition of planning consent for gravel extraction at the site. Three programmes of work were undertaken. These comprised the monitoring and stratigraphic recording of a series of test pits, the extraction of bulk samples for fossil insect analysis, and the extraction of core samples for fossil pollen analysis. This report presents the results of each section of the work. Radiocarbon dates are currently being processed , thus these results and recommendations must be considered provisional. 1) The field evaluation largely confirms the stratigraphy as recorded in the contractors boreholes. The edge of the floodplain clearly extends further to the east. 2) Well preserved palaeoenvironmental remains have been recovered which have the potential to produce a detailed picture of environmental change in the Dartford region over the middle/alet Holocene. 3) The insect remains are particularly well preserved and it is recommended that detailed study of the Coleoptera, Trichoptera and Chironomidae be carried out through a series of samples at locations adjacent to Test Pit 4 and Test Pit 14. This will provide both a proximal and distal sequence across the floodplain. 4) Detailed pollen stratigraphy at both locations will provide a regional view of environmental change and human impact. 5) Whilst the evaluation has determined the nature and character of the Holocene sequence it was not possible to examine the underlying Pleistocene gravels which are known to contain artefacts at early sites e.g. Crayford. A watching brief on the gravel extraction is highly recommended. The limited study of invertebrate remains from Joyce Green is sufficient to indicate that the initial flooding in the lower Darent valley was by fresh and not estuarine waters. The samples are sufficient to indicate the value of further more detailed research.