North Kent Coastal Survey

English Heritage summaries. 2004/2005

Wessex Archaeology undertook the second year of Field Assessment of the North Kent Rapid Coastal Zone
Assessment Survey between 23rd of May and 17th of June 2005. To facilitate survey work, the North Kent Coast
has been divided into 20 stretches ranging from approximately 3km to over 10km in length. This year most of the survey work was concentrated western-most stretches of the study area fronting the River Thames (Darent, Greys, Gravesend, Higham, Cliffe). The team did also continue work within stretches on the River Medway
(Hoo) and the River Swale (Harty and South Swale). Four stretches were completed in this year’s survey,
building on the four already completed in 2003-4. A further two stretches are now largely complete (Hoo and
Cliffe).

Nearly 200 new monuments were discovered and recorded in the 2005 survey and over 350 existing monument
records were updated. New discoveries include, an area of submerged forest near Darent Creek; fishtraps at
Shornemead, Damhead Creek and the Hamlet of Shellness; and an early trackway by Broadness Salt Marsh. The
team were also able to provide assessments of the current condition of sites such as the Cliffe Fort Brennan
torpedo installation and the imposing hulk of the Dutch sailing schooner Hans Egede.

This project was published on 26/09/2005