The endless rain during January and February not only caused delays and aggravation, but it raised the water-table significantly across much of Kent. The River Darent rose yet again and a large area around the Eynsford ancient bridge was flooded and impassable for days. The water-table also rose alarmingly inside the Lullingstone Roman Villa cover-building. The Roman well suddenly had several feet of water in it and the Deep Room remained flooded for many weeks. A tidemark showed at least 2ft of water had come up through the small ritual well in the centre of the room. At Sparrows Den about four acres of the sports field remained underwater, at least 2ft deep for weeks. This area is crossed by the Lewes-London Roman Road just outside of the lost Roman town of Noviomagus, discovered by the Bromley and West Kent Group in 1966(KAR,No.141(2000,p.2). A tiny stream flowed though Sparrows Den about 100 years ago, but the water pumping station at nearby Kent Gate had turned this into an underground bourne. Hence the name Bourne Vale and Bourne Way in Hayes, the latter the home of one-time KAR editor Roger Manning. The same flood occurred here about ten years ago and major remedial measures were undertaken. This included a huge underground storage-tank, but clearly this was not enough. During remedial works on the sports field the area was extensively looted by treasure hunters armed with metal detectors who removed dozens of Roman coins only some of which were recovered and handed over to the Bromley Museum (KAR No. 157 (2004),p.147).