Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

A large earthwork enclosure at Cheeseman's Farm has been identified as a possible medieval house site or a Romano-British enclosure. Approximately 50m across, the feature is surrounded by a dry ditch. There is also a causeway entrance on the west side. No structural remains have been found at the site, and pottery sherds removed from the vicinity date to the Roman period. Romano-British cremation burials have also been found in close proximity to this enclosure. The site ius also recorded as an 'ancient earthwork' on the Ordnance Survey historic maps. Despite this, the general appearance and size of the enclosure and its close proximity to a no longer surviving similar feature that dated to the medeival period, is taken as evidence that this was once the site of a medieval house.

Monument Types

• CREMATION (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• ENCLOSURE (Roman to Medieval - 43 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• MANOR HOUSE? (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)

Associated Finds

• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

[TR 32356680] Earthwork [NR] (1)

The enclosure on the Minster side of the boundary at Cheeseman's Farm, known at Cheeseman's Camp, looks like a homestead moat. Hasted's map shows a similar feature on the opposite side of the road as does a mapof 1769. The earlier name of the places seems to have been Cheesmunds. (2,3,4)

Cheeseman's Camp is a subrectangular enclosure measuring some 50.0m NW-SE by 40.0m NE-SW surrounded by a dry ditch 3.5m in width and 0.7m in depth. The enclosed area is generally on a level with the surrounding ground but it is slightly sunken at the W. end; entrance is by a causeway across the ditch on the W. side. This is neither a homestead moat nor a defensive earthwork. Although no building debris is visible the general appearance and proportions of the work and the evident close proximity of a similar feature of which there is now no trace, support Crawford's (a) suggestion that this is the site of a medieval house. Published 25" survey revised. (5)

Not mentioned in the gazetteer of moated sites in Kent - December 1977and 1979. (6,7)

TR 323669 (accurate to within 50 m only) Medieval(?) moated site. Site no. 132. (8)

Additional bibliography - not consulted. (9-13)

TR 324668. Earthworks. Earthwork consists of a sub-rectangular enclosrue formed by ditches and banks. It is generally thought to be medieval, but the pottery scatter is of Romano British fabrics only. Romano-British cremation burials have been found nearby. At the time of writing (1988) the ditches were being infilled so that the site could be ploughed. (10)

Additional references (11-13)

<1> OS 6"1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48397.

<2> Page, W. (ed), 1908, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Kent Volumne I, V.C.H. Kent 1, 1908, 432-3 (I.C. Gould) (Monograph). SKE7882.

<3> Hist. of Kent 4, 1799, following 288 (E. Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE44066.

<4> Map of Kent 1769 (Andrews, Dury & Herbert) (OS Card Reference). SKE46515.

<5> Rev. O.N.B. 25 SE 1923. Note by O.G.S. Crawford AO (OS Card Reference). SKE49231.

<6> F1 CFW 01-OCT-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42382.

<7> Moated Sites Res. Gp. 6, 1979 (ed. C.J. Bond) (OS Card Reference). SKE47289.

<8> Arch. Cant. 97, 1977 ( T. Tatton-Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE37071.

<9> Thanet. The Arch. Heritage c.1982, 9 (Thanet Dist. Council & Isle of Thanet Arch. Unit) (OS Card Reference). SKE49914.

<10> Early Norman Castles 1912, 55 (E.S. Armitage) (OS Card Reference). SKE41570.

<11> Trust for Thanet Archaeology, 1987, Isle of Thanet Archaeological Unit Sites and Monuments Archive, Isle of Thanet Arch. Unit Sites and Mons. Archive 1988, Record No. 132 (Collection). SKE11846.

<12> Field report for monument TR 36 NW 16 - October, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6221.

<13> Trust for Thanet Archaeology, 1991, Proposed Improvements to The A253 Between Monkton & Ramsgate: The Archaeological Implications (Unpublished document). SKE11867.

Sources and further reading