Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Excavation in advance of new housing at Cliffs end Farm found a number of anglo-Saxon features. Anglo-Saxon burials were grouped around Early Bronze Age barrows. To the south of these, an area defined by ditches contained numerous pits which were filled with large quantities of shells, possibly consumed during feasting.

Pre-1964 a cranium probaably Anglo-Saxon was found in the cliff below Little Cliffsend Farm.

Monument Types

• INHUMATION CEMETERY (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD to 600 AD)
• BEAM SLOT? (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 850 AD)
• DITCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 850 AD)
• PIT (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 850 AD)

Associated Finds

• BEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• BEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• BROOCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• GIRDLE HANGER (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• KNIFE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• PURSE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• SEAX (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• SHIELD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• SPADE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• SPEAR (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• SWORD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• SHERD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 850 AD)

Full description

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In 2004/5 the site at Cliffs End Farm was excavated in advance of new housing. The site was extensively used in the Anglo-Saxon period for two purposes. C.24 graves or probable graves were grouped into three clusters. Of these 21 were excavated.

The largest and tightest grouping was of 11 graves around a central larger grave. This was immediately to the north of the second Early Bronze Age barrow. A central burial was the only one to have been buried in a coffin. It was accompanied by amber and polychrome glass beads. These burials were of early 6th to late 7th century date. The majority of the burial around it contained weaponry; iron swords, spears or shields in varying combinations (see also (2)).

Six probable burials were located around the first Early Bronze Age barrow, again of 6th/7th century date.

The third group was located away from the barrows towards the edge of the excavated area. These were later in date, mostly dating to the 8th century.

Two other isolated graves were found on the site. One burial contained three large stones which had been placed on the body during the backfilling of the grave. One was a flint, possibly chosen for its resemblance of a skull. This was located away from the others near ditches that demarcated the second activity area on the site of this period.

A total of 69 pits were found, mostly to the south of the site and close to the 8th century burials. Dating evidence was limited but most seemed to originate from the mid Saxon period (AD 650-850). The pits contained oyster, whelk, mussel and/or winkle shells. One pit contained 10,000 such shells. This suggests large gatherings of people, 500 or more. One pit contained a horse skull and another contained a human skull. There were possible traces of a structure at the south of the area, three shallow ditches could have been beam slots. (1) (3)

<1> Wessex Archaeology, 2005, Cliffs End Farm, Ramsgate, Kent: Archaeological Assessment Report (Unpublished document). SKE13692.

<2> English Heritage, 2008, Cliff's End Farm, Ramsgate, Kent: Investigative Conservation of Early Anglo-Saxon Grave Finds (Unpublished document). SKE24769.

<3> Wessex Archaeology, 2014, Cliffs End Farm, Isle of Thanet, Kent: a mortuary and ritual site of the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Anglo-Saxon period (Bibliographic reference). SKE30562.

Sources and further reading