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Monument details

HER Number:TR 02 NE 136
Type of record:Monument
Name:Medieval floors, Craythornes, New Romney

Summary

A series of clay floors, occupation horizons and metalled surface dating to the 12th and 13th centuries were discovered in two trenches during an archaeological evaluation on land at Craythornes, New Romney. Although there were no structural elements identified, it is likely that these deposits represent external (yard) surfaces associated with the presence of domestic occupation and possible buildings within the immediate vicinity. (location avvurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)


Grid Reference:TR 0669 2527
Map Sheet:TR02NE
Parish:NEW ROMNEY, SHEPWAY, KENT

Monument Types

  • FLOOR (Medieval - 1100 AD to 1300 AD)
  • YARD (Medieval - 1100 AD to 1300 AD)

Associated Finds

  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval - 1100 AD to 1300 AD)
  • SHERD (Medieval - 1100 AD to 1300 AD)

Full description

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A series of clay floors, occupation horizons and metalled surface dating to the 12th and 13th centuries were discovered in two trenches during an archaeological evaluation on land at Craythornes, New Romney. Although there were no structural elements identified, it is likely that these deposits represent external (yard) surfaces associated with the presence of domestic occupation and possible buildings within the immediate vicinity. There was some scant evidence for buildings from the finds assemblage including the sizeable quantity of daub from the pits in
trench 5, along with fragments of peg tile, ceramic chimney pots and the West Country slate which is seen as typical of good quality buildings in coastal areas in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. As no similar deposits were found in the nearest trenches, it is suggested that the focus of this activity is to the south-east towards Craythornes house itself and Fairfield Road.

In detail: a make up layer containign material of a mid thirteenth- to early fourteenth-century date was overlain by a layer of firmly compacted small-sized rounded flint pebbles set within a light- to mid-brown clayey silt interpreted as a metalled surface. This deposit was not excavated but survived over a length of 2.45m, and was found to survive at a height of +3.38m OD, approximately 0.60m below the present ground surface. No datable material was evident although charcoal flecking, animal bone and oyster shell was present. Less than 0.50m to the east of the metalled surface was the remnants of a floor surface composed of compacted dull yellow/brown slightly silty clay. This was partly sample excavated and was up to 0.10m thick, covered an area of only 0.52m in length, and survived at a height of +3.46m OD. Cultural material removed from the upper surface of this deposit included five sherds of pottery dating to the early- to mid- thirteenth century (c. AD 1200 – 1250/75). The remnants of a similar clay floor were also found to the west of the metalled surface No cultural material was retrieved from this deposit, but it is believed to be the same as the other. The metalled surface and clay floor remnants were sealed by a layer softly compacted dark to mid grey brown clayey sandy silt with frequent charcoal flecking. This deposit was up to 0.12m thick, and covered an area of 4.20m in length. This deposit contained eight sherds of pottery, along with fragments of animal bone, oyster shell and two iron nails. This is thought to represent an occupation horizon and is dated to the early- to mid- thirteenth century (c. AD 1200 – 1250/75).(1-2) (information summarised from source)


<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2009, Archaeological evaluation at Land Adjoining Craythornes, Fairfield Road, New Romney (Unpublished document). SKE24815.

<2> Weekes, J., 2012, Canterbury Archaeological Trust Interim Reports, Archaeologia Cantiana CXXXII 2012: 303-4 (Article in serial). SKE25119.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>XYUnpublished document: Canterbury Archaeological Trust. 2009. Archaeological evaluation at Land Adjoining Craythornes, Fairfield Road, New Romney. [Mapped feature: #110923 floors, ]
<2>Article in serial: Weekes, J.. 2012. Canterbury Archaeological Trust Interim Reports. Arch Cant CXXXII: 291-305. Archaeologia Cantiana CXXXII 2012: 303-4.