Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Series of medieval or post-medieval enclosure and ditches, West Wood.

Monument Types

• DITCH (DITCH, Unknown date)
• FLINT SCATTER (FLINT SCATTER, Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
• ENCLOSURE (ENCLOSURE, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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[Centred TR 144 436] Well-preserved woodland bank and ditch enclosure of uncertain but probably late date. (1)

Rectilinear enclosure (TR 1442 4365) is cut by forestry rides which had been established by 1840's, although S. boundary of the enclosure still in use as boundary between 80 Acres Wood and West Wood. Boundary had gone by 1876. A machine-cut section revealed no finds. The NW corner has been cleared and replanted with trees, causing some damage in this section. The function of the enclosure is not clear, although there are deeply disturbed soils and charcoal deposits within, it may have lain within the medieval deer park. The feature is connected to a series of bank and ditches. A bank and ditch joins with the S. end of the ditch of the enclosure and runs off in a NW direction. (TR 1419 4360) In 1848 this formed part of the boundary between 80 Acres Wood and West Wood, it was out of use by 1876. This feature joins up with 2 more bank and ditches. At TR 1411 4358 a ditch forms part of the same old boundary and another small ditch (TR 1405 4361) runs at right angles forming a triangular shape. A substantial bank and ditch joins these 2 features, running from TR 1442 4335- TR 1417 4300- TR 1386 4374- TR 1362 4408. This was probably a C18 boundary between 80 Acres Wood and West Wood. (out of use by 1876) It may represent the former S. boundary of Lyminge Deer Park. A section was excavated across the ditch, but no finds were recovered. A PR artefact scatter at TR 1419 4335, along the route of the ditch produced struck flint and PR pottery, possibly indicating the site of PR settlement or activity.(2)

Additional Information (3-4).

Part of the ditch at TR14114372 has been scheduled along with bowl barrow TR 14 SW 21(5).

<1> Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1963, OS Card Index for TR 14 SW 34: Enclosures & Ditches West Wood - Field Visit (Index). SKE7925.

<2> Field report for monument TR 14 SW 34 - April, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5468.

<4> Rank Holiday & Hotels Developments Ltd, 1994, Environmental Statement (Supplementary) Proposed Oasis Holiday Villase at West Wood (Unpublished document). SKE6919.

<5> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2001, Bowl Barrow and part of later boundary bank, in the northern part of West Wood (Scheduling record). SKE7924.

Sources and further reading