Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

An Iron Age Quarter-Stater (coin) and a La Tene III brooch were both found in 1987. The coin is dated to c 40-35 BC. The brooch is made of copper alloy with a broken pin and broken foot. The brooch dates to the second half of the first century BC.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)

Associated Finds

• COIN (Late Iron Age - 100 BC? to 42 AD?)

Full description

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(TQ90505026) A quarter-stater of the Cantii was discovered by metal detection near Lenham in Nov 1992. The coin is dated to c 40-35 BC. It measures 11.5-12.5 mm in diameter and weighs 1.20 gm. The obverse side is plain and the reverse shows a Celticized horse left, pellet-in-ring on shoulder, pellet under tail, cross-hatched box below horse, corded triangle and pellet-in-ring's above horse. Catalogue reference VA 151-1. It is a Cantian H-Late Weald type. The coin is debased with copper. (1)

The brooch is copper alloy, 81mm long with a broken pin and broken foot. The head is broad and rounded and the bow narrow and tapering towards the foot. In the centre of the bow is a circular disc ornamented with a red enamel dot. The brooch is unique but influenced by contemporary types. It may be that it was made fairly locally. It is believed to date from between 50 BC - 0 AD.(3)

<1> Kent Metal Detector Group Records (OS Card Reference). SKE45936.

<2> Ringwould, K, 1991, South of England Metal Detecting Records (Collection). SKE6551.

<3> Lenham Archaeological Society, 2004, Information on various Lenham sites provided by Lenham Archaeological Society, 2004 (Miscellaneous Material). SKE13571.

<4> Lenham Archaeological Society, 2018, Late Iron Age Settlement at Royton-Mountcastle, Lenham Heath, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE32557.

<5> Lenham Archaeological Society, 2018, Late Iron Age Settlement at Royton-Mountcastle, Lenham Heath, Kent, Archaeological survey and excavations (Unpublished document). SKE52887.

Sources and further reading