Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Several refuse pits were discovere during an archaeological evaluation carried out on land off Rolef Lane/Fairfield Road, New Romney, in 2009. 9 were identified in total and provide evidence for domestic activity dating to the Medieval period in the vicinity (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• PIT (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1350 AD)

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1350 AD)
• VESSEL (Medieval - 1250 AD to 1325 AD)

Full description

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Several refuse pits were discovere during an archaeological evaluation carried out on land off Rolef Lane/Fairfield Road, New Romney, in 2009. generally they were located towards the western end of the site, in trenches 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8. they provide further evidence for domestic activity contemporaneous with the activity associated with the possible buildings reporesented by the surfaces that were also discovered during this investigation.

In detail: in trench 2 three pits were identified - The first of these features represents a small oval pit measuring 0.90m by 0.55m. Where sample excavated it was found to have an overall depth of 0.36m. Cultural material present included several fragments of animal bone, oyster shell and four sherds of mid thirteenth- to early fourteenth-century pottery (c. AD 1250 – 1300/25) including part of a ceramic chimney pot. Immediately to the south the second feature was partly exposed in the section; its exposed dimensions were 0.43m by 0.20m, with a depth of 0.17m. Pottery from this feature suggests an early to late thirteenth-century date (c. AD 1200/1225-1275). The third feature was again only partly exposed against the southern edge of the trench. As exposed its length was 1.08m with a visible width of 0.25m. Sample excavation revealed a depth of 0.21m. No cultural material was retrieved from this feature. Two pits were seen in trench 3: a large pit located at the northern end of the trech was probably circular in shape, with an estimated diameter of 1.80 to 2m. Sample excavation revealed a depth in excess of 0.85m but the base of the feature could not be exposed within the limits of the trench. From the upper fill the complete base and lower walls of a cooking pot/ storage jar was retrieved along with five nails, frequent fragments of peg tile, animal bone and oyster shell. A further 25 nails were retrieved from a lower fill, the pottery suggests it is of a mid thirteenth- to early fourteenth-century date (c. AD 1250 – 1300/25). Truncating the western edge of the large refuse/ cess pit, was a second smaller refuse pit This feature was only partly exposed against the western edge of the trench. Its visible limits were 0.80m by 0.30m, sample excavation revealed it had a depth of 0.52m. No dateable cultural material was retrieved from this feature but it is thought to be contemporary with the larger refuse/ cess pit. Trench 4 also revealed two pits: these were located at the southern end of the trench The largest of these was partly exposed occupying the final 3.20m of the end of the trench. Seemingly a large possibly circular refuse pit its depth exceeded 0.50m where sample excavated. Pottery from this feature is dated to the late thirteenth- to mid fourteenth-century (c. AD 1275/1300 – 1350). Other cultural material included several fragments of animal bone. The second feature a smaller refuse pit, was partly exposed along the northern side of the trench. It was again circular with an estimated diameter of 1.60m with a depth of 0.43m. Although there were several fragments of animal bone and oyster shell present, no datable material was recovered. Trench 5 revealed one medium sized refuse pit partly exposed against the southern side of the trench Seemingly circular in shape with an estimated diameter of 0.80m, and a depth of 0.60m, it contained frequent fragments of animal bone and oyster shell, along with five fragments of thirteenth-century pottery (c. AD 1200/25- 1300). The final pit was seen in test pit 8 and dominated the northern half of the test pit Only the southern limit of the pit’s cut edge was exposed in the test-pit, measuring in excess of 1m by 0.60m, with a maximum depth of 0.72m. The curve of the visible edge suggests the pit is a sub-circular with an estimated diameter of approximately 2 – 2.50m. At least six infilling deposits were identified This composed a series of dark grey brown sandy silts intermixed with re-deposited natural sands and gravels. the upper fill was probably a capping layer. All cultural material was assigned to the main fill this included fragments of animal bone, oyster shell, West Country slate and Folkestone rag stone. Pottery present suggests an early/mid thirteenth- to early fourteenth-century date (c. 1225/50 – 1300/25). (1) (information summarised from source)

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

Sources and further reading