Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Iron Age enclosures visible as cropmarks

Monument Types

• ENCLOSURE (ENCLOSURE, Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)

Full description

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TR 213535. Cropmarks show a sub-rectangular compound and irregular oval enclosure, presumably Iron Age; the entrances of both appear to be aligned. The field was under plough at the time of the visit and nothing was visible on the ground. (1)

Description from record TR 25 SW 71:
Bivallate curvilinear enclosure superimposed with a rectilinear enclosure: internal features visible, together with 2 splodges to the north east. (2) Trench dug and area fieldwalked at TR 2130 5340. Found 2 fragments of sand-tempered, possibly RO, fabric and one fragment of grog-tempered probably IA fabric. One undatable fragment of a bronze object- poerced terminal of a handle, hinge or cart fitting. Scheduled Ancient Monument Kent 317. (3)

From the National Heritage List for England:

The aerial photograph shows a sub-rectangular compound and irregularly shaped oval enclosure (presumably Iron Age) the entrances of both appear to be aligned. Nothing visible on ground.

A flat arable field between two strips. No variation in levels of field. From road there appeared to be a slight escarpment running NW - SE across middle of scheduled field.



Summary of Monument

A double-ditched curvilinear enclosure, a rectilinear enclosure, ring ditch and pits, 175m north-west of Woodlands Manor.

Reasons for Designation

On modern arable sites, where cultivation has taken place, the earthworks of archaeological monuments are sometimes levelled or the ditches in-filled and can instead be identified as crop and soil marks. These occur due to differential crop growth (crop marks) or differences in soil colour (soil marks) as a result of buried archaeological features. Where these have been excavated, they are often shown to contain significant archaeological remains and deposits surviving below the modern ground level.

Iron Age enclosed farmsteads are generally represented by curvilinear enclosures containing evidence of a small group of circular domestic buildings and associated agricultural structures. Where excavated, these sites are also found to contain pits or rectangular post-built structures for the storage of grain and other produce, evidence of an organised and efficient farming system. The surrounding enclosures would have provided protection against cattle rustling and tribal raiding. In central and southern England, most enclosed Iron Age farmsteads are situated in areas which are now under intensive arable cultivation. As a result, although some examples survive with upstanding earthworks, the majority have been recorded as crop- and soil-marks appearing on aerial photographs.

The double-ditched curvilinear enclosure, rectilinear enclosure, ring ditch and pits survive well as buried remains and are clearly visible on aerial photographs. The site has not been excavated and retains potential for further archaeological investigation, which will provide information regarding the exact nature of the archaeological remains. The double-ditched curvilinear enclosure, ring ditch and pits are thought to be the remains of an Iron Age farmstead. The rectilinear enclosure may be associated with later use of the site, possibly in the Roman period. The buried remains will provide archaeological information and environmental evidence relating to the features and the landscape in which they were constructed.
History

See Details.
Details

This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes a double-ditched curvilinear enclosure, a rectilinear enclosure, ring ditch and pits surviving as buried remains. It is situated on an east facing slope near Woodland Woods, south-west of Adisham.

The features have been recorded as crop marks on aerial photographs. The double-ditched curvilinear enclosure is delineated by two in-filled ditches surviving as buried features. It is oval in shape and orientated north-east to south-west. The enclosure is approximately 110m long by 78m wide. There is a 10m wide entrance, indicated by a break in the two ditches, in the south-east side. The enclosure is thought to be an Iron Age enclosed farmstead. Within the interior is a ring ditch, about 10m in diameter, and several possible pits. This is considered to be the buried remains of a round house and refuse pits associated with Iron Age occupation.

A rectilinear enclosure appears to partly overlie the curvilinear enclosure. It is delineated by an in-filled ditch surviving as a buried feature. It is orientated north-east to south-west, on the same alignment as the curvilinear enclosure, and is approximately 90m long by 83m wide. An entrance, indicated by a break in the ditch, is also evident to the south-east. A curvilinear ditch runs approximately 64m south-east from the entrance. There is a further linear feature, appearing to comprise two ditches at right angles to each other, to the north of the enclosures. The rectilinear enclosure and other ditches may be boundary features associated with later management of the landscape, possibly in the Roman period.

The site was recorded as part of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME) Kent Mapping Project carried out in 1986-7. This produced 1:10,000 scale depictions of crop marks identified on oblique and vertical aerial photographs taken across Kent.(4-5)

<1> AP (St Joseph BND 41) (OS Card Reference). SKE34153.

<2> AP (NMR TR2153/5; 3 6 76) (OS Card Reference). SKE33829.

<3> DOE (IAM) AM Rec Form 12.4.76 (OS Card Reference). SKE40679.

<4> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, English Heritage Unpublished Report of Watching Brief, Aug 1997 (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<5> Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

Sources and further reading