Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Three graves were discovered during the construction of a gas pipeline in 1984. One of the graves had been previously disturbed but two were identifiable as early medieval. One grave contained evidence for a wooden structure, possibly a boat covering the inhumations. The burials can be dated from the late 6th to mid 7th centuries. As well as human skeletal remains there was a rich assemblage of grave goods including a knife, iron fastenings, a bronze finger ring, a bronze buckle, beads, gold coins and a pendant (bracteate) adapted from a Frankish coin. It is though that the variety and quantity of grave goods indicates that the burials originate from an affluent community. The site lies on the brow of a south facing slope OD 45-50m.

Monument Types

• INHUMATION CEMETERY (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 575 AD? (at some time) to 650 AD? (at some time))

Associated Finds

• BEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 575 AD? to 650 AD?)
• BOLT (FASTENING) (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 575 AD? to 650 AD?)
• BRACTEATE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 575 AD? to 650 AD?)
• BUCKLE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 575 AD? to 650 AD?)
• FINGER RING (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 575 AD? to 650 AD?)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 575 AD? to 650 AD?)
• KNIFE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 575 AD? to 650 AD?)

Full description

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[TR 33376543 area centred from plan] Three graves were discovered during the construction of the Monkton gas pipeline in 1984. One grave was disturbed in antiquity and two were identifiable as early medieval (see illustration card). One grave contained evidence for a wooden structure, possibly a boat covering the inhumations. The burials can be dated from the late 6th to mid 7th centuries. From the variety and quantity of grave goods and associated finds it can be inferred that the burials originate from a community of some affluence. Close to the graves a Frankish gold solidus of 7th century date was found in a spoil heap of top-soil. The low quality of the solidus suggests that it is an imitation. It had been adapted by the fitting of a suspension band in the manner of a bractaete. (1,2)

TR 33455. A group of three early medieval graves and a quantity of grave goods were discovered in the gas pipeline route:

Grave 1. Skeletal remains in poor condition of a slightly built person (sex indeterminable) aged 12 to 15 years. Fragments of iron knives and 18 clench bolts were also found. The bolts are thought to have come from a large door or from the planking and strakes of a boat.

Grave 2. This well cut grave was disturbed in antiquity. Only long bone fragments of tibia and fibula were found in the fill.

Grave 3. Skeletal remains in good condition of a female aged about 25 years. Under the jaw was a bronze finger ring and a silver hemispherical bead fragment. A Frankish solidus was found in the adjacent spoil heap by metal detector. This is thought to be an imitation 7th century coin. In contrast to the early medieval burials uncovered between points N to O on the pipeline (TR 36 NW 195), these graves are fairly typical of burials usually encountered in Thanet cemeteries and can be dated to the period late 6th to the mid 7th centuries. From the variety and quantity of grave goods and finds, the community concerned was one of affluence. (3)

Geophysical survey undertaken in 1992 (4).

<1> Perkins, D. R. J., 1986, The Monkton Gas Pipeline: Phases III & IV 1983 - 84, Arch Cant 102 1985 44 52-54 58-9 60-1 63 66-69 illus (DRJ Perkins) (Article in serial). SKE11881.

<2> Perkins, D., 1984, The Thanet gas pipeline Phase III 1983, KAR 80 1985 247 (DRJ Perkins) (Article in serial). SWX7723.

<3> Trust for Thanet Archaeology, 1987, Isle of Thanet Archaeological Unit Sites and Monuments Archive, Isle of Thanet Arch Unit Sites and Mons Archive 1988 Rec no 188 (Collection). SKE11846.

<4> Clark, A. J. & Bartlett, A. D. H., 1992, Thanet, Kent: Proposed Improvements to A253 Report on Geophysical Survey (Unpublished document). SWX6777.

Sources and further reading