Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During the East Kent Access Route excavations (2009 - 2011) a iron age ditch was discovered running south-west to north-east across a neck of a peninsula of higher ground that was surrounded to east and west by water. This appears to have had a long use and was re cut in the later Iron Age, continuing its use into the Early Roman period. A small collection ofearly to middle Iron Age features were located just to the north of this boundary ditch and appear to represent settlement in the area, possibly a continuation of the Iron Age settlement discovered to the north. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BOUNDARY DITCH (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
• GULLY (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
• PIT (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
• POST BUILT STRUCTURE (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
• ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC) (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)

Associated Finds

• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)

Full description

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During the East Kent Access Route excavations (2009 - 2011) a iron age ditch was discovered running south-west to north-east across a neck of a peninsula of higher ground that was surrounded to east and west by water. This appears to have had a long use and was re cut in the later Iron Age, continuing its use into the Early Roman period. A small collection of Iron Age features were located just to the north of this boundary ditch and appear to represent settlement in the area, possibly a continuation of the Iron Age settlement discovered to the north.

A phase of middle to late Iron Age activity was evident in the north of Zone 4 in the form of a fairly substantial boundary aligned NE-SW. these ditches cut the Late Bronze Age T shaped arrangement of linear ditches and suggests a re organisation of the landscape during the Irona Age. The new boundary ditch was later re cut in the mid-late Iron Age and its use appears to have extended into the early Roman period.

Further Iron Age ditches were recorded to the south of the large boundary ditches and probably represent enclosures or field boundaries. Two truncated possible ring/drip gullies and associated probable four post structures were located within or close to the enclosures or field boundaries and may represent the truncated remains of Iron Age settlement features. The relatively large quantity of pottery recorded from the fills of the nearby ditches supports the picture of Iron Age settlement activity in this area. A truncated possible post built round house and associated four post structure was recorded 4m to the north of the large boundary ditch. A further four post structure measuring 2m by 1.8m. animal bone, pottery and fired clay were recovered from the postholes and the environmental samples contained charred grain and chaff.

A concentration of Middle to Late Iron Age pits was located towards the north eastern corner of the zone. The pits were generally oval in plan and had been backfilled soon after they were dug. One contained a dump of fired clay, pottery and charcoal rich deposits which contained cereal remains. The discovery of these features suggests a continuation of the large settlement located to the north (in Zone 6). (information summarised from source) (1-2)

<1> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2011, East Kent Access (Phase II), Thanet, Kent: Post-Excavation Assessment Volume 1 (Unpublished document). SKE29279.

<2> Andrews et al, 2015, Digging The Gateway: Archaeological Landscapes of South Thanet. The Archaeology of East Kent Access (Phase III) Vol 1: The sites (Monograph). SKE55517.

Sources and further reading