Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

An Iron Age settlement was discovered across Zone 6 of the East Kent Access route excavations in Thanet (2009-2011). The settlement was long lived, it originated in the 6th- 4th centuries BC and was occupied, with a possible hiatus in around the 4th century, until the 1st century BC and beyond. It comprised a series of enclosures, round houses, fence lines, post built structures, pits, ditches, trackways and wells located largely in the central and northern part of Zone 6 with a few features extending into Zone 7. It is associated with a field system and a series of trackways and it has been suggested that stock keeping was an important part of this settlement. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BOUNDARY DITCH (Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 2350 BC to 401 BC)
• DITCH (Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 2350 BC to 401 BC)
• DITCH (Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 2350 BC to 401 BC)
• ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 2350 BC to 401 BC)
• PIT (Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 2350 BC to 401 BC)
• WELL (Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 2350 BC to 401 BC)
• ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC) (Middle Iron Age to Roman - 400 BC? to 409 AD?)

Associated Finds

• PIN (Late Bronze Age - 1000 BC to 701 BC)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
• POT (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
• POT (Early Iron Age to Middle Iron Age - 800 BC to 101 BC)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 400 BC to 42 AD)
• BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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In the early to middle Iron Age, after the establishment of a series of trackways and enclosures across the zone, this area appears to have been settled. This is based on the appearance of post built round houses situated within domestic enclosures forming a broad arc around an open area. The settlement appears to have been unenclosed throughout its occupation. Its southern and northern limits were defined in Zone 6 but how far it extended to the west is not known. Its eastern limits were exposed during an earlier excavation suggesting that the settlement probably stood close to the contemporary coastline.

This settlement was extensive and long lived it originated in the 6th- 4th centuries BC and was occupied, with a possible hiatus in around the 4th century, until the 1st century BC and beyond. The earliest material is pottery of Early-middle Iron Age date. There is also a bronze swan neck pin and one, perhaps two, possible ring headed pins made of Bronze. No buildings were identified in the north of Zone 6 only a cluster of pits either side of a ditch and a possible waterhole to the east of the large metalled trackway. All of the buildings were in the centre or south of Zone 6 and although none can be precisely dated, it seems likely that some were contemporary with the enclosures and trackways in this area. Further enclosures were added, including one in the southern part of the zone and a further ditch to the west may have also been part of an enclosure.

All the early circular buildings were post built, four of the roundhouses were between 10m and 15m in diameter and in some cases appeared to be associated with clusters of small circular pits . Two round houses stood within ditched enclosures and it is possible that other roundhouses sat within fenced compounds as fence lines were identified elsewhere in the zone. Two possible smaller circular buildings had estimated diameters of 6-7m, and it seems likely that some of the four or six post structures also belong to the earliest phase of settlement here.

It is not certain that there was a continuous sequence of occupation from the Early to the middle Iron Age. The enclosure at the southern end of the zone continued in use, but another in the north west of the zone apparently did not. There was an overlap between different building techniques for the roundhouses, but by the middle Iron Age most were defined by penannular gullies. Two post built round houses had diameters of 13-15m and although one or two of the buildings defined by gullies were broadly of a similar size (one had a diameter of 11m), most were somewhat smaller than the earlier buildings. It is possible that these smaller structures acted as ancillary buildings to the larger round houses. Overall, there was approximately the same number of larger circular structures in the Middle to late Iron Age as in the early- middle iron age. As well as these penannular gullies post built storage structures were erected, these replaced the storage pits of the previous phase.

In the late Iron Age phase a series of enclosures or compounds defined by rectilinear and curvilinear ditches were established. There were at least 5 discrete enclosures, each containing domestic remains such as pits, postholes, fences, round-houses and four-post structures which were probably grain stores . The northern most, possibly an animal pen, was cut by a large east-west ditch dated to the 1st century BC which provides a terminus ante quem for the establishment of this and other enclosures on the same alignment. Another compound lay to the south and this probably used the early metalled trackway as its eastern boundary. Within this enclosure was a well defined penannular gully likely representing a round house. To the south of this and in the centre of the settlement were three penannular gullies in a NW-SE row, possibly all within individual compounds. They were 13m, 8m and 11m in diameter. To the south of this row of buildings another 11m penannular gully, unusually this gully appeared segmented.



South of the semi circular compound were rectangular compounds represented by a series of ditches. There were only a few pits on the interior of these enclosures. To the east of them were two concentric penannular gullies which are likely to be contemporary. It is possible that a semi circular area defined by curving ditches towards the south of the settlement may represent a compound or open space for animals that was used in association with the rectilinear enclosures. Along with the long lasting importance of the north south trackway which runs through the settlement, this might suggest that animals were penned on the outskirts of the settlement. Though raised four post structures (typically interpreted as granaries) were discovered at this site, they were not a common feature and it seems likely that stock keeping was an important part of this settlement. Cattle were the dominant animal bone represented in the assemblage and a concentration of bone located in an isolated location on a metalled surface may indicate a butchery area. The small finds provided evidence that textile working, iron working and wood working was being carried out at this site. There was also some evidence for saltworking in the form of fired clay, though this is likely just for domestic consumption rather than at an industrial level. (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

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