Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During the East Kent Access Route excavations (2009-2011) an Anglo-Saxon cemetery was discovered in zone 19. One of two, the northern cemetery consisted of 27 graves containing a maximum of 30 individuals although it may have extended beyond the excavated area. The graves were all aligned east-west and were broadly parallel to an Anglo-Saxon hollow way. The burials included both males and females of all ages. Grave goods included glass beads, bracelets and backles, iron knives, spindle whorls, pottery vessels including a Frankish bottle, a single-edged sword or knife (a scramasax) and possibly a finial from a staff which may suggest a Christian link. The cemetery probably dates to the 6th or 7th century.

Monument Types

• CREMATION (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• CEMETERY (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• INHUMATION (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)

Associated Finds

• BEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• BOTTLE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• BRACELET (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• BUCKLE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• DISC (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• KEY (LOCKING) (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• KNIFE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• SEAX (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• SPINDLE WHORL (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• STAFF? (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• VESSEL (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD? to 699 AD?)
• COIN (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Unknown - 700 AD)

Full description

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During the East Kent Access Route excavations (2009-2011) an Anglo-Saxon cemetery was discovered in zone 19. One of two, the northern cemetery consisted of 27 graves containing a maximum of 30 individuals although it may have extended beyond the excavated area. The graves were all aligned east-west and were broadly parallel to an Anglo-Saxon hollow way. None of the grave intercut which suggests that they were marked in some way. The burials included both males and females of all ages. Grave goods were located with most of the burials, these included glass beads, bracelets and backles, iron knives, spindle whorls, pottery vessels including a Frankish bottle, a single-edged sword or knife (a scramasax) and possibly a finial from a staff which may suggest a Christian link. The cemetery probably dates to the 6th or 7th century.

The two multiple graves were unusual. One contained 3 individuals buried side by side at the same time - an adult female and two juveniles. Grave goods included quartz beads, copper alloy disc and a brooch, a key, an iron knife and a sceatta dated c. AD 700. The other multiple burial held two individuals, an adult female and a sub-adult. Grave goods included a piece of worked bone, an iron knife blade and a fragment of copper.

A number of empty distrubed graves were also found, possibly robbed in antiquity and also one single Roman cremation.(1)

<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