Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During the East Kent Access Route excavations (2009-2011) in zone 20, an area of fields and enclosures was found to the north of a large trackway. These may have formed part of a 'ladder' settlement. Within the enclosures and alongside several groups of features including a cemetery and a group of buildings, features including quarries, pits and an isolated sunken featured building were discovered.

Summary from record TR 36 NW 1175:

During the East Kent Access Route excavations (2009-2011) a number of Roman ditches, pits and gullies were discovered in zone 29. Two cremation burials were also found in the area which is supposed to be an extension of the Roman activity noted to the south in zone 20.

Monument Types

• CREMATION (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• GRUBENHAUS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• GULLY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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During the East Kent Access Route excavations (2009-2011) in zone 20, an area of fields and enclosures was found to the north of a large trackway. These may have formed part of a 'ladder' settlement. The area (extending as far as 200m west of this record) formed a Roman settlement and in addition to the enclosures included a trackway (TR 36 NW 1138), large circular enclosure (TR 36 NW 1136), a group of sunken feature buildings (TR 36 NW 1155) and two areas of burials (TR 36 NW 1156). The settlement was divided into three phases dating to the 2nd to 3rd centuries AD although some features may have been earlier, including an isolated further sunken feature building. (summarised from source) (1-2)

Description from record TR 36 NW 1175:
During the East Kent Access Route excavations (2009-2011) a number of Roman ditches, pits and gullies were discovered in zone 29. Two cremation burials were also found in the area which is supposed to be an extension of the Roman activity noted to the south in zone 20.

The excavation trench was only c. 2m wide so it was difficult to establish the context of the discoveries. There were at least 2 phases of activity although it was unclear how these relate to the phases of activity noted in zone 20. (1)

A pit and fragments of enclosures of Roman date were visible as cropmarks in Next Perspectives APGB Imagery 14-APR-2015 and NMR 23200/23 04-AUG-2003, and as sub surface deposits in NMR 26608/26 06-APR-2010. They were mapped as part of the Historic England Isle of Thanet project in 2024. (3)

<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.

<3> Next Perspectives, 2003-2021, Next Perspectives APGB orthophotography, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery 14-APR-2015 (Archive). SKE57110.

<4> Historic England Archive, 1920-2024, Historic England Archive Specialist oblique aerial photographs, NMR 23200/23 04-AUG-2003 (Archive). SKE57106.

<5> Historic England Archive, 1920-2024, Historic England Archive Specialist oblique aerial photographs, NMR 26608/26 06-APR-2010 (Archive). SKE57106.

Sources and further reading

Related records