A single large hollow piece of waterlogged tree trunk (17813) was found in pit/posthole 17814 (Area 4N).

"The removed pollard top was... placed upside down, but perfectly upright, in the base of post-hole 17814 and it is feasible it was then put to use, perhaps for wet storage of hafted tools, cool storage of food or as a water receptacle. Alternatively, this might represent the veneration of a prized and long term managed tree. A single, very fresh early prehistoric pyramidal flint core was found deep inside the piece, but no other artefacts (including debitage) were found, so it unclear whether this was deliberate placement of a much earlier artefact found at the Site or is simply intrusive, coming from
the possible Mesolithic land-surface well above the pit base as the feature fell into disuse and infilled."

The wood was radiocarbon dated and the results indicate that "the piece was managed and removed in the early Saxon period at cal AD 430-630 (UB-20906, 1512±32 BP)."

"This enigmatic deposit is of unknown function; it is possible that it marked a significant place in the landscape". (1)

<1> CgMs Consulting, 2014, Post excavation assessment and updated project design, Land at Cheeseman's Green, Ashford, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE32169.

<2> CgMs Consulting, 2011b, Archaeological evaluation report: land at Cheeseman's Green Phase 1 First Stage Roadworks and Enabling Works (Unpublished document). SKE51842.