A large number of cut features identified across the site dated to the latest Iron Age/ early Roman period, from the mid-1st to earlier 2nd century, with some evidence for activity extending beyond c.AD120. Evidence for this period appeared to be clustered in two groups; a scatter of gullies south-west of the Greenstone ridge, and a denser area of settlement evidence focused on the southern part of the site, north of the postulated Roman road aligned with Chilmington Green Road.

A number of ditches, pits, postholes and a hearth were recorded to north of the Roman road, in Trenches 1, 22, 97, 99 and 100. These features, examined in tandem with the results of the earlier Wessex evaluation (Wessex 2011), which overlaps to some extent with the current evaluation
area, strongly suggest that a roadside settlement of 1st/ early 2nd century date.

Features found in Trench 22 may represent the truncated remains of the northern agger and flanking ditch of a section of Roman road, leading between the settlement at Netter’s Farm and the ‘main’ Roman Road coterminous with Chilmington Green Road.

A reasonably large assemblage of Late Iron Age/earlier Roman pottery was recovered from the site, totalling 722 sherds, weighing 6.94 kg. The assemblage is dominated by bead rim and necked jar forms sometimes with simple shoulder cordons. A single example of North Gaulish white ware was noted and there are also a few sherds of south and central Gaulish samian ware and a bead and a flange mortarium in an orange oxidised fabric possibly of North Kent origin. Roman tegula fragments (598g) and a possible Roman tile were also recorded. (1)

<1> CgMs Consulting, 2017, Archaeological Evaluation, Land at Chilmington Green, Ashford, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE32343.

<2> CgMs, 2017, Archaeological Strip, Map and Sample Summary: Land at Chilmington Green, Phase 1, Ashford, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE52014.