A Middle to Late Iron Age phase of activity represented by ditches and pits was identified cut into the natural geology. Pottery was found in the fills: a moderate-sized assemblage of Middle to Late Iron Age date of 181 sherds, weighing 1.10kg. "Analysis of the sample from [155] revealed burnt bone fragments, suggesting that [153] was in fact a cremation pit." Several of the features were found to have a high charcoal content, which was sampled. (1)

Excavation carried out in 2017 identified further ditches provisionally dated to the Iron Age period, alongside three post-holes. The five ditch segments measured 0.35-1.43m wide, and 0.8-0.45m deep, and three post-holes measured 0.36-0.70m long, 0.30-0.63m wide and 0.10-0.16m deep. Pottery sherds dating from the Middle Iron Age were recovered from the fills of some of the features. Others were provisionally dated based on stratigraphy.
Environmental sampling identified charcoal, magnetic fines from burning events, alongside fragments of hazelnut shell and a plum-type fruit pip which have been interpreted as evidence for food sources from the Iron Age. (2)

<1> Archaeology South-East, 2017, POST-EXCAVATION ASSESSMENT AND UPDATED PROJECT DESIGN REPORT: SHEPHERD’S FARM QUARRY, LENHAM HEATH, KENT (Unpublished document). SKE52293.

2

<2> Archaeology South-East, 2018, ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS AT SHEPHERD’S FARM QUARRY LENHAM HEATH, KENT, A POST-EXCAVATION ASSESSMENT AND UPDATED PROJECT DESIGN REPORT (Unpublished document). SKE58036.