Monument record TR 02 NE 160 - Later medieval or early post medieval pits, ditches and a possible enclosure discovered off Rolfe Lane, New Romney

Summary

A series of boundary/drainage ditches, enclosures and pits all associated with later medieval and/or early post medieval pottery, were dicovered on land off Rolfe Lane in new Romney during an archaeological evaluation there (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information).

Location

Grid reference Centred TR 0655 2534 (211m by 189m) (8 map features)
Map sheet TR02NE
County KENT
District FOLKESTONE AND HYTHE, KENT
Civil Parish NEW ROMNEY, SHEPWAY, KENT

Map

Type and Period (3)

Full Description

A series of boundary/drainage ditches, enclosures and pits all associated with later Medieval and/or early post medieval pottery, were dicovered on land off Rolfe Lane in new Romney during an archaeological evaluation there.

A rubbish pit was discovered in trench 14 contained roof tile dated to this period. It measured 0.72m long, 0.57m wide and 0.15m deep with flat-concave base and steep concave/straight sides. Three ditches were located in trenches 16, 17 and 18. these seemed to form a boundary/drainage ditch enclosing the Site towards north west. They may have served to drain into a possible feeder channel, fishpond and circular ditched enclosure located towards south west. The first ditch measured 4.96m wide and 1.30m deep with a concave base and stepped steep sides. The ditch was aligned north east to south west. The second aligned north east to south west and measuring 5.50m wide and 1.05m deep. It was characterised by a concave base and moderate concave sides. Its lowermost fill produced a single medieval pottery sherd dating from the 13th to 14th century whereas it uppermost fill contained animal bone, 15th to 16th century roof tiles and one sherd of sandy transitional ware dated from 14th to 16th century. The third ditch may be a continuation of the first; It was located on the southeast end of the trench north east to south west aligned, measuring 4.02m wide x 1.38m deep with concave base and steep concave/convex sides. Its purpose was likely to mark a boundary to the north. Finds retrieved from the uppermost fill include animal bone and roof tile dated from 15th to 16th century. A fourth possible drainage/boundary ditch was seen In trench 23 that demarcates the Site margin towards south west. It was aligned north west to south east measuring 3.40m wide x 1.05m deep with concave base and moderate to steep stepped sides. It appears to match another ditch discovered during earlier excavations undertaken at the site in 2010. The final ditch, discovered in trench 22, has an uncertain function. It measured 6.00m wide and 1.40m deep with concave base and moderate stepped sides, continuing beyond the L.O.E. but not into any of the other trecnhes, During its investigation several fragments of Late medieval sandy transitional ware, animal bone and 15th to 16th century roof tile were recovered from it lowermost fill. As seen on the aerial photography, this feature could be a small circular ditched enclosure.(1)

A continuation of the ditch discovered in trench 23 was also uncovered during a strip map and sample excavation carried out at the site in 2017 (Area 2). Here it comprised a set of intercutting ditches on the same northwest-southeast alignment and probably represent a later re-organisation of the earlier ditches for continued use. The earlier ditch exhibited moderate stepped sides and a flattish base, measuring 28m+ long, 2.25m wide and 0.55m deep. The second ditch was dug after the first had silted up, recutting the ditch along its northeast edge. The ditch was also shallower than its predecessor. It had a flat base with moderate concave sides, measuring 28m+ long, 1.75m wide and 0.38m deep. Both ditches were severally truncated by later land drains and both ditches continued beyond the limit of excavation for this phase. (2-3) (information summarised from sources)


<1> CgMS, 2017, Land at Rolfe Lane New Romney Kent: archaeological evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE52874.

<2> CgMs, 2017, Strip, map and sample, excavation report, Land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE52458.

<3> CgMs, 2017, Strip, Map and Sample Excavation, Interim Summary, Land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE53049.

Sources/Archives (3)

  • <1>XY Unpublished document: CgMS. 2017. Land at Rolfe Lane New Romney Kent: archaeological evaluation. [Mapped feature: #110438 Pits ditches and an enclosure, ]
  • <2> Unpublished document: CgMs. 2017. Strip, map and sample, excavation report, Land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent.
  • <3> Unpublished document: CgMs. 2017. Strip, Map and Sample Excavation, Interim Summary, Land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent.

Finds (2)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (9)

  • Intrusive Event: Archaeological Evaluation on land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent - Trench 14 (Ref: WA Project No. 115750.01) (EKE21967)
  • Intrusive Event: Archaeological Evaluation on land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent - Trench 16 (Ref: WA Project No. 115750.01) (EKE21969)
  • Intrusive Event: Archaeological Evaluation on land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent - Trench 17 (Ref: WA Project No. 115750.01) (EKE21970)
  • Intrusive Event: Archaeological Evaluation on land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent - Trench 19 (Ref: WA Project No. 115750.01) (EKE21972)
  • Intrusive Event: Archaeological Evaluation on land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent - Trench 22 (Ref: WA Project No. 115750.01) (EKE21975)
  • Intrusive Event: Archaeological Evaluation on land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent - Trench 23 (Ref: WA Project No. 115750.01) (EKE21976)
  • Event Boundary: Archaeological Evaluation on land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent (Ref: WA Project No. 115750.01) (EKE21957)
  • Event Boundary: Strip, map and sample excavation on land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent (EKE21984)
  • Intrusive Event: Strip, map and sample excavation on land at Rolfe Lane, New Romney, Kent - Area 2 (EKE21986)

Record last edited

Mar 6 2024 9:29AM