Monument record TR 02 NE 167 - Medieval boundary ditch discovered on land off Craythorne Lane, New Romney

A medieval boundary ditch was uncovered during an archaeological investigation carried out on land off Craythorne Lane, New Romney, Kent, the ditch formed part of a group of features all datable to the 13th and early 14th century.

The ditch followed a northeast-southwest orientation and continued beyond the northeast limit of excavation. The feature measured approximately 2.50m long, 0.9m wide and 0.47m deep. It had fairly steep sides with a flat/very slightly concave base and terminated near evaluation trench 1 where it was cut by a pit. It contained a single fill which comprised soft light-to-mid brown grey fine silty sand with mottled yellow patches, occasional small rounded pebbles and charcoal flecks. Fifteen potsherds (1200-1275), 1 CBM fragment, 8 bone fragments, 7 shell fragments and one iron object (RF <44>) were recovered from the fill. The environmental sample <17> taken from this fill contained wheat caryopses. Possible beet (Beta vulgaris), grass (Poaceae), knotgrass/dock (Polygonum / Rumex sp.), and several poorly preserved indeterminate seeds. (1) (information summarised from source)

<1> Archaeology South - East, 2009, Post Excavation Assessment and updated project design, St Nicholas School, Fairfield Road, New Romney (Unpublished document). SKE55256.