The medieval features on Thanet Earth dated to between the mid-eleventh century to the early part of the fourteenth (possibly extending to AD 1350). The activity is primarily agricultural in nature with significant elements of domestic occupation. A site wide system of enclosures appears to be intimately related to various trackways across the site. The activity around these enclosures has been grouped into a number of Medieval ‘sites’.

Site 16 comprised a development of ditched enclosures and associated features was situated just under 40m south-west of site 15 and on a similar alignment. Not all of the internal area was exposed, the ditches extending out of the site area to the east. The first enclosure likely dates to the third phase of medieval activity at the site, between c. 1150-1250 and there were two later additions, one to the south and another, even later to the north, both of a likely 13th century date. The southern part of the complex contained no obvious internal features and may have primarily related to stock management, one small sunken structure (SFB 51) just outside its north-western corner possibly representing a shepherd’s shelter. An extensive erosion hollow traversing the entire complex may represent herding of animals in part, and there was evidence for considerable erosion over the complex of ditches that separated the northern and southern parts of the complex, again perhaps produced by animals. The northern extension of the earlier complex was cut with a much larger ditch and contained a considerable number of potential structures probably contemporary with it. Most remain quite enigmatic functionally. Many of the earlier ditches were infilled during the various development stages and generally yielded a relatively considerable quantity of domestic refuse, suggesting that at least some of the structures may have been domestic residences. In addition, the enclosures and internal features were not fully exposed, so additional features nearer the roadway may have been present. This sequence of enclosures and associated features indicates a protracted period of development, with enclosure ditches being recut, enclosures remodelled or added to, and probable sunken-featured structures, erected, demolished and backfilled, interspersed chronologically. There was generally however, no obvious evidence for significant occupation in the sense of prolonged domestic activity. No wells or cess pits such as those found in other enclosed sites were evident, but significant material remains were often present in the backfill of some of the ditches or structures, including the latest ditches in the sequence. The exception was SFB 52, which had a primary fill consistent with domestic occupation which may have been intermittent. This all tends to suggest that the functions of these enclosures varied over time, although stock management would seem to be a major use, indicated by the worn areas of subsoil. (1) (information summarised from source)

A ditch forming part of the northen extension of the enclosures described by authority (1) was visible as a cropmark in NMR 2639/3127 01-AUG-1985. It was mapped as part of the Historic England Isle of Thanet project in 2024. (2)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2023, Beneath the Seamark: 6000 Years of an Islands History (Monograph). SKE55405.

<2> Historic England Archive, 1920-2024, Historic England Archive Specialist oblique aerial photographs, NMR 2639/3127 01-AUG-1985 (Archive). SKE57106.