Medieval features and finds associated with an archaeological assessment at the Canterbury Riverside Project, Kingsmead, Kent, CT1 1SZ. The features and finds date from the 12th-14th centuries, and comprise a well, post holes, ditches, and pits.

The well was constructed from chalk and flint and was dated to the 12th-13th century.

One pit was dated to the 12th-13th century.

At least 83 other pits (one in a group of 78, the other in a group of 5) were excavated at the site, all dating between the 13th-14th centuries. The pits varied in size, with diameters of between 0.8-3.4m, and with depths between 0.3-1.54m. The pits contained silty clay, pottery, animal bone, ceramic building material, and iron nails. Environmental sampling of the pits suggested that they were dominated by plant remains including threshing wheat and barley, pulses, weed seeds, and (from one pit ) grape pips and hazlenut shell. They also contained fish bones and scales, small mammal bones, hammerscale, and charcoal. The finds have been interpreted as domestic refuse associated with the nearby properties at Sturry Road.

Another pit dating between the 13th-14th centuries is recorded separately as it was thought to form part of a quarry due to its size - 4.1m in diamater and 0.9m deep.

Three post-holes were identified from the 13th-14th centuries, one of which was cut into the top of a ditch and short length of curvilinear ditch.

A series of ditches originated from the 13th-14th centuries. One of the ditches was NE-SW aligned, 2.6m wide. Another ditch was NW-SE aligned, another ran parallel to Sturry Road (largely removed due to post-medieval quarrying), another ditch was aligned NW-SE running broadly parallel to Coldharbour Lane and possibly associated with it. At least ten ditch features were identified, however, only four have been recorded in detail as the others were less substantial. Some of the ditch features are thought to be associated with properties fronting the nearby Sturry Road - perhaps either forming part of a field system or indicating smaller scale land division.

Four post-holes and eleven pits found at the site were assigned to broadly the medieval-post-medieval period.

Romano-British pottery was also recovered from the site as a residual deposit - it is unclear which features it was associated with.

Much of the medieval archaeology recovered from the site is suggested to link to properties fronting the nearby Sturry Road. This was owned by Christ Church Priory during the 12th century. Previous excavations of these properties suggest that they dated from the 13th century and were demolished during the late 14th- early 15th century. (1, 2)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2020, Canterbury Riverside Project, Kingsmead, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1SZ, Interim Assessment Report (Unpublished document). SKE53615.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2019, Canterbury Riverside Project, Kingsmead, Canterbury, Kent CT1 1SZ, Phase 2 Archaeological evaluation report (Unpublished document). SKE53159.