Though there was lots of evidence for Middle and Later Bronze age activity in the form of a field system, there was little in the way of positive evidence for settlement dating to the Bronze Age discovered during excavations associated with the construction of the East Kent Access routeway in Thanet. Some settlement was however suggested by some of the features that were revealed. These largely included pits, containing middle and late Bronze Age pottery as well as some post holes and other similar features.

In contrast to the extensive evidence for fields and droveways, the evidence for later Bronze Age settlement was generally ephemeral, typically being inferred from domestic debris in pits or ditches, even so it is clear that some settlements stood amongst the field systems, either as open, unenclosed settlements or within small compounds.

An isolated pit and adjacent fill in Zone 10 contained three ring stamped bowls of Birchington type along with a small quantity of other Middle Bronze Age pottery. And some fired clay. Birchington type bowls are relatively rare finds on Thanet and here the associated finds suggest that there was settlement in the vicinity.

The extensive Iron Age activity in Zone 12 overlay some slight evidence for Bronze Age settlement. A curving Gully of Middle Bronze Age date may be part of a settlement compound but the only contemporary feature in the compound was two pits.

Two pits in Zone 26 contained the bases of middle bronze age pots. No cremated bone or pyre related material was found and the close fit of the pots in the pits suggests that they were dug to contain the vessels. Complete pots set in pits are found occasionally in or near Middle Bronze Age settlements, including several others in Thanet. it has been suggested that the buried pots served a special purpose, either for processing or storage, or possibly as ritual deposits. Whatever the interpretation, the presence of these pots in pits hint that settlement may lie nearby.

Many of the later Bronze age features that were discovered across Zones 6 and 7 relate to the field system which was revealed across several Zones during the investigation, and there is little evidence for settlement within or around the fields in this location. A few small features scattered across Zone 6 contained small quantities of pottery but a pit immediately to the south of the southernmost ditch of a series of compounds in Zone 7 contained a large amount of Late Bronze age and Early Iron Age pottery that may have been associated with the compounds. There was no evidence for buildings in the compounds to the south of Zone 7, only a single post hole contained Late Bronze Age pottery. However, there were at least 10 pits of this date and there were also moderate quantities of pottery and a little flint and animal bone in the outer ditches. These finds suggest that the pits and ditches were associated with a settlement, even though its form is not clear. To the north of the complex of enclosures in Zone 7 was a scatter of 5 Late Bronze Age pits and one possibly two ovens. These features lay at the southern end of the middle-late Bronze age field system, within the sub circular enclosure defines by ditches (201094 and 201096). The pottery from two of the pits was Late Bronze Age or early Iron Age in date suggesting that activity, presumably settlement, was maintained, not necessarily continuously, over some time.

Another possible site of Bronze age settlement was discovered towards the northern end of Zone 7, again within the field system. Much of the evidence was truncated by later (iron Age) activity on the site, but at least 10 post holes and six pits contained Late Bronze Age pottery. Struck and burnt flint were also discovered as well as some animal bone. A deposit of charred barley was dated to 1010-830 cal BC (2770+/-35BP SUERC-40741) and 910 -790 cal BC (2680+/-35 BP SUERC-40740)

In Zone 10 an Isolated pit which contained Late Bronze Age pottery cut a short length of ditch which could be of a similar date, whilst a well, or perhaps more likely a waterhole was found 120m to the north. This latter feature contained a little Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age pottery, animal bone, mussel and oyster shells. Two bronze objects from the colluvium that sealed Zone 10 are likely to be of Late Bronze Age date. One fragment was possibly a socketed knife and the other part of an ingot.
A pit around the enclosures identified in Zone 12 contained Late Bronze Age pottery and although it was adjacent to two cremation burials, did not contain any cremated bone or pyre material and so may have been a settlement related feature.

The southern edge of what may have been a Late Bronze Age enclosed settlement was found in Zone 19, though most of the enclosure lay beyond the limit of excavation. Three separate lengths of east-west aligned ditch were found, each 3m wide and 1.5m deep. The fills of the ditch suggest that there was an internal bank. The ditches turn towards the north suggesting that the enclosure was 65m wide, may have been curvilinear, perhaps sub oval in shape. A large pit-like feature containing Late Bronze Age pottery was contemporary with this enclosure. The enclosure ditches also contained Late Bronze age pottery as well as animal bone and shell which suggests domestic activity. Part of a human skull of an adult, possibly female was found in the lower fills of the western length of ditch and may well represent a placed deposit. (information summarised from source) (1)

Fragments of an enclosure of Bronze Age date was visible as a sub surface deposit in NMR 26608/13 06-APR-2010. This feature was mapped as part of the Historic England Isle of Thanet project in 2024. (2)

<1> Andrews et al, 2015, Digging The Gateway: Archaeological Landscapes of South Thanet. The Archaeology of East Kent Access (Phase III) Vol 1: The sites (Monograph). SKE55517.

<2> Historic England Archive, 1920-2024, Historic England Archive Specialist oblique aerial photographs, NMR 26608/13 06-APR-2010 (Archive). SKE57106.