Anglo-Saxon - medieval pits and post-holes were excavated at 5-5a Rhodaus Town, Canterbury during a strip, map, and sample excavation in 2019. The features included 37 domestic refuse pits, 13 industrial waste pits, a series of miscellaneous features, and 42 post-holes.

The domestic refuse pits measured between 0.58-3.98m in length, 0.43-2.63m in width, and 0.06-1.54m in depth. They were sub-rectangular to sub-circular in form and had concave or flat bases.

The industrial waste pits measured 0.48-2.0m in length, 0.39-1.66m in depth,and 0.37-1.27m in depth. The pits were sub-rectangular to sub-circular in form.
11 contexts produced evidence for over 1kg of slag, with over 37kg being collected in total, and over 3/4 of this from the industrial pits.
8 contexts produced evidence for over 100g of hammerscale which was frequently excavated from the fill of the industrial pits at the site.

The miscellaneous features have largely been interpreted as possible animal scrapes or tree bowls; these measured 0.97-2.04m in length, 0.49-1.82m in width, and 0.04-0.20m in depth. The features were shallow, some sub-circular and some more irregular in form.

The post-holes measured 0.15-0.96m in length, 0.15-0.75m in width, and 0.05-0.70m in depth. They were circular-sub-rectanular in form, with four of the contexts demonstrating evidence for post-pipes, where upright timber posts had decomposed in situ. Some of the post-holes are thought to form two parallel fence lines crossing the site NE-SW.

Some post-holes and pits may have had Roman origin, however, this is unclear due to the lack of dating evidence.

Finds recovered from all the features included: 110 pieces of animal bone, with animals represented within the sample including cattle, dog (an articulated skeleton), pig, sheep/goat, horse, fish and eel bone, and chicken/domestic fowl.
Charred plant remains were recovered from the fills of Anglo-Saxon and medieval features. The species included hulled barley, wheat (spelt), oats, rye, cultivated pulses (including beans and peas), hazlenut shell, and weed seeds, which are all indicative of crop husbandry practices taking place during this time.
Other artefacts associated with the fills of the features included 37 fragments of daub, 12 fragments of medieval peg-tile, iron hobnails, nails, sheet and unidentified fragments, alongside 2 fragments of copper alloy. Many residual finds of Roman pottery, and ceramic building material, alongside prehistoric worked flints and pottery (TR 15 NW 2653), were also recovered from these features.(1)

An excavation at an adjacent site in 2015-2016 revealed further evidence for refuse pits containing metalworking and domestic waste. 25 of these pits were identified, and ranged from sub-rectangular to circular in form. The pits measured 0.40-3.26m in length, 0.26-2.75m in width, and 0.09-1.40m in depth. Two pits also demonstrated evidence for stake holes, and one pit demonstrated evidence for post holes, suggesting the possible presence of a sunken featured building.

Anglo-Saxon pottery was recovered from the fills of 15 of the pits; this ranged in date between 625-925 AD. 9 pits also contained ironworking residues, alongside a furnace base in one of the pits, and forge bases in two others. This suggested that smelting and smithing had taken place in the vicinity of these pits.
Other finds from the features included animal bone, grain (including sprouted bareley grains indicative of malting, and charred grain), alongside mineralised plant remains (suggesting disposal of sewage). (2)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd., 2021, 5-5a Rhodaus Town, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2RJ: Post-excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design (Unpublished document). SKE55692.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd, 2017, Former Peugeot Garage, Rhodaus Town (A28), Canterbury, Kent CT1 2RH, Post-Excavation Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE52730.