Archaeological evaluation across a site off Monkton Road in Minster, Thanet, revealed a The Sunken Featured Building and a group of possibly associated features which included linear features, three pits, five post holes.

The features were revealed in an area towards the northern end of the site, which was stripped down to the archaeological horizon ahead of the construction of the site access road. In detail: the first Linear had a slight NW-SE alignment and had a length of +10m and a width of 0.60m. The fill comprised dark brown silty brickearth that contained occasional charcoal, animal bone and oyster. The second linear had a slight E-W alignment and had a length of 7m and a maximum width of 0.70m. The fill also comprised dark brown silty brickearth and contained occasional animal bone and oyster. Both features merged at their west termini, and it was at this location that Roman CBM (Tegula) and Anglo-Saxon pottery were recovered. The first Pit had an elongated ovate shape and had a slight N-S alignment. It had a length of 2.10m, a maximum width of 0.70m and the fill comprised very dark grey-black silty brickearth that contained very frequent fired clay, moderate charcoal and oyster. The second pit had an ovate shape and a N-S alignment. It had a length of 0.90m, a width of 0.60m and the fill also comprised very dark grey-black silty brickearth that contained frequent charcoal and occasional fired clay. The third pit had a circular shape and a diameter of 0.60m. The fill comprised mid-dark grey silty brickearth. The first post Hole had an ovate shape and an E-W alignment. It had a length of 0.45m, a width of 0.25m and the fill comprised light-mid grey-brown silt that contained frequent chalk pieces. The second post Hole also had an ovate shape. It had a NW-SE alignment and had a length of 0.60m and a width of 0.30m. It was located next to the terminal end of the linear features and the fill comprised of the same dark brown silty brickearth. The third Post Hole had an ovate shape, a N-S alignment, a length of 0.50m and a width of 0.40m. The fill comprised light grey-brown silty brickearth. The fourth Post Hole also had an ovate shape and a N-S alignment. It had a length of 0.60m, a width of 0.45m and the fill also comprised light grey-brown silty brickearth. The fifth Post Hole had a circular shape and a diameter of 0.30m. The fill comprised of the same light grey-brown silty brickearth. The Sunken Featured Building was identified as a possible Anglo-Saxon Grubenhaus. The building had a square floor plan that measured 3.40m x 3.40m. Examination of the exposed surface suggests that the building may contain six post holes. The main fill comprised very dark grey-black silty brickearth that contained moderate fired clay, charcoal, animal bone, oyster and very occasional iron slag. (information summarised from source) (1)

<1> Swale & Thames Archaeological Survey Company, 2020, Report on an archaeological evaluation of land at 66 Monkton Road, Minster in Thanet, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE55740.