The archaeological evaluation on land off Canterbury Road West, in Cliffsend, recorded the presence of a quarry dating from the Mid to Late Iron Age and possibly through to the Early to Mid Roman Period

The quarry was located central to the trench (trench 24), and occupied the majority of it. It was 19.8+m long, 1.8m+ wide, 0.75m deep with no defined alignment but inwardly curved along its SW side, implying its greater extent lies to the NE of the trench. It contained three fills, the upper fill was a moderately compact light grey brown, very slightly clayish silt with frequent clack fleck and small to medium sub angular flint inclusions, with a depth of 0.20m. the secondary fill was a moderately compact to soft greyish mid brown clayish silt with frequent chalk pieces and large sub angular flint inclusions and occasional charcoal fleck inclusions, with a depth of 0.46m. It produced 24 sherds of pot, 4 flakes of worked flint and 62g of oyster shell. Basal fill was a very compact mixture of redeposisted chalk pieces and small- large sub angular flint surrounded by a soft dark brown clayey silt, with a depth of 0.10m. This produced 1 sherd of pot and 1 flake of worked flint. The feature was large and ovate in shape, with steep inward sloping sides and a flat base. The pottery retrieved from upper fill suggested that the last in filling episode took place sometime from the Late Iron Age 50BC – 75AD through to the Early to Middle Roman 50-250AD, thought residual Middle Bronze Age – Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age – Middle Iron Age 1350-50BC were found within this fill as well as some intrusive sherds of Medieval pottery 1275-1375AD. The basal fill produced pot from a secure deposit dating to Mid Iron Age to Late Iron Age 200-50BC. Though the worked flint from appears to be residual as the date ranges are Beaker Period to Early Bronze Age 4000-1500BC and Middle Bronze Age to Mid Iron Age or later 1550- 600/350BC+.

Approximately 0.28m to the SE of the quarry pit was another pit. This was a 1.53m long, 1.03m+ wide, 0.82m deep, ovate in shape and likely a waste pit, with very steep inwardly sloping sides and a flat base, aligned NW-SE. This pit contained four fills. Upper fill was comprised of firm light greyish brown very slightly clayish silt with frequent chalk pieces, angular flint and occasional charcoal fleck inclusions with a depth of 0.45m. This produced 6 sherds of pot dating to Mid to Late Iron Age 600-50BC, 11 pieces of daub, 1 piece of stuck flint, 29g oyster shell and 29g animal bone. The second was comprised of soft mid to light grey silt with occasional small chalk flecks, small angular flint and occasional charcoal fleck inclusions, with a depth of 0.22m. This produced 24g oyster shell and a 117g animal bone. The third fill was comprised of soft mottled greenish and dark grey silt with frequent charcoal flecks, occasional chalk flecks and small angular flint inclusions, with a depth of 0.12m. This produced 47g animal bone. Basal fill was comprised of soft orange brown silty clay with occasional chalk fleck inclusions, with a depth of 0.03m. (information summarised from source) (1)

<1> Swale & Thames Archaeological Survey Company, 2022, Report on Archaeological Investigations of Land East of 40 Canterbury Road West, Cliffsend, Thanet, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE55758.