Monument record TR 15 SE 410 - Late Iron Age - early Roman features on land at Nackington, near Canterbury

Iron Age features were excavated on land at Nackington, near Canterbury, during an archaeological evaluation in 2014. The features include gullies, ditches (including a boundary ditch), and a midden. A number of other undated features were also present at the site; these have been included in the GIS depiction if they are features were may be contemporary with the Iron Age - early Roman features.

The midden comprised fills including charcoal flecks, animal remains, and pot sherds. This feature measured >3 x >1.50 x 0.64m, and was located near later Roman burials (TR 15 SE 411). One of the linear features was also located in this area of the site; this feature measured >2 x 1.50m and has been interpreted as a possible ditch.

Twelve other ditches/gullies, two ditch terminal recuts, two gullies, and two pit were also excavated at the site. The ditches measured around 2-12 x 0.60-3.20 x 0.18-0.60m, and the pits measured 0.90-1.02 x 0.58-0.97 x 0.30m. These features were dated to the 1st - 2nd centuries AD on the basis of pottery sherds associated with their fills or their association with other features dated to this period. One of the ditches was associated with a probable palaeochannel at the site (TR 15 SE 412), and two others represented boundary ditches. One of the boundary ditches contained quernstone fragments of German lava stone.

Undated features comprised four gullies (2-7 x 0.36-0.68 x 0.09-0.20m), seven ditches (2-7.14 x 0.70-1.42 x 0.13-0.64 x 0.29-0.53m), two pits (0.48-0.91 x 0.44-0.89 x 0.22-0.28m), and two possible quarries or ditches (3.10-4.60 x 1.95-2.55 x 0.45- 0.60m). (1)

<1> Archaeology South - East, 2014, An Archaeological Evaluation at Land at Nackington, near Canterbury, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE55773.