Monument record TR 36 SW 467 - Late Saxon/Norman farmstead, Cliffsend Road, Cliffsend

Summary

During an archaeological investigation ahead of the development of land to the north of Cliffsend Road, Cliffsend the remains of a small farmstead which appears to have been established at around the time of the Norman conquest. It was located on the gentle south-facing slope overlooking Pegwell Bay and comprised two sunken featured buildings associated with enclosures. After a period of use of about a generation, the layout of the settlement was altered and enlarged. These features almost certainly formed part of a larger settlement. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Location

Grid reference Centred TR 3478 6450 (122m by 76m)
Map sheet TR36SW
County KENT
District THANET, KENT
Civil Parish CLIFFSEND, THANET, KENT

Map

Type and Period (7)

Full Description

During an archaeological investigation ahead of the development of land to the north of Cliffsend Road, Cliffsend the remains of a small farmstead which appears to have been established at around the time of the Norman conquest. It was located on the gentle south-facing slope overlooking Pegwell Bay and comprised two sunken featured buildings associated with enclosures. After a period of use of about a generation, the layout of the settlement was altered and enlarged. These features almost certainly formed part of a larger settlement.

The enclosure ditch surrounding the buildings was roughly rectangular, aligned broadly east-west, and at least c 65m by 30m. The majority of the ditch was c 0.8m deep x 1.5m wide with steep sides and a flat base. The enclosure was divided into two roughly equal halves with the two buildings located in the west and the eastern half further sub-divided by ditch. The first building was a sunken-feature structure with two well-preserved ovens. The negative element of Building 1 was rectangular, 4.8m long, 2.8m wide, 0.8m deep with near-vertical sides and a broad single-step at the south, where the entrance was located. After the abandonment of the building, it was allowed to silt-up and a small assemblage of 22 pottery sherds dating to c AD 1075-1175 was recovered from lowest fill. Located c 25m to the east and aligned in the same direction was another sunken-feature building with a single oven in the north-east corner. The building was of a similar-size (c 5.5m by 4m), but the below ground element was much shallower at only c 0.35m deep. The contemporary features within the enclosure included four oval-shaped midden pits The pits varied from 0.58m to 1.32m deep and had vertical to steeply-sloping sides with concave bases. Other than the midden pits, there were few other contemporary features. Of the seven other pits identified most had very few finds suggesting they were not used for refuse disposal, and their exact function is unknown. This first enclosure was probably in use for around a generation, before the layout of the settlement was altered and enlarged. Buildings 1 and 2 are likely to have continued in use during this period. (information summarised from source)


<1> Archaeology South-East, 2019, Post-excavation assessment and updated project design report, Archaeological excavation at land north of Cliffsend Road, Cliffsend, Ramsgate, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE53060.

Sources/Archives (1)

  • <1> Unpublished document: Archaeology South-East. 2019. Post-excavation assessment and updated project design report, Archaeological excavation at land north of Cliffsend Road, Cliffsend, Ramsgate, Kent.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • Event Boundary: Archaological Excavation at Land North of Cliffsend Road, Cliffsend, Ramsgate (Ref: CLF17) (EKE22952)
  • Intrusive Event: Archaological Excavation at Land North of Cliffsend Road, Cliffsend, Ramsgate (Ref: CLF17) (EKE22953)

Record last edited

Apr 5 2024 11:27AM