Early medieval and medieval features including a defensive mound, evidence for a defensive ditch, a rampart, post-pits, a building, floor surfaces, pits, and deposits were excavated at St Mary Bredin School, Canterbury, during an evaluation in 2016. The majority of the features appear to date from the 11th century.

3 soil-horizons dating from the Anglo-Saxon/early medieval period were located above the Roman trackway (TR 15 NW 2719). These were formed of silt and contained Anglo-Saxon pottery dating between 450-1150 AD in their layers.

An early medieval gravel platform was located at the site; this was situated above the post-Roman soil horizons, and was associated with 3 iron fragments.

Occupation deposits including a crushed chalk floor surface, a burnt layer of silty clay, a layer of charcoal, and two layers of silty clay, and clay silt. Finds associated with these layers include a sherd of pottery dating to 1050-1150 AD, and 4 fragments of daub.

Deposits associated with an early medieval/medieval mound were situated above the occupation deposits. "The earliest (deposit) comprised a loose mix of light brown clay sand silt with chalk and occasional flint nodules, up to 0.56m thick, which appeared to have been laid as a low bank or revetment, up to 3.5m wide, aligned north-west to south-east. (The second deposit) comprising a loose mix of mid yellow brown sandy silty clay and nodular flints, was laid against the north-east face of (the first deposit), rising up to the north-east to a maximum thickness of 1.01m. This was then sealed by a (third) deposit, comprising a light grey brown sandy clay silt with crushed chalk and nodular flints, up to 0.57m thick, which extended over the lip of the low bank, sloping down to the south-west" (from the original report, 1). Finds associated with these deposits include a fragment of 11th-12th century pottery, 3 piece of ironstone, and a fragment of animal bone.

Two levelling deposits are located above the mound deposits, around 0.57m in total depth. These deposits are associated with fragments of late medieval roofing tile, brick, and animal bone.

The remains of an early medieval timber building are also present at the site. Features associated with this structure comprise two ground beam slots, represented by linear cuts, and a compacted gravel floor surface. The linear cuts for the ground beams measured 0.17-0.20m in width by 0.08-0.17m in depth. The floor surfaces were represented by a gravel surface, alongside deposits of burnt clay and clay to the NW, which is thought to indicate that the structure may have continued to the NW of the site. The features represented the south-west corner of the structure, which had visible dimensions of 2.95m E-W, and 1.89m N-S.
A demolition layer relating to the destruction of the medieval building overlies features related to the structure. This layer comprises silty clay, ash, carbon, and daub.
Finds associated with the building include an iron nail, 15 sherds of 11th-12th century pottery (5 from the same vessel), an iron knife blade, animal bone, and 4 fragments of daub (one wattle-impressed).

Deposits probably relating to up-cast from the excavation of an early medieval ditch are also present at the site. These are represented by dump-deposits of clay between 0.16-0.28m thick. Finds associated with these deposits include 36 sherds of 11th-12th century pottery, a piece of possible hone stone, and metalworking residues.

An early medieval rampart is also present at the site, built over the potential ditch up-cast deposits. This feature is represented by a sequence of deposits between 0.03-0.08m thick. A sequence of further deposits extended over the mound.
Finds associated with this feature include 1 sherd of mid-11th-12th century pottery and a piece of possible hone stone, metal-working slag, and animal bones.

4 pits were excavated at the site. These measured between 1.34m in length, 0.49-0.77m in width, and 0.26-0.44m in depth. Finds associated with two of these features included 11th-12th century pottery, animal bone, daub, and burnt flint.

4 post-pits were excavated at the site. These measured between 0.47-1.39m in width and 0.48-1m in depth. Finds associated with these features included 11th-12th century pottery, daub, animal bone, marine shell, an iron nail fragment, mortar, and metal-working residue. These features may also represent timber piles associated with the construction of the gravel platform.

Environmental sampling of features including medieval pits and demolition layers uncovered evidence for fish remains, mussel, barnacle, and oyster shell, charred cereal grain and legume seeds, uncharred elderberry, and hazelnut shell.

Other features at the site include early medieval - medieval deposits, some of which contained sherds of 11th-12th century pottery. Earlier features at the site include a Roman trackway with wheel ruts (TR 15 NW 2719), and later features include a Second World War air raid shelter (TR 15 NW 2717). (1-2)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2016, Former St Mary Bredin School, Rhodaus Town (A28), Canterbury, Kent CT1 2RH: Evaluation Report (Unpublished document). SKE55912.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd., 2016, St Mary Bredin School, Rhodaus Town (A28), Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2RH: Progress Report (Unpublished document). SKE55913.