During excavations at Lanthorne Court in Broadstairs, Thanet ahead of the redevelopment of the site, a group od Iron age pits were uncovered. These included larger quarry pits as well as bell shaped and cylindrical storage pits, several smaller pits and a possible 'feasting pit'.
A substantial quarry pit [394] was recorded in SMS2. It was only partially visible, measuring 1.30m wide x 1.06m deep and continuing beyond the eastern limit of excavation. The three fills consisted of dark greyish-brown, light yellowish brown and light brownish-grey sandy silts respectively. Pottery dating to the Early/ Middle Iron Age was recovered from all 3 fills. A second quarry pit was located in the north western corner of SMS area 1 and later during a watching brief. This appeared to be later in date than the first. Pottery dating to the later iron age was found in its primary fill and roman shgerds were seen in its upper fills. It is thought that these pits were for the purpose of quarrying flint, and a metalled surface was identified in one of the strip, map and sample areas.

Within SMS 2, a total of 4 substantial bell-shaped storage pits were encountered. The fills of these pits looked to have been a mixture of natural silting, slumping, edge collapses and deliberate backfilling. The first measured 2.30m long x 1.15m wide x 1.29m deep. It contained quite large quantities of Early/ Middle Iron Age pot; a triangular loomweight was also recovered broadly dated to c.800 BC – AD 43. The second measured 1.67m long x 1.46m wide x 1.67m deep, containing sandy silt fills, the top 3 of which looked to be separate deliberate backfilling events and contained large amounts of Early/ Middle Iron Age pottery and quantities of fuel ash slag and animal bone including cattle, caprine and pig. The uppermost fill also contained a triangular loomweight and an iron leaf shape object recovered from the lower of the three, this was identified as a probable tool of some sort. The third and fourth bell pits were located in close proximity to one-another, were deeper and contained substantially more fills. One measured 2.78m long x 1.80m wide x 2.10m deep and contained 12 fills in all. While the other measured 3.15m long x 1.88m wide x 1.74m deep containing 20 fill deposits. Both contained quantities of middle Iron Age pottery alongside other finds. Environmental samples from the fills produced a fairly wide range of plants including hazel and maple, which could be indicative of the types of fuels used on site. A copper brooch dated to the Middle Iron Age was recovered from the top fill of one of these pits.

Three pits resembled ‘cylindrical’ storage pits and a total of 17 features recorded as shallow pits have also been ascribed to this phase of activity.

Of particular note was a Pit [306] located in SMS2 which measured 2.07m long x 2.00m wide x 0.64m deep. At the base of the pit were found the remnants of a hearth along with an upturned broken cremation vessel. Other large quantities of pot were recovered from fills, and ceramics were all dated to the Middle/Late Iron Age. Large quantities of animal bone were also recovered, and specimens showed evidence of meat having been roasted on the bone; there were also cattle scapulae that were pierced, suggesting that meat may have been hung. This is generally thought to be a feature of Roman butchery, contrary to the pottery dating.

A total of five pits in SMS2 contained Late Iron Age pottery. These pits measured between 0.69-1.93m long x 0.60-1.55m wide x 0.30-0.70m deep and were possibly utilised as refuse pits.(information summarised from source) (1)

Archaeology South-East, 2022, Archaeological Evaluation Report Land at Lanthorne Road Broadstairs, Kent Phases 1 and 2 (Unpublished document). SKE55188.

<1> Archaeology South - East, 2023, Archaeological Excavations at Lanthorne Road, Broadstairs, Kent A post-excavation assessment and updated project design (Unpublished document). SKE57117.