Ditches forming part of a medieval field system, pits, and a quarry were identified during an evaluation at Howe Barracks, Canterbury, in 2016. A large number of ditches or gullies measuring around 0.70-1.80m in width and 0.20-1.05m in depth were identified forming a field system. "Two phases of field system are thought to be represented. To the north ditches of rough north-west to south-east… and north-east to southwest…alignments are present. It possibly extends to the west…and south-west… In the south the ditch alignments are east to west…or north to south…parallel or perpendicular to Littlebourne Road" (from the original report, 1).
The quarry was located to the south-east of the site and measured 15.70m in length. Four undated small pits to the north-west were considered to potentially be medieval or earlier in date as they were sealed by a later subsoil.
Finds associated with medieval activity at the site included a 12th - 14th century pottery assemblage, 19 fragments of tile, a lead weight, animal remains, daub, a copper alloy tag, and a hearth base. Many of these may be medieval - post-medieval in date as they were recovered from the fills of medieval features.
Lack of settlement evidence at the site has led to the interpretation that it was primarily agricultural in character which continued into the post-medieval period. (1)

During an excavation in 2017, six medieval ditches were identified forming part of the same field system identified in the 2016 evaluation. The features had visible lengths of between 3.75-52.8m, widths of between 0.3-2.1m, and depths of between 0.04-0.9m. The alignments of the features formed several enclosures and field boundaries. Finds recovered from the fills of the features included medieval pottery, medieval and post-medieval ceramic building material, animal bone, and a fragments of unidentifiable iron.

46 sherds of medieval or probable medieval pottery were identified, the majority of which were 12th-13th century in date. "Cooking-pots and jugs as well as a probable bowl were identified, all apparently in local fabrics" (from the original report, 2).

Environmental sampling of one of the ditches identified a glazed tile fragment, a pottery sherd, charred plant remains (cereal grain, and a pea-sized pulse), uncharred plant remains (goosefoot and elderberry), and burnt bone. (2)

<1> CgMs, 2017, ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION, Development Phase 1 and subsequent Phases Howe Barracks Littlebourne Road Canterbury Kent (Unpublished document). SKE57660.

<2> CgMs, 2017, POST EXCAVATION ASSESSMENT FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS, Howe Barracks Littlebourne Road Canterbury Kent (Unpublished document). SKE57659.