A programme of archaeological excavations and evaluations in the grounds of the former St. Stephen’s College in the North Foreland Area of Broadstairs between 1999 and 2003 revealed a group of Late Neolithic or early Bronze Age burials. Five of these were not located in a ring ditch and have been categorised as flat graves. They were located on the northern side of barrow 2/4 Their proximity to the Barrow and the similarity in the positions of the body for burial may suggest that they are associated with the period of its use although to which phase they belong is unclear. It is equally possible that they may have focussed on a feature within the landscape that is now entirely lost as the burials appear to form an arc around a space apparently with no contemporary features

A rectangular grave cut (cut 2002) containing a single burial (2001) was exposed on the north eastern side of the grave group. The grave contained the remains of an adult male aged between 17 – 25 years with a stature of approximately 1.78 metres. Pronounced muscle attachments on the upper and lower limbs suggest the individual carried out activities involving a lot of physical work which favoured the right side of the body. The body had been placed with its head to the north on its left side in a crouched position with the arms and legs flexed. The right side of the lower mandible had been detached and lay beneath the right side of the Sterno Mastoid process. The right hand side of the pelvic girdle was detached from the sacrum and situated over the right foot and femur. It is possible that this may indicate that the body was contained within a coffin where a void allowed the migration of the pelvis to the south either through the movement of deposits through natural decay or by animal disturbance. The grave cut was orientated approximately north east south west, rectangular in plan with rounded corners measuring 1.43 metres long by 0.82 metres wide and 0.55 metres deep. The grave cut had near vertical sides that undercut slightly on the east side and a flat base. The positions of the disarticulated remains suggest that the body may have been contained within a coffin structure although there is no recorded evidence signifying the presence of a decayed basket. It is likely the grave was backfilled soon after the deposition of the body incorporating charred spelt, barley and wheat/barley grains as well as charred grass and goosefoot seeds.

A rectangular grave cut (cut 2020) containing a single burial (2032) was exposed to the north of the barrow, north west of Grave 2002. The grave contained the heavily disturbed remains of a mature adult male aged 45-50 years old. The whole grave fill had been disturbed to the level of the burial and the head end of the grave had been completely disturbed to the base of the cut removing all skeletal remains above the lumber vertebrae and knees. The disarticulated human bone had been dumped above the remaining in-situ skeleton in the south west corner of the grave. The position of the skeletal remains left in situ suggests that the body had originally been placed in a crouched position on its left side facing east. The grave cut was orientated approximately north east south west on almost the same alignment as cut 2002 and measured 1.43 metres long by 0.82 metres wide and 0.55 metres deep. The cut was rectangular in plan with rounded corners and a 70° slope on the north east and west which broke to near vertical edges, the southern side of the cut had near vertical edges and broke to a flat base. It is possible that the disturbance within the grave had been caused by contemporary grave robbing as the disturbance was concentrated at the head end of the grave and there was no evidence of later features cutting the upper deposits.

An oval grave cut (cut 2057) containing a single burial (2056) was exposed north of the Barrow, west of grave 2020. The grave contained the fragmentary, poorly preserved remains of a juvenile aged approximately 10 years. The body had been placed on its left side with the legs flexed in a crouched position. The arm bones were too poorly preserved to establish their burial position. The grave cut was orientated north south and oval in plan with near vertical sides and a flattish, slightly uneven base measuring 1.11 metres long, 0.77 metres at the widest part and 0.4 metres deep.

A rectangular grave cut (2069) containing two burials was exposed to the south west of grave 2057. The grave contained the remains of an adult male (2070) aged between 20 - 25 years old. The body had been placed on its left side with its arms and legs flexed facing east against the left side of the grave cut. The arms had been placed across the lower body. A second burial of a child aged approximately 5 years old had been placed in the south east corner of the grave cut beneath the knees of the adult body. The skeletal remains were fragmentary, in a poorly preserved condition and the skull had been completely destroyed by a later post hole probably of Iron Age or 2nd century Roman date. The in situ remains of the skeleton suggest the original body position was similar to that of the adult skeleton lying on its left side in a crouched position. The grave cut (2069) was rectangular in shape with rounded corners and measured 1.28 metres long by 0.7 metres wide with a total depth of 0.38 metres. The sides of the cut were vertical with a flattish slightly concave base. The position of the adult skeleton placed tight against the western edge of the cut suggests that both bodies were placed in the grave at the same time with room left beneath the knees of the adult for the child to be placed. There was no evidence that the child had been inserted at a later date. The backfill of the grave incorporated a single sherd of Roman pottery that could be intrusive from the later post hole cutting the grave. The burial of an adult with a child would raise the possibility of a familial relationship –perhaps father and son or brothers although this may not necessarily be the case. Only absolute dating would be able to confirm their contemporaneity and it may be possible that other scientific techniques could confirm whether there was a familial relationship.

A sub rectangular grave cut (1232) containing a single burial (SSC 99) was exposed southeast of cut 2069. The grave contained the remains of an adult female aged between 20 and 25 years. The body had been placed on its left side in a tightly crouched position with its arms and legs flexed, facing east. The grave cut was sub rectangular in plan with rounded corners measuring 1.5 metres long, 0.85 metres wide and 0.9 metres deep. The northern and eastern edges of the cut were curved. The western and southern edges of the cut were straight. The sides of the cut were near vertical breaking to a flat base. The tightly crouched position of the skeleton suggests the body may have been bound or tightly wrapped prior to burial.

The burials forming this group are consistent in position; with the exception of variations in arm position; with the burials within the barrow. They are all placed on their left side in a crouched or foetal position with their heads at the north end facing east. (information summarised from source) (1-2)

<1> Trust for Thanet Archaeology, 2006, Excavation at St Stephen's College, North Foreland, Broadstairs, Kent, Archaeological Excavation Report (Unpublished document). SKE53141.

<2> Trust for Thanet Archaeology, 2001, St. Stephen's College, North Foreland, Broadstairs: A Research Design (Unpublished document). SKE18223.

<3> Google.Com, 1960-2023, Earth.Google.Com orthophotography, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM XX-XXX-1990 (Archive). SKE57111.