Monument record TQ 95 SW 178 - Saxon buildings, Tanyard Farm

A probable large Saxon building and a grubenhaus were identified at Tanyard Farm during an excavation carried out in 2020-2023.

The large building was located to the south of the site and measured 37m in length by 11m in width, comprising 81 post-pits. A possible annexe to the main building was located to the eastern side, formed of 20 post-holes, whilst 10 appear to have formed supports to the structure; however, there is a small chance some of the post-pits may relate to another structure, such as a fence, at the site. One post-hole placed internally within the building may have represented an internal division or passageway through the structure. Two possible entrances are located mid way along the north and south walls of the building where there are gaps in the post-hole alignments, and a possible 'porch' structure to the south formed of two post-holes associated with the entranceway.
Another smaller structure appears to have been formed of 10 smaller post-holes to the southern side of the larger structure. This building would have been rectangular in plan. An incomplete cobbled floor surface was identified on the southern side of the main building with surviving wheel ruts. Around 130 sherds of pottery were associated with the Saxon building.

A fence line aligned SW-NE, on the same axis as the Roman trackway (TQ 95 SW 160), was locat6ed to the east, starting at the south eastern corner of the structure. One particularly large post-hole is interpreted by the authors of the report (1) as potentially having originally been dug for a totem pole.

The Grubenhaus was located to the south-west and measured around 2.6m in length by 1.6m in width, formed of a hollow with two post-holes at opposite ends. (1)

<1> Thames Valley Archaeological Services, 2023, Land at Tanyard Farm, Lenham, Kent Archaeological Post-excavation Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE58589.