Monument record TR 05 SW 180 - Prehistoric ?burial mound/long barrow, Stringman's Field, Lees Court Estate

A later prehistoric feature, possibly a burial mound or a long barrow with associated ditches, was identified at Stringman's Field, Lees Court Estate during a series of archaeological excavations and investigations in 2018 and 2019. The feature measured 37m in length and 21m in width. The mound was associated with an earlier or contemporary pit and contemporary ditches.
The first phase of activity comprised the excavation of a pit during the early Neolithic, followed by the excavation of ditches and the mound between the early Neolithic and Middle Bronze Age when ditch surrounding the mound was re-cut. Artefactual evidence suggests that the feature was maintained during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods, finally ceasing active use around 1000 BC.
No human remains were recovered during the excavations, however, assemblages of ceramic and lithic materials, charcoal, and animal remains were identified in association with the mound.

A medieval field boundary ditch (TR 05 SW 181) was also identified during the 2019 excavations. The alignment of the medieval ditch was observed to respect the boundary of the monument, suggesting that the mound remained visible in the landscape into the 12th century. (1)

<1> Darnley Archaeological Services, 2020, ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF A POSSIBLE PREHISTORIC MONUMENT AT STRINGMANS FIELD, LEES COURT ESTATE, FAVERSHAM, KENT (Unpublished document). SKE57479.