Monument record TR 37 SE 1480 - Part of a possible late Iron Age/Roman hollow way and group of pits discovered along Marine Drive

During excavations associated with the installation of a pipeline between Margate and Broadstairs, Area D along Marine Drive near Botany Bay revealed a linear depression, possibly a holloway, which crossed the trench in a north east/south west direction, heading towards the cliff edge. A solution hollow formed over part of the hollow way, this was filled with a reasonable quantity of late prehistoric pottery, probably washed in from settlement to the south-west. A series of 15 pits were cut into a colluvial deposit overlying the hollow way, as well as several tree throws (nine investigated; three recorded). The pits were commonly slightly sub-circular, fairly shallow with two fills. The upper fills were frequently very loose, very dark brown silty clay and organic and charcoal rich loam. Pottery and burnt flint were recovered. The lower fills were loose dark brown silty clay (loam). Another pit cut an earlier posthole. Six pits were dated as late prehistoric; three were dated as Late Iron Age/Early Romano-British, and the remaining six were devoid of dating material. Following at least some of the pits, two parallel ditches were constructed, apparently following the initial possible holloway edges. The western ditch was 0.7m wide and 0.26m deep. The sides were moderately steep and concave, as was the base. Up to three fills were seen, and these have been dated to the Late Iron Age/Early Romano-British periods. The eastern Late Iron Age/Early Romano-British ditch seems to be a re-cut of a predecessor on the same alignment. To the west of the pit cluster was a possible boundary ditch or natural water run-off channel. The form of this feature was ephemeral and it was mainly a shallow depression filled with sharp, angular flints. A small quantity of late prehistoric material was recovered from the very top. The alignment at 90 degrees to ditch 8620 suggests that this was a field boundary, and possibly a run-off route as well. (1-3)

<1> Wessex Archaeology, 2005, Margate to Weatherlees Hill Wastewater Treatment Works Twin Pipeline: Interim Statement (Unpublished document). SKE13017.

<2> Wessex Archaeology, 2008, Thanet's Longest Excavation: Archaeological Investigations Along the Route of the Weatherless - Margate - Broadstairs Wastewater Pipeline (Monograph). SKE53449.

<3> Wessex Archaeology, 2006, Margate and Broadstairs Urban Wastewater Treatment Scheme (Unpublished document). SKE29263.