During evaluation work for the A256 a number of features were recorded to the east of the church at Church Whitfield. The butt end of a ditch ( TR3126545887), one metre wide, orientated east to west was found containing fragments of early to mid iron age pottery. The shape of the ditch was of sloping sides with a flat base. Nearby was a possible gully with a sloping south-western edge and angled north-eastern edge. No datable finds were recovered. These features form part of a settlement which could include other nearby SMR records TR 34 NW 146/147 & 224) (1).

Further evaluation work revealed a number of pit, ditch and postholes as negative features. Which extends the iron age settlement further to the south-east. These features found may be connected with the cropmark features of TR 34 NW 146 & 224, but this is unclear. Flint tempered pottery found in one of the ditches suggests that the settlement may date to the early to mid iron age c.600-300 BC.(2)

Additional excavtion work in 1995 uncovered evidence that the iron age features found previously belonged to two separate sites, one dating to the early - mid iron age (TR 34 NW 224) and the mid - late iron age. The site consists of a rectangular enclosure bounded by a large ditch, with a two pits and three post-holes. Heavy ploughing would have removed any evidence of associated internal buildings. A number of gullies were found outside the enclosure and may relate to associated features such as fields or animal compounds. A large quantity of pottery was recovered, nearly two-thirds in the final re-cut of the enclosure ditch, dating to c.150 - 50 BC. It was mainly flint-tempered with a small quantity of grog-tempered ware of "Belgic" form. Within the south-west arm of the enclosure fragments of human cranium were found and a skull in the south-eatern arm. This skull, it is suggested, was ritually deposited and was recoverined in association with an animal leg bone, food offering, a flint nodule and a fragment of grog-tempered pottery.

A single inhumation burial was found outside the main enclosure, just to the south-east. It was aligned ne-sw, parallel with the enclosure ditch. The grave pit was quite small, ovoid, and although no dating evidence was found, it is believed to be of iron age date.

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1994, 256 Whitfield to Eastry Improvement Road: Report on Archaeological Evaluations 1992-1993 (Unpublished document). SKE8356.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1994, A256 Whitfield to Eastry Improvement Road: Report on the Archaeological Evaluations 1994 (Unpublished document). SKE12037.

<3> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1996, Whitfield-Eastry Bypass 1995: Assessment Report on Excavations at Site 2 (Church Whitfield Crossroad) (Unpublished document). SKE12079.