Arch features were located along the whole of the area, representing a ?Belgic and Roman occupation site, subsequently excavated by CAT (no further details). Numerous unstratified finds throughout the site. (1)

The subsequent archaeological excavation revealed the line of a Roman road and its attendant ditches, with cremation groups to north and south. An area of settlement was indicated by the presence of yard surfaces, rubbish pits and a series of post-holes whilst a complex of drainage gullies was also uncovered. An elaborate inhumation burial, set within a deep shaft cut into a large (2.90m by 1.50m) grave, was located in within the same area. It is suggested that the excavation only just clipped the site which may lie further up the hill slope to the south-west. There was little evidence of late or post Roman occupation.

The cremation burials were recovered from two areas. A small number of heavily truncated burials were located to the north of the roman road, possibly extending beyond the boundaries of the excavations. The larger group, consisting of mainly intact buried, lay to the s-e of the road and appeared to be contained within the excavation area. This group yielded a number of complete ceramic vessels, in addition to glass and metal objects. Within a third area, location not given, tow isolated cremation burials were also uncovered. The assemblage of vessels from the cremation burials contained in addtion to coarse pottery of local manufacture, fine greywares of Upchurch type form NW Kent, Samian from central and eatern Gual, roughcast "Cologne" beakers from the Rhineland and a two-handled "honey-pot" from N. Gaul.

Initial examination suggests that all the burials may fall within a mid-second to early thrid century date. With one exception all the cinerary urns exhibit characturistics of "Native Coarse Ware", a typological and technological development of the "Belgic" grog-tempered tradition, which is common in East Kent.

Cremation report. Bones burnt at a temperature of less than 750 degrees, in two less than 500 degrees. The bones were broken towards the end of the cremation proces. In some not all the bones were deposited in the urns. The examination suggested that this small group were not too rich, but Roman in outlook, although still influenced by the older Celtic tradition. The lack of grave goods with box/casket burial is unusual and argues for a lack of wealth. The bodies were porbably not wearing shoes when cremated. (3)

The samian ware found appear to date mostly to the mid- to late second century.

A significant number of small finds were recovered including objects of copper alloy, iron, lead, bone, shale, jet and marble. Of these, 70 pieces of copper alloy were identifiable objects including pieces thought to be of military as well as domestic usage.


Stetch of Roman Road aligned NE-SW , possibly towards Richborough, with attendant ditches found with IA/RM settlement. The attendent ditches had undergone a sucession of re-cuttings


Detailed report and site plan. (4)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1992, Ash by-Pass Evaluation of the route of the Ash By-Pass, Arch evaluation of Ash bypass, CAT, 1992. (Unpublished document). SKE6605.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1992, Each End, Ash. 1992: An Assessment of the Archaeological Potential of the Post-Excavation Material (Unpublished document). SKE6772.

<3> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1992, Each End, Ash: The Cremations (Unpublished document). SKE6780.

<4> Hicks, Alison J, 1998, Excavations at Each End, Ash, 1992 (Article in serial). SKE16830.