As part of a programme of archaeological investigations along the route of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, Union Railways (South) Ltd (URS) commissioned the Museum of London Archaeology Service to undertake an evaluation of 6 trial trenches situated at Yonsea Farm. The farm is 3.5km to the north-west of the centre of Ashford, Kent and is bounded by the A20 immediately to the north and farmland to the east, south and west.

Yonsea Farm consists of a large house, byres and cowsheds,k an oast house, a tollhouse and associated gardens. The farm was probably constructed as a single phase in the 1830's. Immediately to the south of this complex a walled garden is bounded to the east and south by a pond which apparently occupies part of an earlier ditch or possible 'moat'. A fairly substantial depression headed westwards along the south side of the garden and appeared to have been a continuation of this feature. The existance of an earlier moated site was therefore thought possible.

The location of archaeology associated with a possible earlier medieval moated site was the principal evaluation aim. Five trenches were excavated (within the walled garden and a paddock or former orchard to the west of the garden) in order to locate any archaeological features associated with earlier building and to verify the presence or absence of the other two 'arms' of the 'possible 'moat''. The area An additional trench was located in the wheatfield to the south in order to provide a profile of the southern return of the possible 'moat'. The area occupied by the 19th century buildings was not available for archaeological investigation.

No archaeological features were found within the walled garden. The southern return of the possible 'moat' was shown to be a substantial feature; at one time containing standing water. Much of the upper fills, however, consisted of 19th and 20th century backfill deposits. A trench located in the orchard was sited to locate the western side of the possible 'moat', but only a shallow drainage ditch containing 19th century material was found(1).

Museum of London Archaeology Service, 1997, Yonsea Farm An Archaeological Evaluation Interim Report (Unpublished document). SKE6960.

Museum of London Archaeology Service, 1997, Yonsea Farm An Archaeological Evaluation Interim Report (Unpublished document). SKe6960.

<1> Museum of London Archaeology Service, 1997, Yonsea Farm: An Archaeological Evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE6961.