Oxford Archaeological Unit (OAU) was commissioned by Union Railways (South) Ltd (URS) to undertake a strip, map and sample excavation at the site of Boys Hall Balancing Pond, adjacent to Boys Hall Moat, Sevington, near Ashford, Kent. This work was conducted between 26th April and 14th May 1999 as part of a programme of archaeological investigation along the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

An east/west aligned ditch discovered in the south-west corner of the sitecontained 64 sherds of late Iron Age/early Romano-British pottery. A gully running parallel to the south and two shallow ditches running parallel to the north, all produced contemporary material though in smaller quantities (9 sherds, 2 sherds and 10 sherds respectively). Two shallow scoops of uncertain function were cut by these linear features but contained the same type of pottery.

A smaller cluster of shallow, charcoal-rich pits in the south east corner of the site contained the remains of at least four in situ cremation burials within the late Iron Age/early Romano-British pots, though these were much truncated by later ploughing. In addition to the cremation urn, one of these features contained several other smashed pots apparently representing grave goods.

Two large north-east/south-west aligned ditches which ran continuously through the west half of the site. were cut through a buried soil horizon. which overlay the Iron Age/Romano-British features. The only finds recovered from these features consisted of a few small fragments of post-medieval tile and glass. These two ditches, and a cobbled surface which appeared to be contemporary with this later period of activity, were almost certainly associated with the adjacent former medieval manor house or later post-medieval garden (Boys Hall Moat Sheduled Ancient Monument, Kent SAM 146). A small number of further ditches and gullies located in the northern half of the site were undated, but also appeared most likely to be medieval or post-medieval in date(1).

Additional bibliography. (3-4)

Wessex Archaeology, 2001, Little Stock Farm (ARC LSF99) Post Excavation Assessment Report (Unpublished document). SKE16508.

Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2006, The prehistoric settlement at Little Stock Farm, Mersham, Kent: CTRL Integrated Site Report Series (Unpublished document). SKE16509.

<1> Wessex Archaeology, 1999, Channel Tunnel Rail Link Archaeological Excavation at Little Stock Farm (Unpublished document). SKE6909.

<2> Wessex Archaeology, 1999, Channel Tunnel Rail Link Archaeological Evaluation at Little Stock Farm (Unpublished document). SKE6911.

<3> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2005, The Post-Roman Pottery from Excavations Along Section 1 of the CTRL (Unpublished document). SKE16487.

<4> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2006, Radiocarbon dates from Section 1 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE16490.