In April 1997 a watching brief began on work for new housing development at the site known as Glebeland at Harrietsham. Immediately archaeology was recovered and evaluation trenching commenced after consultation with the developer. Evidence gathered suggests that occupation of the site began in the Late Iron Age and continued into the Roman period until probably the 4th century (TQ 85 SE 138). The site then seems to have been abandoned or contracted and a soil horizon accumulated over it. Cut into this soil horizon were the foundations of seven buildings. Features located in the vicinity of the buildings were dated to between the fifth and seventh century (TQ 85 SE 139) and by association it may be argued that the buildings dated to this period.

Amongst the earliest features identified at the site (along with a number of cremation burials and large possibly contemporary boundary ditch aligned n-s to the road) was a road with two side ditches. The road was aligned ne-sw, approximately 3-4m wide, and constructed from a single thickness of flint set in a crushed chalk bedding. At some point the alignment of the road seems to have changed. This was revealed by the presence of four parallel ditches when a slot was excavated across the road and ditches and metalling observed beneath rubble in another trench. The road led to and or through the nearby Late Iron Age/Romano-British settlement. It does not seem as though the road continued in use during the Saxon phase of occupation at this location. (1)

Geophysical survey to test for archaeological features just east of site found in 1997 during CAT evaluation. Possible features located. (2)

Predetermination evaluation on site showed that archaeological features indeed continued across this section of the field. It was not possible to identify what the features were or what age they were, other than the Late Iron Age/Romano-British road which was found where it was predicted to be and was in a good condition (TQ8746452891) (3)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1998, An Archaeological Investigation at Glebe Land, Harrietsham: Interim Report (Unpublished document). SKE7365.

<2> The Clark Laboratory, 1998, Site at Marley Road, Harrietsham, Kent: Report on Archaeogeophysical Survey (Unpublished document). SKE7368.

<3> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1998, Archaeological Evaluation at Marley Road, Harrietsham, Maidstone, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE7369.

<4> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1997-1998, Canterbury’s Archaeology 1997–1998; Fieldwork Kent Sites (Article in serial). SKE32048.