Monument record TR 36 NE 426 - Ring ditch at Dumpton Park Drive, Ramsgate

Through the years of 1999 to 2002, various archaeological investigations and excavations took place on the site at Dumpton Park, Ramsgate in Kent ahead of the redevelopment of the site for residential use. An open area excavation following an archaeological evaluation revealed a number of features. The principal feature of the whole site was a large ring-ditch, located during the evaluation in Trench 2 and subsequently completed in the North Area excavation. This formed a neat circle about 15m. in internal diameter and about 17m. in external diameter. It had a circumference of about 50m., of which about 40% was excavated. There was no indication that the circuit was interrupted by a causewayed entrance. It had been cut into the natural brickearth and chalk to a depth of 45-62cm., having a surviving width of 1.20-1.50m., with steep sides and a slightly cupped base. Its upper filling mainly consisted of a brown chalky clay-loam, over a very chalky cream loam with scattered flints. It was very largely devoid of finds, except some 54 flints and 12 potsherds. Inside the ditch were six features, two inhumation graves, three largely ill defined features and a possible post-hole. The latter four are undated and of unknown function.

The first grave lay on a roughly north-south axis close to the centre of the southern half of the area enclosed by the ring ditch. It was about 1.28m. in length, between 50-78cm. in width and thus sub-rectangular in plan. It was cut with steep sides, a flat base to a depth of 38cm. into the brickearth and solid chalk. It was largely filled with light brown clay-loam , with small chalk lumps and occasional flints. At the bottom of the grave was an adult skeleton with its head to the north and a large coarse beaker. The skeleton lay in a crouched position on its left side, with its knees bent to about waist level and its arms straight in front with the hand resting on its knees. Few ribs survived. An examination of the teeth and femur suggest a young adult female perhaps 1.6m. in height and perhaps 18-25 years of age. The beaker, placed at the back of the skeleton in a standing position, had been crushed by the pressure of the soil It was, coarse, hand-made and undecorated. It is likely to date from about 1800-1300 B.C. The other grave lay on a roughly south-west/north<ast axis close to the centre of the northern half of the area enclosed by the ring ditch. Although damaged, it was probably sub-rectangular in plan, 1.87m. in length, 55-80cm. in width and only 2-12cm. deep as found. It had steep sides, a flat base and a filling of light brown chalky loam, with some small flints. At the bottom of the grave was the partial skeleton of an adult, of uncertain age, supine with its head to the south-west. There were no grave-goods surviving. The grave was very shallow and had clearly been badly disturbed by later activity. The skull and both arms were missing and apart from scattered ribs, only the legs largely survived. Significantly, the metalling appeared to cover part of the grave and this may have given some protection to the legs. This seems to have been a mature adult, perhaps male and about I.70m. in height. (information summarised from source) (1-2)

<1> Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, 2000, Dumpton Park Drive, Ramsgate, Kent: report on a programme of Archaeological Work (Evaluation Excavation) (Unpublished document). SKE13560.

<2> Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, 2002, Prehistoric Sites at Dumpton Park, Ramsgate (Unpublished document). SKE52054.