In january 2001, an archaeological evaluation took place on land at Hartsdown Technology College, in advance of proposals to redevelop the site. Three areas were examined and five trenches cut. These were, an area of proposed new car parking bays (centred on 634418,169902), the area of the proposed new science block (centred on 634505,169870) and the area of the proposed new sports facilities (centred on 634575,169885). Late prehistoric features were recorded in the areas of the science block and sports facilities trenching. No archaeological features were observed in the area of the proposed new car parking bays. In the science block trenches, a single gully was recorded running through both trenches and a large enclosure ditch, 2m + wide, containing struck flint, late prehistoric pottery and animal bone in its fill. In the sports facilities trenches, a second large enclosure ditch was recorded in both trenches, 1.85m wide, again it contained struck flint, prehistoric pottery and animal bone. A crouched inhumation burial was recorded and left in situ, in the top of this ditch. The evaluation report considered it likely that the burial was of iron age date (although it could be earlier-see comment on the burial by Jonathan Last). The enclosure ditches were considered to be of late prehistoric date and probably associated with the extensive cropmarks of assumed bronze age/iron age date that are known to be present south and east of the college (see the cropmark GIS layer) [01].

In february 2001, an archaeological excavation took place on the area of the proposed new sports facilities, that had been trial trenched during the evaluation stage (see above). The excavation re-investigated the enclosure ditch, which turned out to be two enclosure ditches (one a recut of the other) and the crouched inhumation burial within the ditch (both identified during the evaluation). The earlier enclosure ditch ran across the full width of the site for 25m, it had a V-shaped profile and was between 1.5 and 2m wide and up to 0.77m deep. As with the evaluation the principal fill of the ditch contained early Iron Age pottery, animal bone, struck flint and burnt flint. An upperfill identified in the middle section of the ditch only, contained pottery, animal bone, struck flint and burnt flint. The recut at the south western end of the ditch had a very different profile, steep sided and with a flatish base. The NNE terminus of the recut was recorded within the excavated area. The recut contained two fills and displayed some evidence of chalk slumping as in the main ditch. The lower fill contained iron age pottery, animal bone and struck flint.
The inhumation was fully excavated; the burial was contained within a steep sided, flat bottomed, sub rectangular grave pit, which had truncated the upper fill of the main enclosure ditch. The body had been placed in a crouched position, head to south, feet to north, lying on its right side facing east. The grave contained no grave goods, but the grave fill did contain struck flints and animal bone and the inhumation has been interpreted as falling into the same date range as the other features.
Within the area bounded by the enclosure ditch and its recut, a single, sub-circular pit was recorded. Steep sided and with a flat base, it contained four fills. The layer above the basal fill contained considerable quantities of early iron age pottery and daub, animal bone, struck and burnt flint, three copper-alloy objects and charcoal. The layer above this contained pottery, while the upper fill contained pottery, animal bone, struck and burnt flint.
In the north western corner of the site, a narrow curvilinear gully was observed. Its southern terminus was recorded within the excavation area, although it extended out of the site to the north west. The gully had a V-shaped profile, steep sloping sides and a narrow, flat base. The gully had two fills, the lower of which contained pottery, animal bone, struck flint, burnt flint and burnt bone.
Finally, a n-s ditch terminal was observed, for a ditch 1.4m wide, running out of the excavation area to the north. Irregular in profile, no finds were present in its single fill.
The report concludes that all the features and the crouched inhumation are dated on the basis of the ceramic evidence (from certain key features), to the 5th or 4th centuries BC. The site has at least two phases, with the original enclosure ditch silting up to be partially replaced by the recut, on a similar alignment and the inhumation burial cut into the original ditch. The college would seem to be surrounded by substantial prehistoric activity [02].

The results of the earlier evaluation lead to a watching brief being carried out during the groundworks associated with the construction of the Science Block. A number of archaeological features were observed, some of which had previously been recorded during the evaluation work. The gully previously recorded ran across the entire area of the footprint of the proposed new building, aligned NW-SE, although the gully was not further excavated. Likewise the large enclosure ditch (3m wide by 1m deep), aligned N-S, recorded during the evaluation, which was examined further duing the watching brief. Slightly curvilinear in plan, it may have terminated to the north, although this could not be confirmed due to modern intrusions (NB it did not appear in the first evaluation trench). The ditch contained the highest quantity of animal bone on site. It was truncated by a new shallow curvilinear ditch (only seen in this watching brief), roughly N/S aligned, curving to the SW towards its southern terminal end, that had been caught within the watching brief area. The ditch, interpreted as a third enclosure ditch, was 1.5m wide by 0.25m deep, with sloping sides and a flat base and it continued north into the area of modern disturbance. Early iron age pottery, animal bone, struck flint and lava quern fragments were recovered from the ditch. The quern fragments have been interpreted as possibly being intrusive or suggesting a later Iron Age date for this feature. The intercutting curvilinears suggest at least two phases of activity in this area of site. The enclosure ditches in the science block area are on a markedly different alignment to the enclosure ditches recorded under the New Sports Hall. [03].

Archaeological assessment and updated project design for the publication of the excavation works at the College, with a Finds Assessment. See comments on the burial (p.8, 17-18) [04].

The final excavation report: covering the initial evaluation, main excavation and science block watching brief. Although it repeats previously stated information, discussions and conclusions in the main, there are a number of new points made. One is that the early iron age pottery found in the shallow curvilinear cutting the main enclosure ditch recorded under the Science Block, maybe residual material from the cutting of the enclosure ditch. The report makes further reference to the nearby cropmarks and how they may relate to the features recorded. It states that the gully running under the science block may cut the earlier enclosure ditch recorded there. It also associates the pit found under the new sports hall with possible ritual activity. It concludes that the evidence suggests that the site consisted of small single period prehistoric enclosures, associated surrounding enclosures and field sytems seen on the aerial photographs.
See comments on the crouched inhumation (p.13-14).
There is also a section in the report on specialist reports. [05].

This watching brief for a single storey inclusion building, south of the new science block where the above archaeological works took place, observed no archaeological finds or features. It is possible that features survived unaffected, below the depth of the new development. Archaeological features were recorded in the above works below the subsoil. [06].


This watching brief on an extension to the netball courts at the college, observed no archaeological features or finds. The site was not stripped to the depth at which archaeological features were observed to the north west, although the report does state that the site was reduced to the level of the natural [07].

<01> Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust, 2001, Hartsdown Technology College, George V Avenue, Margate, Kent. An Archaeological Evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE12663.

<02> Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust, 2001, Hartsdown Technology College, George V Avenue, Margate, Kent. An Archaeological Excavation: An Interim Report (Unpublished document). SKE12662.

<03> Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust, 2001, Hartsdown Technology College, George V Avenue, Margate, Kent. New Science Block Archaeological Monitoring and Recording (Unpublished document). SKE12653.

<04> Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust, 2001, An Archaeological Assessment and Updated Project Design for the Publication of Excavations at Hartsdown Technology College, Margate, Kent, 2001 (Unpublished document). SKE12664.

<05> Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust, 2001, An Iron Age Site at Hartsdown Technology College, Margate, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE12665.

<06> Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust, 2002, Hartsdown Technology College, George V Avenue, Margate, Kent. Single Storey, Pre-Engineered, Inclusion Room. Archaeological Monitoring and Recording (Unpublished document). SKE12666.

<07> Archaeological Solutions, 2002, Extension of the Netball Courts Hartsdown Technology College, Kent Archaeological Monitoring and Recording (Unpublished document). SKE12537.