An excavation that took place between 2004 and 2005 discovered extensive evidence of prehistoric and Romano-British activity. The prehistoric activity consisted of a ditch and numerous pits containing a small amount of domestic evidence and dated from the late bronze age to the middle iron age. The Romano-British activity consisted of a child burial, a horse burial and a series of field boundaries. In the late 2nd or early 3rd century a large aisled building was built on the site.

Settlement in the prehistoric period was evidenced by intensive pitting bounded to the north by an east-west ditch. The pits were of varied size and form and were difficult to ascribe functions to. A small quantity of domestic waste suggests that a settlement was close by.

In the early Roman period the site was reoccupied. A sequence of boundary ditches aligned east-west marked the northern extent of settlement. Two isolated burials of a horse and a child and a number of other features were also discovered. The site may have been intentionally levelled at the end of the 2nd century and shortly after this time the a large aisled building over 13 m and prehaps 26 m long wide was constructed.

The excavators concluded that the main focus of settlement lies to the south of the excavated area and may represent a small farm or settlement in both the prehistoric and early Roman periods. They suggested that the aisled building may represent a more substantial settlement in the later Roman period. (1)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2007, Excavations on land at Downlands, Walmer, near Deal: draft text (Unpublished document). SKE13037.