According to the excavators "Twenty two trial trenches were excavated to a cumulative length of 670m. The natural drift deposits (Head Brickearth) were encountered mostly at shallow depths across the development site. A total of 11 linear features were identified and sampled. Seven of the linear features (within trenches 11, 12, 14, 18 & 20) contained prehistoric materials including some pottery sherds dated to the late bronze age and late iron age. It is thought that the linear features across the southern and eastern part of the site once formed prehistoric field enclosures. The other four linear features (within trenches 2 & 5) produced either no dating evidence or modern materials of likely Victorian date. Trenches 4 and 5 proved that a large quarry pit once existed in this area of Victorian date. Other finds included 2 pit shaped features identfied and sampled in Trench 19 which contained prehistorfc struck flints. One sherd of medieval pottery was recovered from a tree bowl feature in Trench 15 but was likely to be intrusive. This feature also contained struck flints and was thought to be prehistoric in origin". (1)

An Early Bronze Age field system, with evidence of the cultivation of barley, emmer and spelt was discovered during an archaeological excavation (which followed an earlier evaluation) on land off Monkton Street in Minster, Thanet. The field system comprised a series of parallel and intersecting ditches which were coaxially aligned to form at least six fields. Other associated features include pits and tree throws.

The most complete field was rectilinear in plan and measured 35m by 15m with entrances on the south western edge and the north eastern corner and possibly the eastern corner. The ditches typically measured less than 1m wide and 0.5m deep, though one ditch measured 2.68m wide by 0.91 deep and its greater size and depth suggests that it may have formed part of a stock or defensive enclosure during a later phase of activity. The fills of the ditches were relatively rich in charred deposits, including charred grains of barley and glume bases of hulled barley from which both emmer and spelt could be identified. These remains are indicative of cereal processing waste. As such they are intrinsically related to domestic activities. Some of the charred material was radio carbon dated all four of the calibrated dates fall within the final centuries (1900-1700cal BC) of the early Bronze Age. Further ditches were identified during the excavation which appear unconnected to the field system but may have been associated with the larger (later) ditch perhaps forming another enclosure. in the southern part of area 1 and extended from its eastern edge three ditches were aligned east-west on a slightly different axis to the field system. They could have formed a double ditched boundary or a droveway. Other prehistoric features recorded in area 1 comprised two pits and two three throw holes. One of these pits also contained charred grains with a radio carbon date of 1890-1690 cal BC. A shallow hearth/oven was also recorded towards the southern end of the site. It was 1.5m long and 0.96m wide. It contained a pottery assemblage that was difficult to date though contained some beaker sherds. (1) (information summarised from source)

<1> CgMs Consulting, 2007, An Archaeological Evaluation: Monkton Road, Minster, Thanet, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE13073.

<2> Martin, J., Schuster, J. and Barclay, A.J., 2012, Evidence of an Early Bronze Age field system and spelt wheat growing together with an Anglo-Saxon sunken featured building, at Monkton Road, Minster in Thanet, Archaeologia Cantiana CXXXII 2012: 43-52 (Article in serial). SKE25113.