Monument record TQ 75 SE 4 - Possible Iron Age oppidum at Boughton Monchelsea

Summary

This site was excavated between 1963 and 1967 by the Kent Archaeological Society as part of its programme into the investigation of Iron Age earthworks. All that now remains of the original earthwork is a single western bank and a single eastern bank with traces of a ditch on its eastern side. The former is about 300 yards long and ranges from 8 ft. at the north end to 21 ft. at the south end above the present ground level. The latter extends for about 380 yards and stands 8-9 feet high. Any defences to the south were levelled by the landowner in the early 19th century and, similarly, any defences to the north were entirely destroyed by quarrying. The enclosed area would probably have been about 30 acres. No original gateways remain but there is a suggestion that there might have been one at the south-west corner. The whole earthwork was built in one period only, the second quarter of the 1st century AD., not long before the Roman invasion. This date is supported by the pottery found in 1911.

Location

Grid reference Centred TQ 7659 5160 (462m by 347m) FCE
Map sheet TQ75SE
County KENT
District MAIDSTONE, KENT
Civil Parish BOUGHTON MONCHELSEA, MAIDSTONE, KENT
Civil Parish LOOSE, MAIDSTONE, KENT

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Type and Period (1)

Full Description

<01> OS 6' 1911 (OS Card Reference). SKE48296.

<02> MS Notes in Maidstone Mus (OS Card Reference). SKE47461.

<03> Maidstone Mus Arch Gaz (N Cook Undated) (OS Card Reference). SKE46303.

<04> Rec 6' (OGS Crawford 1920-21) (OS Card Reference). SKE49018.

<05> Oral DB Kelly Arch Assist Maidstone Mus (OS Card Reference). SKE47915.

<06> VCH Kent Vol 1 1908 399 (Plan) (OS Card Reference). SKE51198.

<07> MOW List of Anc Mon Eng and Wales 1958 46 (OS Card Reference). SKE47355.

<08> F1 CFW 24-FEB-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42746.

<09> F2 AC 25-APR-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43063.

<10> Arch Cant 86 1971 55-84 (Quarry Wood Camp Loose A Belgic Oppidum - DB Kelly BA AMA) (OS Card Reference). SKE35874.

<11> BAR 11 1976 155 235 318 332-4 (Oppida - B Cunliffe and T Rowley) plan (OS Card Reference). SKE37472.

<12> DOE (IAM) AMs Eng 2 1978 109 (OS Card Reference). SKE40685.

<13> OS 1:10000 1979 (OS Card Reference). SKE48165.

<14> Arch Cant 79 1964 xlvii (OS Card Reference). SKE35679.

<15> Arch Cant 80 1965 xlvii (OS Card Reference). SKE35708.

<16> Arch Cant 82 1967 xlvii (OS Card Reference). SKE35761.

<17> F3 MJF 26-FEB-88 (OS Card Reference). SKE43400.

<18> Field report for monument TQ 75 SE 4 - February, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3951.

<19> Field report for monument TQ 75 SE 4 - April, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3952.

<20> Field report for monument TQ 75 SE 4 - August, 1986 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3953.

<21> Maidstone Area Archaeological Group, Ladies Bessies Cottage, Boughton Monchelsea 1992 (Maidstone Area Arch Group/ A Daniels) (OS Card Reference). SKE45996.

<22> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Canterbury Arch Trust 1996 Evaluation at Marshalls Cottage, Amber Lane, Chart Sutton (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<23> Maidstone Area Archaeological Group, 1992, Survey at Lady Bessies Cottage 1992. Beresford Hill, Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone (Unpublished document). SKE6736.

<25> A.J. Daniels, 1993, Lady Bessies Cottage evaluation, Beresford Hill, Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone (Unpublished document). SKE6794.

<26> A.J. Daniels, 2005, Footpath at Beresford Hill, Boughton Monchelsea, Watching Brief (Unpublished document). SKE12813.

<27> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<28> Historic England, Archive material associated with Quarry Wood Camp, Scheduled Monument (Archive). SKE53981.

Sources/Archives (27)

  • <01> OS Card Reference: OS 6' 1911.
  • <02> OS Card Reference: MS Notes in Maidstone Mus.
  • <03> OS Card Reference: Maidstone Mus Arch Gaz (N Cook Undated).
  • <04> OS Card Reference: Rec 6' (OGS Crawford 1920-21).
  • <05> OS Card Reference: Oral DB Kelly Arch Assist Maidstone Mus.
  • <06> OS Card Reference: VCH Kent Vol 1 1908 399 (Plan).
  • <07> OS Card Reference: MOW List of Anc Mon Eng and Wales 1958 46.
  • <08> OS Card Reference: F1 CFW 24-FEB-64.
  • <09> OS Card Reference: F2 AC 25-APR-64.
  • <10> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 86 1971 55-84 (Quarry Wood Camp Loose A Belgic Oppidum - DB Kelly BA AMA).
  • <11> OS Card Reference: BAR 11 1976 155 235 318 332-4 (Oppida - B Cunliffe and T Rowley) plan.
  • <12> OS Card Reference: DOE (IAM) AMs Eng 2 1978 109.
  • <13> OS Card Reference: OS 1:10000 1979.
  • <14> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 79 1964 xlvii.
  • <15> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 80 1965 xlvii.
  • <16> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 82 1967 xlvii.
  • <17> OS Card Reference: F3 MJF 26-FEB-88.
  • <18> Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 75 SE 4 - February, 1964.
  • <19> Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 75 SE 4 - April, 1964.
  • <20> Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 75 SE 4 - August, 1986.
  • <21> OS Card Reference: Maidstone Area Archaeological Group. Ladies Bessies Cottage, Boughton Monchelsea 1992 (Maidstone Area Arch Group/ A Daniels).
  • <22> Miscellaneous Material: Not applicable. SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry. Canterbury Arch Trust 1996 Evaluation at Marshalls Cottage, Amber Lane, Chart Sutton.
  • <23> Unpublished document: Maidstone Area Archaeological Group. 1992. Survey at Lady Bessies Cottage 1992. Beresford Hill, Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone.
  • <25> Unpublished document: A.J. Daniels. 1993. Lady Bessies Cottage evaluation, Beresford Hill, Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone.
  • <26> Unpublished document: A.J. Daniels. 2005. Footpath at Beresford Hill, Boughton Monchelsea, Watching Brief.
  • <27>XY Scheduling record: English Heritage. Register of Scheduled Monuments. [Mapped feature: #288 Oppidum, ]
  • <28> Archive: Historic England. Archive material associated with Quarry Wood Camp, Scheduled Monument.

Finds (0)

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Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (8)

  • Intrusive Event: AMBER GREEN (Ref: EI 15182) (EKE4736)
  • Intrusive Event: Evaluation at Boughton Quarry Camp (EKE4832)
  • Intrusive Event: Excavations of site at Boughton Orchard, Chart Sutton, Maidstone (EKE5095)
  • Intrusive Event: Lady Bessies Cottage, Beresford Hill, Evaluation (EKE5013)
  • Intrusive Event: QUARRY WOOD CAMP (Ref: EI 15040) (EKE4008)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: Resistivity survey in 1992 at Lady Bessies Cottage, Beresford Hill, Boughton Monchelsea (EKE4971)
  • Intrusive Event: Watching brief at Lady Bessie's Cottage, 1992 (EKE21310)
  • Intrusive Event: Watching brief of a Footpath at Beresford Hill and Lady Bessies Cottage, Boughton Monchelsea (Ref: MA04/0950/C03) (EKE9092)

Related Thematic Articles (1)

Record last edited

Jan 24 2022 2:54PM