Desk based assessment of the site. Contains useful background information on the area. (1).

Evaluation work recorded a C17th/C18th Pit or ditch. Brick wall foundations and floor surfaces dating to C19th and a ragstone wall. Activity relating to the 19th century use of the site as an ironworks was also observed. (2).

Excavation work recorded an 18th/19th ragstone wall, a probable C17th/18th gravel extraction pit and a series of C18th/19th industrial features. Three cess pits were also recorded (see below).

The three post Medieval cess pits (two C17th/18th and one C18th) contained fragments of pottery (including Chinese porcelain), glass and clay pipes. One residual fragment of brick from cess pit may date to the late medieval or early post medieval period.

The small quantity of clay toabcco pipes date from AD 1660 to AD 1770.

The pottery assemblage includes green- and yellow- glazed Surrey-Hampshire Border ware, post medieval red eathenwares (bowl dish, porringer and 'rounded'), and sandy red earthenware (chamber pot, rounded jar, flowerpot, and bowl), tin glazed earthenware in the form of plate, punch bowl, ointment pot and albarello; several types of stoneware (London, Modern Englsih and Later Staffordshire blue) in the form of ink bottles, ginger beer bottlesand jars; English painted porcelain in the form of teacups and tea pots. Also, some imported pottery including Late Raeren stoneware (biconical jug); Frechen stoneware (jug); North Italian or Pisan slipware (medium rounded bowl) and blue and white, Batavaian and Famille Verte Chinese porcelain - dish, plates and tea bowls. Also industrial finewares -(pearl ware and Staffordshire 'Ironstone') - bowls and teacups.

Post medieval and modern glassware assemblage includes wine bottle from C18th-19th, better bottle from 19th-20th; ginger beer bottle from early C20th; jars; phial, wine glass and window glass (all late C17th/early 18th)

Various types of animal bone - cattle, pig, sheep, goat, domestic fowl, goose and other unidentifed ones (3).

<1> CgMs Consulting, 2005, Archaeological Desk based Assessment of Land at Waterside Maidstone (Unpublished document). SKE13514.

<2> Pre-Construct Archaeology, 2005, Assessment of an Archaeological Evaluation on Land at Waterside, Maidstone (Unpublished document). SKE12711.

<3> CgMs Consulting, 2005, Assessment of an Archaeological Excavation on Land at Waterside Maidstone Kent (Unpublished document). SKE13511.