A two stage archaeological investigation was undertaken at Claxfield Farm, Lynsted Lane, Lynsted, Kent, a proposed Brickearth excavation site, involving a strip and map investigation and an intermittent watching brief. The strip and map investigation removed only the topsoil and did not reveal any definite archaeological features apart from a hearth/fire-pit of undetermined date and three modern animal burials containing animal bones and small amounts of pottery. The fire-pit was circular in plan containing two deposits, including fine powdery ash but the absence of any metallic residues on the walls suggests that it was not an industrial fire. The occurrence of burnt flint is an indicator of domestic cooking. It was concluded that the fire-pit could have been an isolated out-lying feature that was part of a small settlement located further to the south. The watching brief did not produce any evidence of archaeological features, deposits or artefacts. (1)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2005, Archaeologival Investigations in Advance of and During the Extraction of Brickearth on Land at Claxfield Farm, Lynsted Loane, Lynsted, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE13574.