Trial trenching ahead of a housing development in 2004 found a possible prehistoric pit, a medieval ditch and a series of post medieval ditches. The pit (0.57 m diameter x 0.28 m deep) contained a single piece of burnt flint. The medieval ditch ran east-west, was 1.0 m wide and 0.28 m deep. It was filled with a silty deposit containing medieval peg tile.The post medieval drainiage system ran north-east to south-west, generally being 0.7 m wide and 0.14 - 0.25 m deep. (1)

Subsequent excavation found two mesolithic or neolithic pits, iron age postholes, two east-west medieval ditches and evidence for the extension of Otford Moat into the site.

Prehistoric evidence
One pit was found within tr 14. It was 1.06 m x 0.56 and 0.4 m deep. It contained a single cattle humerous, 28 pieces of burnt flint and 26 pieces of struck flint including a core and blades of mesolithic or early neolithic date. Most of the flint was characteristic of late neolithic date. A second pit with similar finds was also found (1.25 m x 0.82 m x 0.18 m deep).

Four iron age postholes were found in trench 11 forming a curved alignment.More than 30 iron age pottery sherds were recovered from two of the postholes. Two shallow pits were also found in tr 11 but could not be dated. Two deep pits were also found in tr 13. Both contained iron age pottery, burnt flint and iron slag.

Tr 14 revealed a posthole and stakehole, both undated but likely to be iron age.

Medieval

Tr 13 contained a curvilinear ditch (2 m wide x 0.29 m deep). This was probably not a drainage ditch. It contained a single sherd of late 11th/12th century pottery.Three stakeholes were also found in this trench. A further medieval ditch ran right across the trench in an east-west alignment. It was 2 m wide and 0.25 m deep. Two stakeholes were found immediately to the south of this ditch.

Late medieval
The Moat from Otford Palace lies immediately west of the site and originally extended into the site. Its remains were detected in both trench 13 and 14. The boundaries were not detected and the feature was not excavated below 69.40 m OD.

Post Medieval
A large semi-circular cut was found to the east of the 'moat' in tr 14. This may have been an ornamental feature associated with the moat.(1)

<1> CgMs Consulting, 2004, An Archaeological Evaluation Land off Station Approach, Otford, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE13612.

<2> Pre-Construct Archaeology, 2005, Assessment of an Archaeological Excavation of Land off Station Road, Otford (Unpublished document). SKE13613.