TR 19463689. Neolithic site at Cheriton, Folkestone was found in March 1972 when a water-main trench was being dug close to the kerb. The site is on a grass verge, OS parcel 3693, between the footpath and the road, at the southern edge of Cheriton High Street and c700 metres north-east of St Martins parish church.

A workman noticed parts of a large pottery vessel lying on its side, c. one metre in the side of the trench. It was noted that is was in a sandy brown loam fill, distinct from the surrounding natural sand. The pile was laid, and the trench back-filled, before the find was reported to the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit. The pottery represented large fragments of two substantically complete vessels of late Neolithic type. They may have neen discarded domestic rubbish, but the unusually large sherds, some having fresh breaks, suggests that the vessels were buried in a complete form. As they were lying in a distinct deposit, which may represent a small pit or ditch, it could be the site of a burial. The pottery was 1. a bowl in Ebbsfleet style, dating to the mid 3rd millennium BC and 2. a bowl of Ebbsfleet/Mortlake style c.2000 BC. This suggests that there was late Neolithic settlement in the adjacentarea. (1)

A Desk-based Assessment referenced this possible burial as evidence for the potential for Prehistoric archaeology at the site. (2)

<1> KAR 42 1975 42-45 (I Smith & B Philp) (OS Card Reference). SKE45339.

<2> CgMs Consulting, 2014, Archaeological Desk Based Assessment: Firs Road, Folkestone, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE31117.