TQ 54516736. A late pre-Roman Iron Age farmstead detected from the air was totally excavated by the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit in 1975 ahead of motorway construction. A roughly pentagonal ditched enclosure of about 0.2 hectares had four original entrance causeways, one of which was later removed. Internally, a probable circular hut, about 5m in diameter and protected by a shallow uphill gully, and three groups of pits, largely filled the western part of the site. The largely open eastern side may have been used for storage, drying or for cattle and sheep pens. Sixteen of the pits were substantial and were probably dug as underground silos, probably for storage of crops grown in small nearbyfields. A minimum of 165 pottery vessels, found discarded in the pitsand ditches, date between 50 BC and AD 50. The farmstead probably represents a single family unit. Full excavation report. (1,2)

<1> Excav in the Darent Valley 1984 7-71 figs 3-22 (B Philp) (OS Card Reference). SKE41679.

<2> DOE Arch Excav 1975 1976 122 (B J Philp) (OS Card Reference). SKE40788.