Prob. settlement TR 29246736 - TR 29226688: Enclosures at north end, at south end large ring ditch and large area feature, both surrounded by poss pit spread. (1)

'Pit spread' is possibly a Saxon cemetery - see TR 26 NE 263.

A Roman period settlement at Thanet Earth is defined by a crop-mark enclosure that lay immediately north-east of Plateau 8 (Fig. 134). While probably of late Iron Age origin, Roman occupation was proven by the excavation of ditches extending from the crop-mark site into the Thanet Earth spine road, the Research Centre at the eastern extent of Plateau 8 and later work relating to the installation of the pumping main. The crop-marks form two groups each consisting of three identifiable sub rectangular enclosures. The larger group of enclosures is positioned centrally within
the complex, though one of these is probably medieval, and the smaller to the north. They are bounded to the east and north by a curving ditch that lies on an approximate north-east to south-west axis. To the east the complex is likely to have been bounded by the track-way that would later develop into Seamark Road. Of the central group of enclosures, the northern is (at least on its south and part of its west side) double ditched with a probable entrance located centrally along its east
side. A second potential entrance lay just south of centre along the western side of the enclosure. The ditches appear to form a track-way leading to the second, rather smaller enclosure that lies slightly to the south. A potential entrance would appear to be located on the west side of the enclosure, with a second in the north-west corner. The south-west corner of this enclosure has been obscured by a large sub circular disturbance, probably a quarry. The southern enclosure in this group is rather longer, though much of the east side is not visible. The smaller group of enclosures lie to the north-east of the central group. They are smaller and appear to intercut. (2)

The cropmark remains of the the probable late Iron Age -Roman settlement described by the previous authority are visible on aerial photographs -CUCAP BXA32 04-JUN-1976 which pre-date the development of the site. Features to the north are recorded onimagery from EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 05/2022. ACCESSED 23-AUG-2024, and a fragment of an enclosure on the northern edge of Monkton Road Farm is visible on OS/64018 V 28 12-MAY-1964. Cropmarks of a possible trackway (MKE124391) can be seen enteing this settlement site from the NE, possibly skirting the settlement on the western side. The cropmark remains of numerous large secondary extractive pits of uncertain date (post-dating the settlement phase) are scattered throughout the settlement enclosures. This feature was mapped as part of the Historic England Thanet Landscape Mapping Project 2024 (3-5)).

<1> AP (CUC BXA 32-5; 04-06-76) (OS Card Reference). SKE33457.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2023, Beneath the Seamark: 6000 Years of an Islands History (Monograph). SKE55405.

<3> Historic England Archive, 1949-1976, Historic England Archive CUCAP oblique aerial photographs, CUCAP BXA32 04-JUN-1976 (Archive). SKE57107.

<4> Google.Com, 1960-2023, Earth.Google.Com orthophotography, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 05/2022. ACCESSED 23-AUG-2024 (Archive). SKE57111.

<6> Historic England Archive, 1964-2005, Historic England Archive Ordnance Survey vertical aerial photographs (Archive). SKE57105.