'A' [TR 36314931] DANE PITS [G.T.] (Remains of) 'B' [TR 36284928] (1)

Hasted describes 'Dane Pitts' as " ..... an intrenchment of oblong square ..... about 1/2 acre ... with various little eminences on it ...."(a) There is now nothing visible at the published site which was under crop when visited. The farmer who has farmed the land for about 50 years has no knowledge of an earthwork hereabouts (b) (2)

'Differential drying of ploughed soil around the edge of a field at NGR TR 36354932 revealed a series of 8 features, mostly ditches. Probing was carried out to find their depth. A plan at 1: 200 was made. No finds were recovered. The soil here is thin and chalky'. Plan accompanying this information shows two parallel possible ditch segments at an angle of 45 degrees to the modern road, plus a second ditch at right angles to the first two. Together these form what may be one corner of an enclosure such as that described above, though the projected apex of the corner would lie under the modern Ripple Road. Probing indicated the apparent width of the 'enclosure' ditch to be approx 3m, with a depth (from modern soil level) of 1.2m. (3)

Additonal Information (4-5)

In 1982 differential drying of ploughed soil around the edge of a field of young corn revealed a series of eight features, mostly ditiches although no finds were recovered.(6)

Very clear on 2007 Google Earth image.

<1> OS 6" 1877 (OS Card Reference). SKE48311.

<2> History of Kent, Vol.9, 1798, p.565 (Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE44151.

<3> Inf. Mr. Mowll, Coldblow Farm, Ripple (OS Card Reference). SKE44396.

<4> F1 FGA 13-MAY-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42919.

<5> Field report for monument TR 34 NE 15 - May, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5921.

<6> Parfitt, K., 1982, Ripple Road, Ripple (Unpublished document). SKE11886.