[TR 37796539] ROMANO-BRITISH SETTLEMENT [R] (1) A shaft surrounded by seven pits was found within a chalk-pit, over an acre in extent, and situated between the High Street and the railway station, during the years 1876 to 1888. (2) The pits contained potsherds, animal bones, oyster shells and fragments of thin bronze, now in the British Museum (3) from a bucket-shaped cauldron. A straight W-sectioned ditch circa 80 yrds long ran between the pits. Roman sherds and two AR coins of Nero and Aurelius were found nearby at a later date. The shaft, 115 ft deep and 2.5 ft decreasing to 10 ins sq in section, had footholds and was almost completely filled with flints. The bottom 30 ft contained alternate layers of earth, flint and bones, including bos longifrons, dog, horse, roebuck, a few Romano-British sherds, a basin shaped vessel with lug handles and a few pieces of iron. Near the bottom of the shaft were some stone slabs, one almost circular, measuring 2.5 ft in daimeter, with a hole through the centre. (2-3) The present whereabouts of the finds from this settlement were not ascertained. The chalk-pit is now built over. (4) The shaft has been listed by Ross as having been used for ritual purposes. (5) TR 3865. Ramsgate. Ritual pit 115 ft deep surrounded by 7 other pits containing rubbish. The shaft had footholds, and was almost completely filled with flints. The bottom 30 ft had alternate layers of earth, flints and animal bones; also Roman sherds and a basin shaped vessel with laug handles. Near the bottom of the shaft were stone slabs. (6) TR 378654 (site to nearest 50m) Belgic and Romano British remains. Site no 167. (7) TR 377653. Excavations revealed several pits of various sizes containing pottery fragments and animal remains. Running between the pits were double parallel ditches. Within the bounds of the ditches a well was discovered, c.155 feet in depth. The upper portion of this well was filled with boulder flints, which were much in evidence elsewhere on the site. Theese would appear to have been transported from the Pegwell bay area. The lower 30 feet of the well was in layers of earth, bone and earth. Among the bones were the skull of a Bos Longifrons, several pieces of Samian ware along with fragments of Upchurch ware. Roman pottery was again discovered here in 1937. (8)

<1> OS 1/1250 1956 (OS Card Reference). SKE48115.

<2> Arch. Cant. 18, 1889 1-4 (S.T. Hillier) (OS Card Reference). SKE36975.

<3> V.C.H. Kent 3, 1932, 164-166 (OS Card Reference). SKE50743.

<4> F1 CFW 05-OCT-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42441.

<5> Studies Anc. Europe (ed. Coles & Simpson) 1968, 285 (A. Ross) (OS Card Reference). SKE49696.

<6> The Religions of Civilian Roman Britain 1976, 232 (M. Green) BAR 24 (OS Card Reference). SKE50487.

<7> Thanet. The Arch. Heritage c.1982, 10 (Thanet Dist. Council & Isle of Thanet Arch. Unit.) (OS Card Reference). SKE49909.

<8> Isle of Thanet Arch. Unit Sites and Mons Archive 1988, Record No 167 (OS Card Reference). SKE44735.

<9> Field report for monument TR 36 NE 38 - October, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6178.