Monument record TR 36 NE 168 - Possible Iron Age hillfort, near North Foreland Lighthouse, Broadstairs and St. Peters

Summary

The cropmarks of two parallel ditches, part of the defensive system, possibly a hill fort. Identified from aerial photographs. Features of an iron age date have been discovered at numerous locations around North Foreland, notable during excavations at St Stephens College and along North Foreland Road.

Location

Grid reference TR 396 694 (point) FCE
Map sheet TR36NE
County KENT
District THANET, KENT
Civil Parish BROADSTAIRS AND ST PETERS, THANET, KENT

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Type and Period (2)

Full Description

TR 397694. Cropmarks show parallel ditches of multivallate defensive system, possibly a hill fort. (See also TR 36 NE 167) (1)

These features were reviewed and re-mapped during the Historic England Isle of Thanet project. The details are recorded in MWX43002.

Iron Age features discovered during excavation at St Stephens college included ditched enclosures and linear features, post built structures and numerous grain storage pits. The report notes that it is unlikely that a formal hillfort type settlement was established here, the increasing intensity of economic and social activity has parallels with the establishment of centralised hillfort type settlements without the specific defensive capacity. (2) This does not consider the cropmark evidence however.


<1> Isle of Thanet Arch Unit Sites and Mons Archive 1988 Rec no 66 plan (OS Card Reference). SKE44676.

<2> Trust for Thanet Archaeology, 2006, Excavation at St Stephen's College, North Foreland, Broadstairs, Kent, Archaeological Excavation Report (Unpublished document). SKE53141.

Sources/Archives (2)

  • <1>XY OS Card Reference: Isle of Thanet Arch Unit Sites and Mons Archive 1988 Rec no 66 plan. [Mapped feature: #62665 cropmark, ]
  • <2> Unpublished document: Trust for Thanet Archaeology. 2006. Excavation at St Stephen's College, North Foreland, Broadstairs, Kent, Archaeological Excavation Report.

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Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (5)

  • Intrusive Event: Evaluation at the St. Stephen's College Site, North Foreland, Broadstairs (EKE11474)
  • Intrusive Event: Excavation at St. Stephen's College site, North Foreland, Broadstairs (Ref: NFB 99) (EKE12687)
  • Event Boundary: Excavation at St. Stephen's College site, North Foreland, Broadstairs (Ref: NFB 99) (EKE24711)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: Historic England Thanet Landscape - Aerial Investigation Mapping (EKE23827)
  • Intrusive Event: North Foreland Hill excavation, 1995 (EKE21119)

Record last edited

Mar 14 2025 11:56AM