Monument record TR 26 SW 216 - Rectilinear enclosure, Old Tree View, Hoath

Rectilinear enclosure visible in cropmarks. (1 and 2)

In 2011-2 a project by students from the University of Kent conducted geophysical surveys of the site (magnetometry and resistivity). A rectilinear enclosure, c.60m x c.40m was detected to the east of the double-ditched enclosure. There is a possible entrance on the south-eastern side. (3)

An archaeological excavation was carried out at the site between 2012-2013 to invesigate features at the site. The extent of the enclosure is described as around 80m in length by 40m in width, with a low gravel ridge running across the centre, and surrounded by a wide ditch up to 4m in width and up to 2m in depth. The recorded length of the ditch exceeds 200m.

The excavation took place over a section of the enclosure ditch and identified six individual fill contexts which contained a number of artefacts including pottery, fired clay, burnt flint pot boilers, and a possible smooth whetstone. The discovery of fewer artefacts associated with domestic activity at this site, in comparison with the other excavated enclosure (TR 26 SW 66) led to the author's (4) interpretation that occupation was less extensive or of a shorter time frame at this enclosure than the larger ovate enclosure to the north-west.

The enclosure is highlighted by the authors of the report (4) as a parallel for the nearby enclosure at Highstead. "The locations of [the enclosures] would have meant they occupied a commanding position, one at each side of the inlet that flows through the valley between. It is possible that these were built to dominate this important access route to the interior landscape of farms and domestic communities…" (from the original report, 4).

<1> NMR TR 2164/5 (09-07-76) (OS Card Reference). SKE47662.

<2> NMR TR 2064/4 (16-07-79) (OS Card Reference). SKE47659.

<3> Matthew Charlwood, 2012, Old Tree View, Old Tree Road, Hoath: Archaeological Project Phase I (Unpublished document). SKE17393.

<4> University of Kent, 2013, Old Tree View, Old Tree Road, Hoath, Archaeological Project Phase II (Unpublished document). SKE57829.