In 2002 Canterbury Archaeological Trust carried out an evaluation on the site of Crabble Paper Mill, Dover. A large ditch was found to run the length of one trench, over 16m long. It was c.1m wide and c.1m deep and only contained two sherds, one of the Late Iron Age or Roman period and the other of 1st or 2nd century date. If these are not residual, the ditch probably dates to the 1st century. Other finds included a partially articulated animal skeleton and a few residual prehistoric flints.

The excavation that followed the evaluation phase of work on the site found a similar ditch that may well represent a continuation of the ditch or another one in the same field system. It contained more pottery similar to that found in the first ditch. (1)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2002, Crabble Paper Mill, River, Dover: An Assessment of the Archaeological and Geoarchaeological Discoveries (Unpublished document). SKE17458.