Monument record TR 36 NW 205 - Roman enclosure cropmarks and undated barrows, Acol

TR 319674. Cropmarks of enclosures. Cropmarks show two rectangular enclosures, the larger covering perhaps an acre. The larger enclosure has a causeway entrance and an internal feature (hut?). (1)

One enclosure excavated during watching brief for Manston water pipeline. (Site 115 in Thanet SMR). Features correspond with the cropmark. 3 ditches were located, fill contained animal bones, oyster and land snail shells, (Helix aspersa). Romano-British pottery was also found.

The 3rd ditch also contained medieval pottery and the distal half of a human femur. 2 pits were sectioned, the fill containing sea shells, bone fragments and medieval pottery. (2)

RCHME AP shows sub-circular cropmark consisting of pit features, adjacent to the enclosure at TR 3191 6752. A possible barrow. (3)

Cropmarks of a rectilinear enclosure on the north side of Manston Road are visible on aerial photographs -CUCAP CW63 29-JUN-1949, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery 21-APR-2007 and HEA 35258_007 16-JUN-2022. Three sides of this ditched enclosure are visible (the southern side lies to the south of the road, possibly obscured by the remains of the slight railway embankment of an early 20th century military railway to RAF Manston). The main enclosure measures 64.6m wide and at least 88m long. There is a thinner external ditch on the eastern side and two internal ditches within the northern side. A framented diagonal (NW-SE) ditch within the enclosure may by an unrelated feature, also a number of pits of varying shape and size. Within the NE corner is a single ring ditch with a large central pit. Finds of Romano-British pottery and medieval pottery cited by source 2 above suggests at least two phases of occupation, but suggest the primary enclosure is Roman-British in date. (4-6)

Field report for monument TR 36 NW 18 - October, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6223.

Field report for monument TR 36 NW 18 - October, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6223.

<1> Trust for Thanet Archaeology, 1987, Isle of Thanet Archaeological Unit Sites and Monuments Archive, Isle of Thanet Arch Unit Sites and Mons Archive 1988 Rec no 115 photo (Collection). SKE11846.

<2> Trust For Thanet Archaeology, 1989, An Archaeological Watching Brief on the Sparrow Castle - Manston Water Main, An arch. watching brief on the Sparrow castle- Manston water pipeline, Thanet arch. Trust, 1996. (Unpublished document). SWX7080.

<3> Historic England Archive, 1949-1976, Historic England Archive CUCAP oblique aerial photographs, CUCAP CW63 29-JUN-1949 (Archive). SKE57107.

<4> Next Perspectives, 2003-2021, Next Perspectives APGB orthophotography, Perspectives APGB Imagery 21-APR-2007 (Archive). SKE57110.

<5> Historic England Archive, 1920-2024, Historic England Archive Specialist oblique aerial photographs, HEA 35258_007 16-JUN-2022 (Archive). SKE57106.