In 2005 Oxford Archaeology carried out an excavation on land east of Tesco Extra, Westwood. A system of linear ditches crossed the site. It seems likely that the majority of the linear ditches at the site belong to a field system of later bronze age date. Datable finds from these ditches were very sparse, but two semi-complete middle-late Bronze age pots were recovered from the upper fill of ditch 1211. This ditch was 94m long and followed a NE-SW alignment. The two late Bronze Age vessels were found standing upright, directly adjacent to each other, 4m from the south west terminus of the ditch. They were close to the surface and had been truncated by ploughing. One small piece of burnt bone was recovered from the fil of one of the vessels but it is not certain if this was human or animal. A double ditched boundary feature ran off at a right angle from the northern side of ditch 1211and was thus presumably contemporary/ several similar double ditched boundaries – each formed parallel linears c.1.5-2m apart were found across the site and seem likely to belong to the same system. These double ditches may have bounded a ban or a hedge, similar features are often seen in Later Bronze Age field systems in south east England. The field system was essentially rectilinear in form although ti became more irregular towards the eastern part of the site. the individual fields or enclosures seem to have been of variable size and shape. While not all of the boundaries need have been contemporary, there was no stratigraphic evidence for development of the system over time. The individual ditches had V or U shaped profiles and were up to 1m wide and 0.72m deep, becoming shallower towards the eastern end of the site. aside from the vessels, the only finds were a moderate amount of worked flint and a few sherds of residual early Neolithic pottery. Three pits at the eastern side of the sit produced later Bronze Age pottery and may be associated with the field system. By far the largest was pit 1349 which measure 11m by 6.5m in size and was 1m deep. It contained two fills and may have been a pond or water hole. The other pits were much smaller. Later Bronze Age pottery was also recovered from a shallow hollow. This measure 9m in diameter and 0.34m deep. The fill suggested livestock trampling. (1-2)

<1> Oxford Archaeology, 2005, Land Adjacent to Tesco Extra, Margate Road, Broadstairs, Kent: Post Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design (Unpublished document). SKE17691.

<2> Oxford Archaeology, 2006, Prehistoric Activity at Westwood, Broadstairs: Draft Publication Report (Unpublished document). SKE17692.