Monument record TR 36 NE 573 - Middle Bronze Age to Early Iron Age field system, New Haine Road, Ramsgate

Summary

Excavations carried out at the southern end of New Haine road and EuroKent buisiness park revealed numerous ditches many of which appear to belong to part of a Middle Bronze Age through to Early Iron Age field system. The site appears to have had a long period of use for agricultural purposes, with several phases of reorganisation of the locations of the fields and their boundaries. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Location

Grid reference Centred TR 3601 6659 (158m by 106m) (26 map features)
Map sheet TR36NE
Civil Parish RAMSGATE, THANET, KENT
County KENT
District THANET, KENT

Map

Type and Period (3)

Full Description

In 2007 Wessex Archaeology carried out an evaluation. A number of ditches were found which contained only flintwork of Bronze Age date. Some ditches did, however, contain sherds of Late Bronze or Early Iron Age date. (1)

The area was further investigated during a strip map and sample excavation conducted by Wessex Archaeology in 2007-8. Field ditches and enclosures were found across the area, often intercutting and truncating one another. The majority of features within the Site are likely to date to the later prehistoric period, more specifically probably to the Middle and/or Late Bronze Age periods. Dating from these features was generally sparse, and the possibility that some of these features could also belong to other periods of land use, particularly the Early Iron Age, is explicitly acknowledged. The majority of the late Prehistoric features lay on the western edge of the Site, with a particular concentration of activity in the south-western corner. Here, field-ditches had become established before being modified on a number of occasions. Some of these re-enforced or perpetuated earlier feature alignments, whilst others appeared to block or redirect transit through the site. The palimpsest may attest to agricultural ‘infield’ activity (paddocks, stock enclosures, holding pens etc.) over an extended period of time rather than a settlement or occupation zone. The stratigraphic sequences obtained during the excavation works, and the spatial arrangement of features identified clearly indicates several sub-phases of later prehistoric activity. The site had been heavily truncated by deep ploughing in the 20th century and so any traces of occupation may have been removed. The exception was a curving gully that could have been associated with a structure. Whilst ephemeral building traces could have been erased from the site, neither the quantities of artefactual and ecofactual material from features in this area, nor the nature and composition of the assemblages is consistent with extended domestic use. At least four pit features appear to be of a similar date to the field system. A small sub-oval pit, measuring c 1m by 0.7m, and 0.25m deep was cut into the southern edge of one ditch. Sampling of a charcoal-rich middle fill of the pit yielded a charred grain of emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum) and two glume-bases of spelt wheat (Triticum spelta), both of which are entirely consistent with Bronze Age agriculture in Kent. (2-3) (information summarised from source)


<1> Wessex Archaeology, 2007, Land off Haine Road, A255, Thanet, Kent: Archaeological Evaluation Report (Unpublished document). SKE17947.

<2> Wessex Archaeology, 2008, Land off Haine Road, A256, Thanet, Kent: Post-excavation Assessment of Archaeological Results (Unpublished document). SKE17948.

<3> Wessex Archaeology, 2009, A Late Prehistoric Enclosure & Field System at Haine Road, Ramsgate (Unpublished document). SKE18244.

Sources/Archives (3)

  • <1> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2007. Land off Haine Road, A255, Thanet, Kent: Archaeological Evaluation Report.
  • <2> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2008. Land off Haine Road, A256, Thanet, Kent: Post-excavation Assessment of Archaeological Results.
  • <3> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2009. A Late Prehistoric Enclosure & Field System at Haine Road, Ramsgate.

Finds (2)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (4)

  • Intrusive Event: Evaluation of the New Haine Road route and the Eurokent Business Park (Ref: 66150.02) (EKE12374)
  • Intrusive Event: Strip, map and sample excavation of the South East England Development Agency site (Eurokent Business Park), 2007-8 (Ref: 66153.02) (EKE12375)
  • Intrusive Event: Strip, map and sample excavation of the southern section of the New Haine Road route (Ref: 66153.02) (EKE12376)
  • Event Boundary: Watching Brief and strip, map and sample excavations New Haine Road route and Euokent Buisiness Park, 2007-2008 (Ref: 66153.02) (EKE24678)

Record last edited

Feb 28 2025 11:57AM