Archaeology South-East carried out an evaluation in 2007. Features were recorded in four trenches: 3, 5, 11 and 13 which comprised of four shallow linear features, a probable pit and several small intercutting features. Only single linear features were recorded in trenches 11 and 1; two linear features were recorded in trench 5. Worked flint of probable Bronze Age date was found. (1)

In 2007-8 Archaeology South-East carried out a strip, map and sample excavation of the site, during this investigation elements of an Iron Age field system were identified. This field system replaced an earlier one which had been set out in the Late Bronze age on a different alignment. During this period the land was reorganised along a main east-west aligned route way, a track or drove way, defined by two parallel ditches no more than 0.1m deep delineated a space approximately 2m wide. The route was associated with coaxially arranged rectilinear fields that divided up the land (mostly) to the south of it. The fields and paddocks were defined by ditches, these were fairly narrow and shallow, on average between 0.20m and 0.40m wide and 0.15m deep. The full extent of at least four fields were apparent. The field immediately south of the southern entrance of the route way in the centre of the site was 80m by 40m; the fields adjacent to the east and west were both approximately 50m by 40m and the field to the south-west was 50m by 50m. Most of the fields seemed to have entrances to the adjacent fields where there are gaps in the ditches. Two waterholes are most likely contemporary with the field system. The first was located by a field entrance, measuring 5m in diameter and 1.30m deep with steep sides and filled by a series of water-lain clays. The other was 5m in diameter and 1.96m deep with the bottom accessible to cattle from a ramp dug into the north-west side. The upper fills of both waterholes had finds of Roman pottery sherds suggesting these features were filling in for a considerable length of time. A second phase of field boundary ditches were added to the field system and route way, in places further sub-dividing the fields and elsewhere replacing the earlier boundaries. Overall The features of this period contained few finds but the absence of any diagnostic Middle Iron Age finds suggests that they did not continue in use beyond the end of the Early Iron Age. The presence of waterholes, which are a common characteristic of pastoral landscapes, suggests that these fields were used at least in part for livestock. (2-3)

<1> Archaeology South-East, 2007, An Archaeological Evaluation at Former Allotments Site, Manston Road, Ramsgate, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE13053.

<2> Archaeology South-East, 2009, Archaeological Investigations at the Former Allotments Site, Manston Road, Ramsgate, Kent: Post-excavation Assessment and Project Design for Publication (Unpublished document). SKE17961.

<3> Archaeology South-East, 2011, Archaeological Investigations at the former Allotments Site, Manston Road, Ramsgate, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE18206.