In 1998 Museum of London Archaeology carried out an excavation. In 2000/1 the Oxford Archaeological Unit carried out a targeted watching brief (a strip, map and sample excavation) ahead of CTRL works. In the Middle Iron Age an enclosed farmstead was established on a slight rise in the southern part of the site. There were possibly two phases of enclosure ditches. Two sections of a curving ditch were found. This ditch was truncated by the main ditches of the enclosure and so its full extent could not be determined. It could have been part of an earlier phase or contemporary with the main ditches, acting as an internal subdivision. The main ditches of the enclosure were concentric rings around the rise. The inner ring was 50m x 54m with an eastern entrance 4.5m wide. The sections of ditch to either side of this entrance were wider and deeper than the rest of the circuit. A large number of Middle Iron Age sherds were recovered from this ditch, representing at least 30 well preserved vessels. At least two of the vessels were large capacity saucepans and many other had evidence of sooting, suggesting they had been used for cooking, and for large quantities. The outer ditch was less substantial than the inner and could have been reinforced with a hedge. The entrances through the two ditches were remodelled and were complex. There were three phases of entrance and a possible entrance structure was also identified. The interior of the enclosure was poorly preserved due to machining. A number of post holes were found and these could have been part of post-built structures within the enclosure. One four post structure was found within the enclosure. A pit within the enclosure silted gradually and may have been a small waterhole.

Parallels have been drawn with Mingies Ditch, Oxfordshire. (1-2)

<1> Oxford Archaeological Unit, 2003, Beechbrook Wood: Post Excavation Assessment Report (Unpublished document). SKE16484.

<2> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2006, The Prehistoric and Roman landscape at Beechbrook Wood, Westwell, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE25196.