During excavations associated with the construction of the East Kent Access route in Thanet (2009-2011) (Zone 13) a bronze age barrow (barrow 2) was uncovered. It lay approximately 0.5m higher than barrow 1 which was located just c.30m to the north west. The barrow had a single ditch which had been re-dug on alt least one occasion. It is suggested this represents an early change in the nature and use of the feature. In its final state, the ditch formed a complete circuit and was the largest ring ditch to have been uncovered during the East Kent Access investigations

It is possible that this feature originally dated to the late neolithic period and may have been a single entrance hengeform monument. The original cut only survived in three locations as the later (Early Bronze Age) cut destroyed most of it. there is evidence for at least one terminal in this initial phase suggesting that it may have been discontinuous and differences in its width are also suggestive of other breaks in its original circuit. The fills from this early ditch were sterile but there is some Middle-late Neolithic flint from the fills of the later ditch. This ditch appears to have been at least partially filled before the second ditch was dug.

The second rig ditch had an external diameter of 43m and a maximum width at the surface of 3.2m and a maximum depth of 1.3m. an inhumation burial made on the north eastern side of the ditch, when it was approximately half infilled, was dated to 1400-1220 cal BC and the fills of the ditch were cut by a late Bronze Age feature. Therefore this feature likely dates to the Early Bronze age and was gradually infilled over the next millennium and a half. The lowest three fills of the ditch contained small quantities of Bronze Age material. Above these was a finds rich fill dating to the middle Iron Age. (information summarised from source)(1)

<1> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2011, East Kent Access (Phase II), Thanet, Kent: Post-Excavation Assessment Volume 1 (Unpublished document). SKE29279.