During the East Kent Access Route excavations (2009-2011) a middle iron age trapezoidal enclosure was discovered. The enclosure followed the route of an early iron age palisade and partially respected an early bronze age ring-ditch.

Once the posts of the early iron age palisade had been removed and the ditch had begun to silt up a a new Iron Age settlement was established, the main element of which was a large trapezoidal enclosure. This was constructed in the angle of the palisade ditch and including much of the nearby early bronze age ring-ditch. There was an entrance in the north-east of the enclosure, in the same place as a gap in the palisade.


the long side of which were 83m and 81.5m long on the north and south, the short sides were 50m and 32m west and east. The southern corner of the enclosure lay just outside the limits of excavation. The enclosure ditch was a substantial feature with a steep V shaped profile, 1.6-2m in depth and 3m wide at the surface. The lower fills of the excavated sections were largely free from cultural material. The earliest dated material was early to middle iron age (5th-4th century BC). Above this much larger volume fills contained predominantly Middle Iron Age ceramics, with Late Iron Age and Roman material in the upper third of the profile. A date towards the end of the early Iron Age is therefore proposed for the creation and initial use of the enclosure. A large group of fired clay form the upper ditch fills included evidence for salt working comprising hearth structure, furniture and briquetage vessel sherds. Elsewhere further remains probably deriving from salt working include a group of triangular perforated bricks and several relatively large groups of fired clay from pits.

This enclosure appears to fit easily into a well known pattern of settlement. The trapezoidal form resembles that of a typical rectilinear settlement of Iron age date. Like any other Iron Age enclosures the single entrance, which is in the shortest eastern side, faces to the south east. The presence of large areas of pits and quarries outside the enclosure is also something seen on other Iron Age sites. There are also some differences between this enclosure and other Iron Age enclosed settlements. There is only one surviving building within the enclosure which is of an unusual form. It is also not clear if there was an internal bank.

A large sunken featured building approximately 6.5m square and surviving to 0.8m below the machined surface, was situated in the north west corner of the enclosure. Three post holes adjacent to it possibly formed an entrance structure. The building was filled with a series of dumped layers containing refuse (pottery – predominantly of early to Middle Irona Ge date, animal bone, shell fired clay, one Iron and one stone object). Notable amounst this material was the cranium of an adult human which was dated to 1880-1680 cal BC. It is possible that this originated in the same cemetery to the Bronze Age Barrow, over which the Iron Age enclosure is located and SFB. The ceramics indicate that the building went out of use early in the life of the enclosure, towards the end of the early Iron Age.

Two pits were situated approximately 5m south of the building, both contained early to middle Iron Age pottery. In the south west corner of the enclosure a group of six pits were also of a likely Early to middle Iron Age date and contained material that seems to derive from the discard of domestic refuse, in some instances on quite a considerable scale. Three other isolated pits all lie in the eastern part of the northern half of the enclosure again these contained finds of an early to middle Iron age date, including pottery and animal bone.

Between the two groups of pits at the western end of the enclosure was a zone occupied by post holes. These formed two groups, including a four post structure and a linear arrangement of three postholes which probably mark the location of a fence. (information summarised from source) (1-2)

In the north-west corner of the enclosure, within the area originally enclosed by the ring-ditch, was a sunken-feature building. The building was 6.5m square and appeared to be contemporary with the trapezoidal enclosure. A ramp led down into the interior of the building and was accompanied by an entrance defined by post holes. Other post holes were placed at the corners of the building. The building was filled with a series of dumped layers containing refuse - pottery, animal bone, shell, fired clay and one iron and one stone object. There was also a human cranium cut from the eye sockets to the back of the head.

South of the sunken-feature building was a four-post structure and there were also a number of pits within the enclosure. (1)

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

<2> Andrews et al, 2015, Digging The Gateway: Archaeological Landscapes of South Thanet. The Archaeology of East Kent Access (Phase III) Vol 1: The sites (Monograph). SKE55517.