These features were recorded in the Historic England pastscape website, identified from aerial photography undertaken during the English Heritage Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project.
The report states: "At least sixty five pits of varying sizes are located within, and are possibly associated with, a complex of enclosures and trackways recorded as Monument 1549216. The date of the pits is uncertain, and could be Iron Age, Roman or Early Medieval. The pits appear to be of two types: large sub rectangular pits and smaller sub circular pits. These features are visible as cropmarks and have been mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project. The large sub rectangular form comprises at least fifteen pits. Five of these appear to lie within the trackways (i.e. between the ditches) of the settlement site recorded as Monument 1549216. There are also up to 50 smaller sub circular pits, the majority of which are grouped in three clusters. Several of the largest sub rectangular pits resemble sunken featured buildings, or Grubenhauser, of the type most commonly associated with Anglo-Saxon settlement. These are comparable in form to other examples of Early Medieval sunken featured structures which are known from the Thames and Medway estuary region of eastern England, most notably from the well documented site at Mucking, Essex, which lies 10 km to the north west overlooking the north bank of the Thames (Monuments 414101). If the sub rectangular pit represent sunken featured buildings, an Early Medieval date seems most likely. There is, however, at least one example of sunken featured structures found in the context of Roman settlement near Monkton on the Isle of Thanet, about 53 km to the south east (Monument 1130151). If the sub rectangular pits proved to belong to this earlier date, it might indicate a chronological association between the pits and the complex of enclosures and trackways as well as a locational association.
At least sixty five pits of varying sizes, in an area centred at TQ 7584 7452, are located within, and are possibly associated with, a complex of enclosures and trackways recorded as Monument 1549216. The date of the pits is uncertain, and could be Iron Age, Roman or Early Medieval. The pits appear to be of two types: large sub rectangular pits and smaller sub circular pits. These features are visible as cropmarks and have been mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project.

The large sub rectangular form comprises at least fifteen pits. Five of these appear to lie within the trackways (i.e. between the ditches) of the settlement site recorded as Monument 1549216. There are also up to 50 smaller sub circular pits, the majority of which are grouped in three clusters centred at TQ 7588 7452, TQ 7582 7454, and TQ 7586 7458.

Several of the largest sub rectangular pits, which range in size from 6.3m by 4.7m to 3.1m by 1.75m, resemble sunken featured buildings, or Grubenhauser, of the type most commonly associated with Anglo-Saxon settlement. These are comparable in form to other examples of Early Medieval sunken featured structures which are known from the Thames and Medway estuary region of eastern England, most notably from the well documented site at Mucking, Essex, which lies 10 km to the north west overlooking the north bank of the Thames, at TQ 6780 (Monuments 414101).

If the sub rectangular pit represent sunken featured buildings, an Early Medieval date seems most likely. There is, however, at least one example of sunken featured structures found in the context of Roman settlement near Monkton on the Isle of Thanet, about 53 km to the south east (Monument 1130151, at TR 3021 6571 approximately). If the sub rectangular pits proved to belong to this earlier date, it might indicate a chronological association between the pits and the complex of enclosures and trackways as well as a locational association. " (1)

<1> English Heritage, 2012, Sixty five pits likely associated with a settlement complex at Deangate Ridge, Cooling Parish. Pits could be Iron Age, Roman or Early Medieval in date. (Website). SKE31618.