Monument record TQ 97 SE 1082 - Middle-Late Bronze Age circular ditched enclosure and related features

Summary

Middle-Late Bronze Age circular ditched enclosure containing cremation graves or pyre refuse pits, postholes, and associated pottery in the ditch fill.

Location

Grid reference Centred TQ 9769 7216 (154m by 156m)
Map sheet TQ97SE
County KENT
District SWALE, KENT
Civil Parish EASTCHURCH, SWALE, KENT

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

The 120m diameter hill-top enclosure was 4.5-5.5m wide and 1.6m deep (from the stripped ground level), with steep sides (in places with a step on the outer side) and a flat base (Plates 1–4). No entrance to the enclosure has been found, but one could lie along the unexposed western side (1).

The presence of a large, contemporary, oval ditched feature (Enclosure B) in the eastern part of the enclosure (as recorded in the previous phases of work) strongly suggests that there was no internal bank, and the symmetrical filling of the circular enclosure ditch also gives no indication of a bank, either inside or outside (1).

Although the ditch contained little pottery, several large Middle-Late Bronze Age sherds were recovered from the base of slot 472, one of which had a carbonised deposit on its interior surface yielding a 14C-date of 1540-1120 BC cal BC (at 95% certainty). The upper ditch fill also contained occasional Late Bronze Age sherds (1).

The enclosure contained a mixture of cremation/pyre refuse pits and post holes. Five probable cremation burials were present (2).


Wessex Archaeology, 2000, Kingsborough Farm Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent. Phase 1 Stage 2 Archaeological Excavation: Summary Report (Unpublished document). SKE12298.

Wessex Archaeology, 2002, Kingsborough Manor Development, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, kent. Watching Briefs, Evaluation, and Phase 1, Stage 2 Excavation: Assessment Report and proposals for Post-Excavation Analyses and Publication (Unpublished document). SKE12297.

<1> Wessex Archaeology, 2008, Kingsborough Manor, Phase 3 Stages 1 and 2, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE31436.

<2> Archaeology South-East, 2000, Archaeological investigations at Kingsborough Farm, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent: Post-Excavation Assessment and Draft Proposals for Future Work (Unpublished document). SKE12602.

Sources/Archives (4)

  • --- Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2002. Kingsborough Manor Development, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, kent. Watching Briefs, Evaluation, and Phase 1, Stage 2 Excavation: Assessment Report and proposals for Post-Excavation Analyses and Publication.
  • --- Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2000. Kingsborough Farm Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent. Phase 1 Stage 2 Archaeological Excavation: Summary Report.
  • <1> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2008. Kingsborough Manor, Phase 3 Stages 1 and 2, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent.
  • <2> Unpublished document: Archaeology South-East. 2000. Archaeological investigations at Kingsborough Farm, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent: Post-Excavation Assessment and Draft Proposals for Future Work.

Finds (4)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (5)

  • Intrusive Event: Excavation at Kingsborough Farm, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey (Ref: 1067) (EKE8898)
  • Intrusive Event: Excavation on Kingsborough Farm, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey (Ref: 46792.1) (EKE8604)
  • Intrusive Event: Kingsborough Manor, Phase 3 Stage 2 excavation, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent (EKE15437)
  • Intrusive Event: Phase 1, Stage 2 evaulation at Kingsborough Manor, Eastchurch, Sheppey (EKE12152)
  • Intrusive Event: Watching Brief at Kingsborough Manor, Eastchurch Sheppey (Ref: 46792.2) (EKE8602)

Record last edited

Dec 23 2021 4:32PM