Monument record TR 35 SE 429 - Later Neolithic to Bronze Age barrows and Anglo-Saxon inhumation cemetery, west of Marlborough Road, Deal

A barrow and a Saxon cemetery visible as cropmarks in the Google Earth image of 2007.

Best visible in Google Earth image of 2007. Consists of a large ring ditch, presumably representing a (Bronze Age?) barrow, 24m in diameter. Within in this, towards the north, is a smaller ring ditch, 10m in diameter, perhaps relating to the later Saxon cemetery? There is a cluster of (Saxon) graves to the N and W of the barrow. There appear to be around 50 graves, the majority of which are NE-SW aligned, though there may be more to the west.

A 2024 Google Earth image indicates that an excavation took place at the site and highlights the extent of some of the features, including ring ditches. (1)

A 2017 evaluation identified three ring ditches from Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age round barrows. The extrapolated diameters of the ring ditches were 12.5m in diameter, 14m in diameter, and 22m in diameter.

Two of the barrows had inserted inhumation burials, with further inhumation burials located to the south west of the site. At least eight probable inhumation burials were identified. One of which was aligned NW-SE, whilst the other seven were aligned NE-SW. The difference in alignment is interpreted (2) as potentially indicating that the outlier may be prehistoric in date, with the other burials probably originating from the Anglo-Saxon phase of activity at the site.
Several burials were cut into the inner margins of ring ditches. A number of contemporary ditches of the same alignment as the burials and probably contemporary with one them (as none of these features intercut one another) were located alongside one another, with the burials placed in the gaps between the ditches.

A magnetometry survey was carried out following the evaluation. Further features relating to this site were located during the survey including the continuation of a large ring ditch identified via excavation and a series of small pits. Interference was also identified, relating to the presence of ferrous material and/or fired clay, suggesting the presence of further artefacts/features. (2)

<1> Google Earth (Graphic material). SWX15704.

<2> Kent Archaeological Projects, 2017, An archaeological evaluation on a site adjacent to St Richard's Road, Deal, Kent CT9 4LD (Unpublished document). SKE53129.