Kent International Gateway, Bearsted, Kent
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Wessex Archaeology Kent International Gateway, Bearsted, Kent Archaeological Evaluation Report Ref: 72070.02 July 2009 KENT INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY, BEARSTED, KENT Archaeological Evaluation Report Prepared for: CgMs Consulting Morley House 26 Holborn Viaduct London EC1A 2AT by: Wessex Archaeology Portway House Old Sarum Park SALISBURY WILTSHIRE SP4 6EB WA reference: 72070.02 Date: July 2009 © Wessex Archaeology Limited 2009, all rights reserved Wessex Archaeology Limited is a Registered Charity No. 287786 Kent International Gateway, Bearsted, Kent Archaeological Evaluation Report KENT INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY, BEARSTED, KENT Archaeological Evaluation Report CONTENTS SUMMARY............................................................................................................................................IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................................................................................................V 1 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1 1.1 PROJECT BACKGROUND.........................................................................................................1 1.2 SITE LOCATION, DESCRIPTION, TOPOGRAPHY........................................................................1 1.3 GEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND...................................................................................................2 2 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND..................................................2 2.1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................2 2.2 PREHISTORIC ..........................................................................................................................2 2.3 IRON AGE ................................................................................................................................2 2.4 ROMAN ....................................................................................................................................3 2.5 ANGLO-SAXON........................................................................................................................4 2.6 MEDIEVAL................................................................................................................................4 2.7 POST –MEDIEVAL...................................................................................................................5 2.8 MODERN..................................................................................................................................6 2.9 UNDATED ................................................................................................................................6 2.10 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.....................................................................................................6 2.11 PREVIOUS ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS.....................................................................8 3AIMS.............................................................................................................................................11 3.1 ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION ...........................................................................................11 4 METHODOLOGY........................................................................................................................11 4.1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................11 5 RESULTS.....................................................................................................................................12 5.1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................12 5.2 SOIL PROFILE ........................................................................................................................12 5.3 EVALUATION TRENCHES .......................................................................................................12 6 FINDS ...........................................................................................................................................13 6.1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................13 6.2 POTTERY...............................................................................................................................14 6.3 WORKED AND BURNT FLINT .................................................................................................14 7 ENVIRONMENTAL.....................................................................................................................14 8 DISCUSSION ..............................................................................................................................14 9 ARCHIVE .....................................................................................................................................16 9.1 PREPARATION AND DEPOSITION ..........................................................................................16 9.2 ARCHIVE................................................................................................................................16 9.3 COPYRIGHT ...........................................................................................................................16 9.4 SECURITY COPY ...................................................................................................................16 10 REFERENCES........................................................................................................................17 APPENDIX 1 - TABLE OF TRENCH DESCRIPTIONS..........................................................................18 WA Ref.72070.02 ii Kent International Gateway, Bearsted, Kent Archaeological Evaluation Report LIST OF FIGURES Front cover Working shot of Trench 6 Figure 1 Site and trench location in relationto CTRL section 1 investigations Figure 2 Plan of Trenches 4and 5 and selected sections Plates 1 & 2 Plate 1: SE facing section of linear feature 403 Plate 2: SW facing section of gully 513 Back cover Overview of site facing south WA Ref.72070.02 iii Kent International Gateway, Bearsted, Kent Archaeological Evaluation Report KENT INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY, BEARSTED, KENT Archaeological Evaluation Report Summary Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by CgMs Consulting Ltd acting on behalf of Kent International Gateway to undertake an archaeological evaluation within the footprint of the proposed new freight centre. Specifically this focused on Field 1 centred on National Grid Reference (NGR) TQ 882547, Field 3 TQ818551 and Field 9 TQ 812555, of the proposed scheme. The evaluation was carried out through trial trenching (two trenches each in Fields 1 and 9, and one in Field 3) targeted on geophysical anomalies. These anomalies represented possible linear/enclosure features that were identified by a recent geophysical survey. The evaluation comprised the excavation of five trenches within the proposed area for development. The fieldwork was undertaken between the 21st and 22nd of July and the 24th and 25th of July 2009. The Site was considered, following a Desk-based Assessment, to have a moderate to high potential for Iron Age and Romano-British activity, with low potential for all other periods. The two targeted trial trenches in Field 1 measured 50m x 1.8m and 40m x 1.8m respectively. The geophysical anomalies in Field 3, currently under crop, were evaluated by a single trench measuring 20m x 1.8m. In Field 9 two trial trenches (both measuring 40m x 1.8m) were targeted on the geophysical anomalies. The trenches in Field 1 and Field 3 were found to contain no archaeological features although several pieces of worked Prehistoric flint were recovered from the topsoil of both trenches in Field 1. No evidence of the geophysical anomalies was observed. Field 9 contained archaeological features of Middle/Late Iron Age date in both trenches, although these had been heavily truncated by modern farming practices. The features, primarily linear in nature were in keeping with the anomalies detected during the geophysical survey. The evidence from this targeted evaluation would appear to suggest that in Field 9 there is evidence of Middle/Late Iron Age enclosure activity. The presence of pottery sherds in the ditches and the topsoil may however be indicative of an occupation site (albeit plough damaged). Equally the sherds may have simply been discarded in the ditches by those farming the land, either way it could be indicative of occupation either on the site or nearby. It should also be noted that the smallness and partly abraded nature of some of the sherds within the ditch fills might suggest that they are residual. Whilst in Field 1, although no actual archaeological features were identified, the presence of worked flint in the topsoil would appear to suggest that some form of activity, be it settlement or agricultural was taking place in the Late Neolothic or Early Bronze Age periods within the immediate environs. The state of preservation of the remains identified in Field 9 suggest that they had been badly affected by modern ploughing. WA Ref.72070.02 iv Kent International Gateway, Bearsted, Kent Archaeological Evaluation Report KENT INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY, BEARSTED, KENT Archaeological Evaluation Report Acknowledgements