Shottendane Road, Margate, Kent

Oxford Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation on the site of a proposed development to the north and south of Shottendane Road, Margate, Kent, between December 2019 and January 2020. The fieldwork was commissioned by Gladman Developments Ltd in advance of the submission of a planning application.
A preceding geophysical survey undertaken in September 2019 detected a small number of anomalies of possible or probable archaeological origin suggestive of a ring ditch and an enclosure/field system. The geophysical survey results also reflect numerous variations in the natural geology and post-medieval agricultural land use activities, including clay extraction.
A total of 48 trenches were investigated across the c 18.6ha proposed development site, the majority of which were targeted upon geophysical anomalies. Of these, 25 trenches were found to contain archaeological remains generally comprising ditches, pits and postholes, as well as natural features. A moderately good correlation between the results of the geophysical survey and archaeological evaluation was demonstrated.
A small number of pits in the north of the site and a more substantial pit in the south provide evidence of early/middle Neolithic activity. No evidence of related structures or fireplaces/hearths was identified; however, the assemblage of worked flint recovered from one of the pits is suggestive of a deliberately placed deposit.
Two ring ditches in the south-west are likely to represent the remains of barrows and may have been of early Bronze Age construction. Evidence suggest at least one may have continued to occupy the landscape into the early Iron Age. An inhumation burial within the ring ditch was recorded but left in situ unexcavated and it is therefore not known if it was related to the use/reuse of the barrow.
Evidence of more intensive prehistoric land use activity is dated to the early Iron Age (though some may be late Bronze Age in date), with a concentration of features noted in the north-east and southern half of the site. The remains of perpendicular ditches were recorded, providing evidence of two areas of enclosure/field systems. The pottery, flint, animal bone and charred plant remains are suggestive of a small-scale agricultural site and perhaps a nearby associated settlement site.
Limited medieval/post-medieval to modern remains are demonstrative of continued agricultural use of the landscape during these periods. In addition to plough scars and furrows, evidence of clay extraction and possible brick clamps in the north of the site is indicative of activity related to the 19thcentury brickworks known to have existed on site as depicted on historic mapping.

Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by CSA Environmental on behalf of Gladman Developments Ltd to undertake an archaeological watching brief during the excavation of nine geotechnical test-pits, at site located both to the north and south of the Shottendane Road, Margate, Kent.
The test-pits were excavated to a depth of c. 2.5m below present ground level. No archaeological features or deposits were identified. The natural geology, comprising chalk, was recorded at between 0.2 and 0.65m below present ground level. A single late prehistoric flint core was recovered from the topsoil in the one of the test-pits.