Around Pegwell Bay - a special area

Gordon Taylor, Isle of Thanet Archaeological Society

It is becoming increasingly evident that the area on the south-western outskirts of Ramsgate is, for archaeology, very special. It includes Lord of the Manor (see below) and Pegwell, a 2007 dig by the Trust for Thanet Archaeology (TTA), which revealed a likely Neolithic causewayed enclosure. Nearby, the Ramsgate Harbour Approach Road Tunnel dig in 1996 revealed another enclosure with three circuits, the outer being 150 meters across, and a possible cursus. Back in 1990 Perkins wrote of Cottington Hill, Ebbsfleet “the land surface of the hill proved to be littered with worked flints (Neolithic onwards) and pot-sherds in a density unknown elsewhere in Thanet”; this from the Thanet expert who once stated “you are never more than 35 meters from archaeology in Thanet”.

In a report on the East Kent Access Road, Phil Andrews (Oxford/Wessex Archaeology) stated “Neolithic pits were found in a number of the sites, including a particularly large cluster of over twenty on high ground overlooking Cliffs End” (my emphasis). Also “Later Bronze Age activity was mainly focussed on the Ebbsfleet peninsula and on the slopes of Cottington Hill. A particularly fine discovery, found on the Ebbsfleet peninsula, was two gold bracelets dating to around 800 – 700BC.”

Finally, excavations during 2004/5 by Wessex Archaeology before a housing development at Cliffs End Farm revealed a multi-period site full of interesting finds, including a burial pit described as “unique in Europe” where human skeletons were laid on animal skeletons. All of these discoveries give weight to Keith Parfitt’s comparison of Kent with Wessex?. All of the above finds sit within an area just over 2 kilometres square – at least a quarter of which is under the sea at Pegwell Bay or would once have been in the Wantsum Channel.

For almost 40 years the phrases ‘Lord of the Manor’ and ‘Thanet Archaeology’ have been synonymous. Lord of the Manor (named after a former pub at the adjacent much-altered road junction of the A299 and A256 and Ozengell Grange) was excavated from 1976 to 1980 by the Isle of Thanet Archaeological Unit* and again from 1987 by TTA (first director the late Dr. Dave Perkins), and latterly by The Isle of Thanet Archaeological Society (IOTAS).

The first major excavation organised and run by IOTAS in 2012 involved cutting four trenches to investigate features around LOM1 (see plan) seen in cropmarks, plus a single trench to clarify earlier results. Two new ditches were discovered (one of them suspected from crop marks). Finds included two flint arrow heads, a flint knife, a sherd of Iron Age pottery and a piece of a Roman amphora. A report is available from the Society, email mail@iotas.org.uk

In 2013 a training exercise under Paul Hart took place, to reinvestigate LOM4 and the site of a previously found Accessory Vessel or Incense Cup, now at Quex House, Birchington. Half of LOM4 is under tarmac (old Haine Road) and partly under a field access road. Trainees (IOTAS members) excavated to the indicated sections, recorded them and extended the cut as far as the area permitted. This revealed that both areas had been recut in the lower third of infill. Possibly this fresh material was required to freshen up the presumed mound due to a further burial. The ditches were irregular and if extended in a circle would not meet*. I finds were mostly worked flint, including one piece of Early Neolithic pottery (part of the primary infill). Finally, Anglo-Saxon graves south of LOM5 were re-examined, one of which had post holes (six in the grave encircled by the ditch) for a canopy or some other covering (above).

IOTAS are grateful for funding from KCC, Ramsgate Town Council (equipment), and the Allen Grove fund of the KAS. Thanks also to landowner David Steed (Vice President of IOTAS) for allowing access and contractor John Reeve for stripping the topsoil at favourable cost.

RIGHT Anglo-Saxon graves, one with six post holes for a canopy or roof (within annular ditch)

ABOVE Circular enclosures and smaller burial ring ditches at LOM, showing approximate location of 2103 excavation areas

1. From ‘New Archaeological Finds in Thanet 1990. D Perkins B.Sc.
2. The Ringlemere Cup p.49. British Museum.
3. TAU Interim Report 1977-1980 Nigel Macpherson Grant and Dave Perkins p.4-20.