Return to Ringlemere (Trench 9)
In the summer of 2007 members of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust returned to Ringlemere, to resume investigations at the now famous Bronze Age gold cup site. The work this season was made possible through a generous grant from the Kent Archaeological Society and much of the fieldwork was undertaken by K.A.S. members. Two of the lesser ring-ditches (Monuments 2 and 3) now known to lie adjacent to the large barrow site previously excavated (Monument 1) were examined. These smaller circles were located immediately to the south-west of Monument 1. Monument 3 was fully excavated, whilst a single trench was cut across the ditch of Monument 2. Plough erosion had long ago removed any associated barrow mounds here so that, unlike M1, these smaller features are now invisible on the surface.
Monument 2
This ring-ditch was first identified from geophysical survey and aerial photographs. It is approximately 28 metres in diameter. Unfortunately, a gas main had been cut through the central area sometime during the 1980s and this is likely to have caused significant damage. In 2007, a single trench was cut across the ring-ditch on its north side. This showed the ditch to be of very substantial proportions, about 3.30 m. wide across the top and 1.50 m. deep. The gravelly silts filling the ditch produced limited amounts of flintwork, helping to confirm a prehistoric date.
Monument 3
As with M2, this monument had been identified on aerial photographs and also by geophysical survey. Its site was fully excavated in 2007 and was found to consist of a continuous ring-ditch enclosing a fairly precise circle between 15.25 and 16.25 metres in diameter. The ring-ditch was between 1.00 and 1.80 m. wide and 0.44 – 0.65 m. deep. Its filling produced a moderate quantity of prehistoric flintwork, together with some pottery.
More than twenty shallow hollows, pits and
post-holes were located inside the ring-ditch. These need not all be contemporary with the ditch and several are probably of natural origin. None can be closely dated. At the very center of the enclosed area lay a neat, oval pit some 0.30 m. deep. This measured 1.02 m. by 1.22 m. and was aligned ENE by WSW. In the base at the north-eastern end, a deeper depression appeared to represent a substantial post-hole. This was D-shaped in plan and there can be little doubt that an upright wooden post had originally occupied this north-eastern end of the pit. Its D-shaped form indicates that this was probably a split tree trunk, with the flat (split) surface facing south-west.
It remains less certain whether the main pit simply represents the construction pit for the insertion of this post or whether it formed a grave, marked by the post at one end. Certainly, the proportions of the main pit would have allowed the insertion of a crouched inhumation, such as have been found in similar positions within many barrows and ring-ditches. However, no traces of any bone survived and the question presently remains unresolved.
Later Boundary Ditches
On its north-eastern side, the ring-ditch of M3 was cut by two straight ditches. These were set on different alignments and their continuations beyond the excavated area are visible on air photographs and the geophysics plots. The pottery recovered indicates that they are of Roman date and there seems little doubt that they represent field boundaries. From the positioning of the ditches in relation to the prehistoric remains it would seem that these ancient monuments were still continuing to have some influence on activities in the landscape many centuries after they were first constructed. This seems to imply that the prehistoric monuments survived as upstanding barrow mounds, providing clear local boundary markers.
Anglo-Saxon Graves
Previous excavations on the south-western side of Monument 1 had shown it to be the site of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery, founded during the fifth century AD and containing over 50 burials. The full extent of this cemetery has still to be determined but six more inhumation graves (Graves 53-58) were discovered in 2007. These new graves appear to represent a discrete group placed adjacent to the northern side of M3.
The acidic gravel subsoil meant that no skeletons survived but the size of one grave (Gr. 55) indicated that it belonged to a small child. Grave-goods were recovered from four of the graves; Grave 53 contained five brooches and 42 beads and must represent the burial of a reasonably well-off woman. Provisional dating of the grave-goods recovered suggests that these burials are again of fifth century date.
Finds
The quantity of finds from the 2007 excavations was quite modest. Nevertheless, a significant amount of prehistoric flintwork was recovered. A large irregular pit located immediately to the north of M3 produced a fine Mesolithic axe (c. 8000-4000 BC), which joins several others found in previous seasons, and provides further evidence for activity on the site prior to the main Neolithic and Bronze Age period of activity (c. 2600-1600 BC). Just over 200 sherds of pottery were found but little of this material appears to be Neolithic or Bronze Age in date.
The excavations in 2007 have provided some significant new information concerning the Ringlemere site. One of the lesser ring-ditches (M3) has now been completely excavated and another (M2) sampled. The two field boundary ditches skirting the edge of M3 represent the first features discovered at Ringlemere that can be dated to Roman times, although finds belonging to this period, including pottery, tile and coins have been previously discovered.
The new graves discovered adjacent to M3 provide further important information concerning the size and extent of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery. Once again, it would seem that an upstanding prehistoric monument had provided a focus for these later burials and a substantial cemetery, whose full extent has still to be ascertained, is now clearly indicated.
Acknowledgements
Thanks are again due to the landowners - the Smith family at Ringlemere Farm - who readily allowed access to their ground. The excavations would not have been possible without the aid of the Kent Archaeological Society grant and this must be gratefully acknowledged here.
Most of the excavation and finds processing work was carried out by members of the K.A.S. and other volunteers from various local archaeological societies, together with a number of students from Archaeology Departments of different Universities. Without their hard work very little would have been achieved and sincere thanks are due to all concerned.
Keith Parfitt and Barry Corke