ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG THE A2:
1966 - 1974*
INTRODUCTION
PART 1: THE LATE BRONZE AND
EARLY IRON AGE SITES
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
The Bridge by-pass survey overlaps and complements, both in
terms of area and content, findings made in advance of widening the
A2 between 1966 and 1973. In particular, the material from Site 8
only comes into perspective when compared with other Iron Age
pottery from the Barham and Kingston Downs ridgeway. Therefore,
this earlier, mostly unpublished, material has been included here.
As a result the emphasis is on pottery. Publication of detailed site
information has been withheld, since the nature of the pre-1974
excavations and the paucity of available site records would make the
present report unwieldy. Most site evidence is therefore confined to
a brief description accompanying the excavation plans.
The pottery itself is described and illustrated in a continuous
number sequence throughout. The individual pot descriptions are
taken as far as possible using the eye alone. This detail is considered
necessary due to the lack of a comprehensive study of east Kent Iron
Age pottery. A preferred synthesis into simplified form/fabric
descriptions can only be employed after study of a wider range of
material than is presented here.
Fig. 1 shows the by-pass route and the relevant section of the A2,
together with the sites excavated during the period concerned. Since
research is still in progress on finds from the later Roman and
• This report is published with the aid of a grant from the Department of the
Environment.
133
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
Anglo-Saxon cemeteries (Sites 6 and 7, respectively) the full report
has been divided. Part 2, forthcoming, will cover the later archaeological
periods and include a section on settlement and land-use
synthesizing the evidence pi:esented in Parts 1 and 2. This report
does not include the results of fieldwork by the Dover Archaeological
Group or the evidence of chance finds made adjacent to the route.
Detailed context-related catalogues have been placed with the
various site archives in the Royal Museum, Canterbury, where the
finds are held.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The excavation of sites 1, 5-7, and those on the Bridge by-pass
were funded by grants from the Department of the Environment,
which also provided a proton-magnetometer survey of the by-pass
route. Throughout, the work was carried out on behalf of the
Canterbury Archaeological Society by members from the Ashford,
Canterbury and Chatham House (Thanet) Archaeological Societies,
and directed by Mr. A.C. Hogarth or myself. Much fieldwork was
undertaken by members of the Ashford Archaeological Society,
particularly by Messrs. Jim Bradshaw and Alan Bruce during the
initial stages of the by-pass section. We are grateful to the owner of
Highland Court Farm, Mr. C. Wigham, and to the various farm
managers; to the personnel of Messrs. Mears Construction Ltd., and
their agent Mr. P. Barrett; to the staff of their sub-contractors,
Messrs. Blackwells, whose co-operation and assistance was
invaluable.
Finally, I particularly wish to thank the contributors whose
reports are published below, and Mr. Tim Tatton-Brown for reading
and discussing the report in general.
I. THE SITES
Site 1: Barham Downs 1971. (A.C. Hogarth - BD 71).
(Figs. 2-3).
The site (Fig. 2 and N.G.R. TR 21804970 epicentre) lies just
south of the junction of the B2046 with the A2 and was excavated
in. advace of roadworks for the second A2 carriageway. The excavatl
n (Fig. 3) revealed a three-, possibly four-period use of the area,
which was excavated and recorded using a grid-system of 50 ft.
(15.25 m.) squares.
134
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG THE A2: 1966-1974
3. BO (A 3 I).
4. BO (A 3 I).
5. BO (A 3 I).
6. BD (B 1 I).
7. BD (B 3 I).
8. BO (B 3 I).
clay finely micaceous. The temper is fairly coarse and
uneven (4 mm.). Roughly finished product, both surfaces
wiped.
Shouldered jar in fairly hard dark brown-grey flint-tempered
ware with patchy dirty dark brown/dark grey surfaces.
Pale brown lining below exterior surface. The flint content
is moderate and fairly open-spaced (av. 2 mm. with little
background material). Fabric contains a fair admixture of
chaff. A poorly finished product with lumpy surfaces only
roughly wiped smooth.
Jar in soft, black, partially flint-tempered ware. As no. 3,
the fabric contains some chaff addition and sparse flint
grits. Again the finish is very rough and the interior wiped
only slightly smoother than the striated exterior surface.
Large bowl in fairly hard, black, flint-tempered ware. Dirty
grey-brown interior surface; exterior a patchy red-brown/
dirty brown-grey. The temper is fairly coarse and ill-sorted
(grits 4-6 mm. against sparse background of < 1 mm. -
1 mm. av.). Surfaces roughly wiped, horizontally inside.
Shouldered jar/bowl, in fairly soft dark brown-black flinttempered
ware. The interior surface is a dirty dark greybrown;
the exterior a patchy orange-red/brown-red - the
oxidization process extending 1-2 mm. into the core. The
temper is fairly well-sorted and generally fine (sparse 2 mm.
and rare 5 mm. grits against a fine background of < 0.01 to
0.02 mm. av.). Some occasional haematite/grog grains.
Nicely moulded and finished product: interior horizontally
wiped below neat bevelled rim. Neck smoothed vertically
down to shoulder, body left rough below.
Bowl in fairly soft buff, finely flint-tempered ware. The
core is partially oxidized pale orange below a brown
exterior surface. Interior dirty grey. The temper is wellmixed
and open-spaced (av. 0.02 mm. with rare 2 mm. in
the core). Fabric contains some maroon-red haematite
grains. Exterior smooth and probably originally burnished.
Worn.
Two shoulder sherds from a jar. A base sherd with a foot·
ring is probably from the same vessel.
Shoulder: Dirty dark grey flint-tempered ware with thin
brown-red sandwich to core. Interior surface dark grey,
exterior patchily dirty brown/dark leather-brown. Fabric
contains moderate flint (av. 1 mm.), tending to be burnished
over on the exterior. On the round shoulder a design
has been painted onto the burnished surface. As reconstructed
the design consists of spaced and bordered squares
- each square being filled with a diagonal cross comer-tocorner.
There is no extant evidence to suggest that the units
were linked. The paint remains as partially decayed raised
lines, and appears originally to have had a fairly thick
consistency, possibly made with a clay base.
Base: Ware as shoulder sherds, but with no lining to core.
Interior surface colouring is the same, but the exterior is
a brown-red. The foot-ring is neat, thin-walled, deep, and
burnished inside and out.
137
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
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Fig. 4. Site 1 - Pottery. No. 1- possible Neolithic Bowl; Nos. 2-8- Iron Age
Pottery(¼)
138
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG THE A2: 1966-1974
9. BD (B 3 I).
10. BD (B 3 I).
11. BD (B 3 I).
12. BD (C 3 IV).
13. BD (C 3 IV).
14. BD (C 3 IV).
15. BD (C 3 IV).
16. BD (C 3 VII).
17. BD (C 3 VII).
18. BD (C 3 VII).
Bowl ? in hard crisp dark grey flint-tempered ware with
patchy grey-buff interior surface and buff-brown/grey
exterior. The fabric has a fairly high mica content; the flint
temper is profuse (from 0.02 mm. to fairly dominant 3 mm.).
Large shouldered jar in fairly hard black flint-tempered
ware with drab dirty grey-brown surfaces. The temper is
evenly mixed and fairly fine (1.02 mm. against a background
of 0.03 mm. or less). However, the core contains occasional
large grits (1.4 cm.). Sparse grains of haematite. Interior
wiped; flat-topped rim and body above shoulder smoothed
and lightly burnished. Extant body below shoulder deliberately
roughened.
Large ? bowl in fairly hard black flint-tempered ware, with
thin brown lining to core. Drab dark brown-black internal
surface; exterior patchy dark brown-black/brown-red. The
flint is fairly well sorted and moderate, av. 0.02 mm. or
less. One large grit in the core - 1.5 mm. The interior
surface is roughly wiped; the exterior immediately below
the burnished rim is smoothed horizontally into 'channels',
with the remainder of the body deliberately roughened,
particularly towards the base.
Large jar in fairly hard flint-tempered ware. Surface colouring
and temper similar to no. 9. Fabric speckled with
brown-red grog and/or haematite grains (av. I mm.).
Interior wiped, rim-top and exterior lightly burnished.
Foot-ringed base sherd (from ? bowl) in fairly hard grey
flint-tempered ware. The temper is profuse (max. l mm.,
mostly 0.0l mm.). Some fine mica. Interior smoothed and
originally lightly burnished - as exterior and base. Foot
quite well formed, but not deep.
Base sherd in soft brown finely flint-tempered ware; black
surfaces. Exterior carries traces of worn burnish. The
temper averages 0.05 mm.
Jar in fairly soft grey flint-tempered ware with dirty dark
grey interior; exterior surface patchy dirty buff-brown/
pink-buff/grey. Tempering is fairly coarse and ill-sorted
(av. 4-5 mm.). The clay has a high fine mica content,
together with sparse ironstone grits (5 mm.). All surfaces
wiped - marked grit-drag on exterior; interior and rim
lightly burnished.
Jar in fairly soft dirty dark brown-black flint-tempered
ware. Temper is moderate and well sorted (av. 1 mm.
against finer 0.01 mm. background). Wiped exterior surface;
rim and interior smoothed and lightly burnished.
Jar in hard black flint-tempered ware with dark grey/leatherbrown
surfaces. Thin red-brown lining below exterior skin.
The flint is moderate and open-spaced (av. 0.05 - I mm.).
All surfaces highly burnished.
Shoulder sherd from bowl/jar in fairly hard grey flinttempered
ware, with dirty grey-buff surfaces. The temper
is open-spaced (1 mm. against sparse smaller background),
showing more on the exterior. Clay is finely micaceous.
Both surfaces burnished. Curvilinear decoration tooled
and burnished into shoulder.
139
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NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
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Fig. 5. Site 1. Iron Age Pottery (¼)
140
17
/6
18
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG THE A2: 1966-1974
19. BD (E 3 II).
20. BD (F 2 II).
21. BD (F 3 Il).
22. BD (G 32).
23. BD (G 3 II).
24. BD (G 3 II).
25. BD (G 3 II).
26. BD (G 3 11).
Base in fairly hard black flint-tempered ware with dirty
brown/dark grey-black surfaces. Brown sandwich to core,
thicker below exterior surface. The flint is moderate and
ill-sorted, tending to group (2-3 mm. av. with a finer background).
Interior roughly smoothed, exterior shows vertical
grit-drag. Foot moderately prominent and smoothed. Flat
base scraped, the grits scoring the surface.
Bowl in fairly hard black flint-tempered ware. Moderate
and fairly even temper (0.01 - 1 mm. background with
occasional larger 2-3 mm. grits). All surfaces wiped, rim
and interior lightly burnished.
Base with foot-ring in soft dark brown fairly finely flint•
tempered ware. Interior dirty brown-red, exterior dark
grey-brown; base patchy grey-buff. The fabric contains
moderate and fairly open-spaced flint mixed with finely
chopped chaff, which has burnt out on the surfaces. The
flint ranges from 0.01 mm. - 2 mm. with occasional larger
grits up to 8 mm. (including one of chalk marl). Red-brown
grog and/or haematite grains (up to 2 mm.) are also present
and the fabric contains a little sand, probably natural to
the clay. The inside has been smoothed, the exterior and
base patchily but fairly highly burnished. The foot-ring is
quite neatly moulded but not deep.
Bowl in fairly hard black flint-tempered ware. Interior
dirty grey; exterior brown-red, the oxidization process
extending c. 1-2 mm. into core. The temper is moderate
and fairly open-spaced (av. 2 mm. against sparse background
of 0.02 mm. or less). Clay fairly finely micaceous.
Interior lightly wiped, exterior more strongly. Only the
crude rim is roughly burnished.
Cooking-pot in fairly soft, friable black flint-tempered
ware. Interior dirty grey below, and dirty brown-red above
neck angle. Exterior: rim dark leather-brown, body below
incipient shoulder dirty dark-brown, neck red-brown, the
oxidization extending 2 mm. into the core. The fabric
contains an even mixture of moderate open-spaced flint
and finely chopped chaff, giving a compact, slightly laminated
structure. The flint ranges from 0.01 mm. - 3 mm.
max. The rim is roughly squared off, the flat top being
decorated with unevenly spaced finger-tip impressions.
The shoulder is similarly decorated. Lower exterior slightly
sooted.
Shouldered bowl in fairly hard grey flint-tempered ware
with dirty grey-brown surfaces. The temper is moderate -
0.01 mm. to 1 mm. av., with sparser 2 mm. scatter.
Jar in fairly soft grey flint-tempered ware with grey-brown
surfaces. The temper is moderate (0.01 mm. to 1 mm. av.
background with occasional larger 2 mm.). Clay is slightly
micaceous. Lightly burnished surfaces.
Bowl or jar in fairly soft buff-brown finely flint-tempered
ware, with internally, a rich brown-orange surface and,
externally; brown-grey. The temper is fine and fairly sparse
(mostly 0.03 mm. with occasional larger 2 mm. grits). All
surfaces, particularly internal, highly burnished.
141
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NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
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Fig. 6. Site 1. Iron Age Pottery (¼)
142
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG THE A2: 1966-1974
27. BD (G 3 nI).
28. BD (G 3 VIII).
29. BD (G 3 VIII).
30. BD (9).
31. BD (9).
32. BD (MP I).
33. BD (11).
34. BD (11).
35. BD (I I).
36. BD (P 1)
37. BD (P 1).
38. BD (P I).
39. BD (P 2).
40. BD (?P 3).
Jar in fairly hard black flint-tempered ware with drab
dirty grey-brown surfaces. Thin dirty buff-brown sandwich
to core immediately below surfaces. The flint is moderate and
fairly coarse ( < 0.01 mm. - 2 mm. av. background with illsorted
clusters of larger 3-4 mm. grits). Some ironstone
grits. Clay fairly micaceous. The surfaces are roughly
smoothed with only the rim, originally, lightly burnished.
Worn.
Thin-walled jar with ware, temper size, and finish as nos.
9 and 12. Grog or haematite speckle as no. 12, but finer.
Large jar in hard grey flint-tempered ware with buffpink/
dirty buff-grey surfaces. The temper is moderate and
fairly well sorted (0.01 mm. to 2 mm. av. and scattered
3-4 mm. foreground). Clay slightly micaceous. The exterior
has been roughly wiped horizontally; the rim and interior
bears a fairly high faceted horizontal burnish.
Jar with ware as nos. 9, 12, and 28. Rim and interior roughly
smoothed; exterior from rim wiped downwards, grit-drag
scoring the surface. Shoulder wall markedly thin.
Jar as no. 30 - but with paler fabric and harder.
Jar in fairly soft, dirty dark grey flint-tempered ware. Dark
grey-black surfaces. The temper is moderate (av. 2 mm.)
against an uneven background of fine grains (0.01 mm.).
The natural clay has a little fine mica. Both surfaces
smoothed and lightly burnished - particularly the
interior.
Jar in fairly soft dark grey flint-tempered ware. Interior
fired dirty grey-buff; exterior and rim dirty dark grey/
black. The temper is moderate (av. 2 mm.). Clay slightly
micaceous with a little sand.
Bowl in fairly soft dark grey flint-tempered ware with thin
buff lining to core immediately below the exterior surface.
The flint content is fairly sparse and open-spaced (0.03 mm.
- rare 4 mm.).
Base sherd in fairly soft grey flint-tempered ware, with
darker grey surfaces. Moderate temper (av. 2 mm. against
a finer 0.02 mm. background). The exterior including base
has been smoothed and lightly burnished. The base is
clearly defined with a deep groove at junction of lower
body and foot.
Jar in fairly hard black flint-tempered ware, with chocolatebrown
interior surface and dark brown/black exterior. The
flint is moderate and fairly fine (up to 1.06 mm.). Exterior
wiped; rim and interior smoothed and lightly burnished.
Bowl - ? same vessel as no. 2.
Jar in soft dirty-brown flint-tempered ware with red-brown
external surface. The temper is fairly dense (from 0.01 mm.
to av. I mm.). Flat-topped rim neatly moulded. All surfaces
lightly burnished.
Large bowl in fairly hard, crisp, dirty dark grey sandy ware.
Light brown interior surface; patchy dirty brown/grey
exterior. The fabric is profusely sandy with additional
uneven flint tempering (grits up to 5 mm.).
Bowl in fairly soft, crisp, dark grey flint and chaff-tempered
143
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45
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
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Fig. 7. Site 1. Nos. 32-44: SIirtoen 3 A Irgoen P Aotgtee rPyo; tntoersy. .4 (5¼-7): medieval Pottery; nos. 48-9:
144
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG IBE A2: 1966-1974
41. BD (P/H T).
42. BO (P/H T).
43. BO (? source).
44. BD (? source).
Medieval
ware. Grey internal surface; rim and exterior dirty buffgrey.
The chaff and Hint is well mixed; the chaff is fairly
profuse - giving a partially laminated structure. The flint
grits are moderate (c. 2 mm. av.)
Bowl in fairly soft black flint-tempered ware with dark
brown surfaces. The flint content is moderate (from <
0.01 mm. background to av. 2 mm.). Exterior wiped;
interior and rim top lightly burnished.
Bowl in fairly soft dark brown flint-tempered ware. Interior
dark grey-brown; exterior dark brown/buff. The temper is
fairly fine and well sorted (with 0.02 mm. average and
occasional larger I.OS mm.). Worn interior burnish, lip
and exterior quite high.
Jar, probably shouldered, in fairly soft grey flint-tempered
ware with dirty dark grey-brown exterior surface; interior
pale buff-orange. Moderate, well-mixed temper (2 mm.
av. against 0.02 mm. or less). Clay is finely micaceous and
contains occasional maroon-red haematite grains (up to
1 mm.). Interior smoothed, rim and exterior lightly burnished.
Slightly sooted outside.
Shouldered bowl in fairly hard black flint-tempered ware.
Patchy dark grey-brown interior; exterior dark grey-black
above dirty brown-buff on shoulder. Temper as no. 20.
Rare 2 mm. ironstone grains. Some fine mica. Interior
smoothed and lightly burnished. Exterior burnish higher.
45, BD (MEO X PIT). Cooking-pot in fairly brittle buff-pink sandy ware, with
pale chocolate-brown surfaces. Stabbed rim. Exterior
sooted.
46. BO (MEO X PIT). Cooking-pot in soft dirty grey sandy ware; pink-buff
interior and dirty brown/buff-pink exterior.
47. BO (MEO X PIT). Cooking-pot in orange-red sandy ware, with thin grey
core and orange-buff surfaces. Stabbed rim. Soot traces
on exterior.
Discussion
In section II below (pp. 174-9) Professor Cunliffe has discussed the
pottery from this site, and sites 3, 5 and 8, set the material against the
wider English and Continental background and summarised the
evidence. At this stage a further point should be made. Virtually
nothing is known about ceramic traditions in east Kent between c.
350-100 B.C. However, amongst the Site 1 assemblage nos. 12, 28-9,
30-31 appear to form a distinctive group. They share two traits: a
tendency for thin-walled shoulders surmounted by thick heavy rims
and coarse heavily flint-tempered fabrics. Vessels with similar form
and fabric, but generally smaller diameters have been found at
Canterbury, Bridge Hill (Watson 1965), and in Thanet. In each case
they preceded, or overlapped with, Belgic grog-tempered wares.
145
NlGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
(The 'conjunction' of flint-tempered and grogged wares will receive
detailed examination in a future article). Such a late date is not
claimed for these Site 1 vessels, but it is very tentatively suggested
that they are related to a traditioq, that appears to have been current
in the immediately pre-Belgic Iron Age of east Kent. The dating
suggested for no. 18 ( p. 178 ) goes some way towards supporting this
possibility.
Site 3: Barham Downs 1968. (L. Millard - Area IV).
(Fig. 1).
Iron Age
The material from this site (Royal Museum, Canterbury Accession
no. 9728, for 1968) was recovered by rescue collection during roadworks.
The exact location is uncertain, but it is on a chalk spur, near
to the turning to Barham village at N.G.R. TR 214507.
48. BD (Area IV).
49. BD (Area IV).
Discussion
THE POTTERY (Fig. 7).
Bowl in black-brown fairly finely flint-tempered ware,
with black internal surface and dark brown/black exterior.
High external burnish; interior burnished and wiped -
leaving deep grit-drag scorings.
Carinated bowl with foot-ring in black, very finely flinttempered
ware with brown exterior surface. ? Originally
coated with haematite. The reconstruction is approximate
only.
Both pots are unfortunately unstratified, and can only be placed into
a wide date bracket of c. 1000 - 200 B. C. No. 48 is typologically the
earlier the two. (See section II, p. 179).
Site 5: Kingston Downs 1973. (A.C. Hogarth - Area IV and
Site VIII). (Figs. 1, 8-9).
Iron Age
During the early Spring of 1973 the whole area, likely to be affected
by the second A2 carriageway and the flow-in to the by-pass proper,
was mechanically stripped between Poorstart Lane and Coldharbour
Lane. This excavation revealed Sites 5-7. (Site 5 N.G.R. TR epicentre
19905228).
146
120
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0 175
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110
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S, 53
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o 106
108 0010,
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Fig. 9, Site 5, Iron Age Site: Excavation Plan.
70 0
067
• 68
98 0
00 69
99 71
66 0
-
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96
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG 1HE A2: 1966-1974
Fig. 8. Overview 2. Site 5. Inset. No. I: Site 6 -Anglo-Saxon Cemetery
The site lies on gently sloping ground at about 275 ft. above sea
level, with the land falling away fairly rapidly to the north-west and
steeply south-west into the Nailbourne valley. Mechanical stripping
exposed 4 small ditches (none exceeding c. 2-3 ft. (c. 61 cm. - 91.5
cm.) in depth), lying approximately parallel to each other north-east
to south-west (Fig. 8). Extending beyond and overlying the northernmost
ditch was a concentration of pits and post-holes (Fig. 9,
Area VI). Unfortunately, too narrow an area was opened to
determine anything significant from the pattern of features. There
were, however, two phases of occupation. Ditch 8 (Area VI) is
certainly cut by a later pit, and the dual line of post-holes, on the
same alignment as the ditch, appears to overlie and supersede it.
Their relationship with Pit 64 is not clear. Some form of token
perimeter function is implied by Ditch 8 and the post-holes. The
settlement appears to be more of the 'open' type, only making use
of position and perhaps limited perimeter features for security
needs. This possibility is reinforced by the lack of any definite major
enclosure ditches, either to the north-west or south-east beyond
Poorstart Laae. The pottery assemblage places the occupation
relatively early in the Iron Age, and so favours the idea of a settlement
established during a quiet time-setting (see below, p. 176).
The presence of a few scraps of Romano-British and medieval
pottery is not surprising since the area was almost certainly open
farmland during these periods (Part 2: forthcoming).
50. KD (VI. 10).
5 l. KD (VI. 17).
THE POTTERY (Figs. 10-12).
Sherd from shouldered jar in red-brown flint-tempered
ware, with black exterior surface. The temper is coarse.
Fingernail decoration on shoulder.
Jar in buff-brown flint-tempered ware. Black/brown/red
147
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
IC
50
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r r r r
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53
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57 ·. -':';'\ ... · ... . .
52. KO (VI. 57).
53 KD (VI 57).
54. KO (VI 57).
55. KD (VI. 57).
56. KO (VI. 58).
57. KD (VI. 101).
Fig. 10. Site 5. Iron Age Pottery (¼)
surfaces. All surfaces wiped - very marked on exterior.
? Jar in dark brown/grey coarsely flint-tempered ware with
black-brown surfaces. Wiped. Single row of ? combimpressed
decoration in neck 'hollow'.
Small jar/bowl in buff-grey flint-tempered ware. The
temper is fine with occasional large grits. Brown lining to
core beneath dull black surfaces. Exterior and rim lightly
burnished.
Jar in buff-brown Hint-tempered ware with brown-red/
dark grey surfaces. The temper is moderate and fairly
coarse.
Large jar in buff-brown flint-tempered ware with orangebrown
surfaces. The temper is moderate. Applied cordon
at base of neck. Both cordon and rim, cable-decorated.
Jar in orange-buff flint-tempered ware. Coarse flint temper.
Diam. c. 25.4 cm.
Bowl in dirty buff/grey flint-tempered ware. Moderate
temper. Brown-red surfaces burnished. Traces of h;iematite
coating.
148
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG TIIE A2: 1966-1974
1F<. .... -
--
58
.·.l. . -
l::::._ D:.,_ , - --· .. '
' ' ' .
. 60 .•· . -r51J
l·.,, .... . '
.
61
•• • ••• • --:-..::• - - •.- • • • A • .-... ...:...:.... ·.. _ ..
4:::--- 65
63
r--: - ... _._ -·-· r.'...
. I -:.-· -
. , . .. . . - .. - 64 .... j "'·' ·, ..._ - ... . ' ' ("',
. . . . •. . . '. ..
•w • ,6 •:• ..:.,.,.... •• • • • •: . . ' . '· <-68 .. .f: • • •••• . f'I--
. . ,- ".'' : . : .. -·: ..
.
F";-.-#f
- .. •--·-- .. 70
58. KD (VI. 111).
59. KD (VI. 111).
60. KD (VI. 111).
61. KD (VI. 111).
62. KD (VI. 111).
63. KD (VI. 111).
64. KD (VI. 111).
Fig. 11. Site 5. Iron Age Pottery(¼)
Jar/bowl in brown/black flint-tempered ware. Temper
fairly sparse and coarse. Black-brown surfaces. Fingersmoothed.
Small bowl/cup in black partially flint-tempered ware. The
temper is fine and sparse. Brown-red lining to core. Black
burnished surfaces. Neat, internally bevelled rim.
Jar in buff-grey flint-tempered ware with grey/brown-red
surfaces. Worn.
'Cup' in grey-black finely flint-tempered ware, with orangebrown
lining below exterior surface. The temper is a fine
flint 'dust'. Worn exterior burnish. Finely incised hatched
decoration on upper shoulder.
Bowl? in grey/black flint-tempered ware. Lip and interior
highly burnished including the grooves; exterior only
roughly smoothed. The deeply tooled and burnished
grooves are not accidental.
Large shouldered jar in dark grey/brown flint-tempered
ware. Temper is coarse. Both surfaces wiped.
Large bowl in dark grey/brown flint-tempered ware. Red-
149
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
I Y--\
. . . . .. . .. . "
. . -
71
\7"" Q
70
• r
(- ---
. . . \
:. , \.
.. . '. \
-: ·. .
72
65. KO (VI 111).
66. KO (VI. 111).
67. KD (VI. 120).
68. KD (VI. 120).
69. KD (VI. 120).
70. KD (VI. 168A).
71. KD (VI. 168B).
72. KD (VI. 168B).
, .
.=i
76
75
. .,- . . ···:.
74
Fig. 12. Site 5. Iron Age Pottery (¼)
1-:· ;r'•. ,
. . . \°:
77
brown exterior surface. Interior wiped.
Large jar in grey flint-tempered ware with buff-brown surfaces.
Coarse temper.
Bowl in brown-red finely flint-tempered ware. Light overall
burnish. Haematite coated.
Jar in brown flint-tempered ware. Grey-brown surfaces.
Wiped.
Base in black flint-tempered ware. Coarse burnt flint
(blue) filler. Vertical grit-drag. Side added to thick base
roundel.
Large bowl in buff-brown flint-tempered ware. Red lining
below black exterior surface. Temper is fine. Light burnish.
Jar in red-brown Hint-tempered ware. The temper is coarse.
Spaced finger-tip decoration on rim.
Shouldered jar in buff/red flint-tempered ware with red/
black surfaces. Light exterior burnish.
Deep bowl in dark grey/buff flint-tempered ware with
black surfaces. Medium temper. Slab built. Grit-drag on
wiped exterior surface.
150
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG TiiE A2: 1966-1974
73. KD (VI. 168B).
74. KD (VI. 168B).
75. KO (VI. 169).
76. KD (VIII. 115).
77. KD (X. 184).
Discussion
Bowl in buff-grey finely flint-tempered ware. Very thin
red-brown lining to core. Black-brown burnished surfaces,
high internally. Neat flat-topped rim.
Bowl/jar with flaring rim; buff finely flint-tempered ware.
Black/dark brown burnished surfaces - interior strongly.
Rim pinched outward.
Jar in fairly coarse flint-tempered ware. The firing has
produced a bipartite core: brown-black inside; red-brown
outside. Dirty buff-brown exterior surface. Both surfaces
wiped. Thin rim internally decorated with finger-tipping.
Bowl in dark grey/black flint-tempered ware. Light overall
burnish.
Jar ? in dirty chocolate-brown flint-tempered ware. Orangered
lining to core below outer surface. Coarse temper.
The upward pulled finger-drags outside are prominent
enough to suggest intentional decoration.
The archaeological evidence for Site 5 suggests two phases of
occupation. However, the pottery does not confirm this, indicating
only a short period of activity between c. 1000 - 800 B.C. (Section
II, p. 174 and pp. 175-6). It is possible that Ditch 8 might belong to an
earlier phase of occupation, but for the time being both the pottery
and features must be viewed as contemporary.
Sites 8 and 9: Bridge By-pass 1974. (N. Macpherson-Grant -
BBP 74). (Figs. 1, 13).
Topsoil stripping for the by-pass covered two main sections: the
by-pass proper, in a broad curve to the north and east of Bridge
(Fig. 1), and a length on the northern side of the A2 CanterburyDover
road, between the Bishopsbourne and Kingston turnings.
The latter section, complementing the findings of Mr. Hogarth in
1973 will be discussed in Part 2, as will Sites 10 - 12.
Fig. 13 shows the main group of sites exposed in 1974 a series of
minor features (nos. 4-6), an enclosed Iron Age settlement and
adjacent compound (Site 8 and no. 2) and Site 9, two Bronze Age
ring-ditches. Briefly: no. 4 is a large probably Iron Age/Belgic
enclosure ditch; no. 5 is an Iron Age/Romano-British fieldboundary
ditch and possibly part of a system that included the ditch
cutting Barrow 1 - Site 9; and no. 6 is a medieval/post-medieval cart
track, still retaining part of its original flint metalling. Ruts and
horse-shoe imprints were clearly visible. These features will be reappraised
· fo Part 2. The function of Ditch 4 is to be discussed in an
article re-examining the Iron Age and Belgic pottery from Bridge
Hill (Watson, 1965).
151
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
S1t1:aqc 1974- :
W"@ ,
·1=:============- ·•/Ul(ll'lff"'"
Fig. 13. Overview 3. Site 8 - Inset (Fig. 14); Site 9 - Insets (Figs. 22 and 24).
Nos. 1 - Possible Late Bronze Age Barrow.
2 - Iron Age Enclosure - adjunct to Site 8.
3 - Iron Age Pottery found 1964. 4 - Iron Age/Belgic Enclosure Ditch.
5 - Iron Age/Romano-British Field-boundary
6 - Medieval Cart-track.
Iron Age. Site 8: BBP 1974 (Grant - Site 1).
(Figs. 13, 14).
The main enclosure (N.G.R. TR 19555325) was exposed during
stripping for Messrs. Mears' office and caravan compounds, and
though much of the interior beneath the office area was lost before
being adequately recorded, clearance for the adjacent caravan
compound made available the north-western perimeter (Fig. 14 and
inset). Further stripping downslope for a maintenance and machine
assembly area revealed the ditches of a second enclosure (Fig. 13,
no. 2).
Sited on chalk downland at 250 ft., the settlement overlooked the
north-west to south-east ridgeway, and the Nailboume valley to the
south-west. In siting the enclosure the builders appear to have
avoided an area of Head Brickearth which backs onto the occupation
area (Fig. 13). This is a stiff soil which has resisted erosion,
nd formerly may have carried a thick belt of trees. This possibility
1s enhanced by the northern arm of the second enclosure which was
traced as far as the Brickearth, but no further. Certainly no
surviving re-commencement or return was observed within the Head
area, most of which was exposed. The ditches forming this
'secondary' enclosure varied between 3-4 ft. (91.5 cm. - 1.22 m.)
152
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG TIIE A2: 1966-1974
wide, with a remnant depth below ploughsoil of c. 5 in. (12.5 cm.)
or less. Though an entrance/gap, c. 8 ft. (c. 2.44 m.) wide, existed in
the southern corner, the terminals were badly eroded. No postbases
or other entrance settings were observed. The whole area
within was examined, but only two small pits (Fig. 14, inset) were
found near to the main enclosure. In the latter, Ditch 8-9 is unlikely
to be related to the lower enclosure. Unfortunately, the junction
area was destroyed before observation, so it is impossible to
determine whether the two enclosures supersede each other or are
contemporary.
Excavation of the available area showed a two-phase sequence for
the main enclosure: Phase 1 - a semi-continuous series of irregular
hollows, averaging 1-2 ft. (30.5 - 61 cm.) in depth, subsequently cut
in Phase 2 by a continuous steep-sided ditch. The Phase 1 hollows
are a puzzle; too little was exposed to check whether they continued
or whether they even had a specific function. They could represent
an initial pre-ditch tree-clearance phase, or quarries. Whatever the
cause, the hollows were intentionally backfilled with hard compact,
'rammed', layers of chalky loam and clean chalk (Section 3, Figs.
14, 15). A few small scraps of flint-tempered pottery were found in
this backfill. If Features 11, 12, 16, 18, 19 and possibly 13 (Fig. 14,
inset) are also placed into Phase 1, by virtue of their irregular
shapes, it is interesting to note that their lower fills, though similar,
are looser, and that the compaction noted above may have been a
pre-requisite/side-effect of the Phase 2 ditch construction.
As Fig. 15 shows, the Phase 2 ditch was steep-sided. The width
varied between 3 ft. (91.5 cm.) at its narrowest to c. 6 ft. (1.83 m.)
(Section 3), an effect probably caused by the Phase 1 presence.
Depth: 3-4 ft. (91.5 cm. - 1.22 m.). This ditch (10-15) continued
northwards where it was observed in a GPO service trench and a
trial trench (Fig. 14, inset: Section 4) in a nearby orchard. Before
excavation of Section 4 the area was dowsed with copper dowsing
rods. The positive excavated result is used as 'confirmation' of
reactions traced eastwards through the orchard (Fig. 13). More
positively, the ditch could be seen in ploughed ground on the other
side of Coldharbour Lane. Ditch 8-9 'is probably of Phase 2 also,
and apparently cut in two separate sections, then joined. Width: c.
2 ft. 6 in. (76 cm.) and depth averaging 20 in. (50.8 cm.).? A fence
bedding-trench. Other probable Phase 2 features are Pits 6, 14 and
20. Pit 6 cut 5, which contained parts of a child's skeleton (see
Appendix I, p. 180). Pit 14 was square, c. 4 ft. (1.22 m.) deep and
entirely filled with orange/yellow burnt clay. The adjacent circular
Pit 20, of similar depth, contained three successive layers of burnt
clay, ash and burnt flints, interspersed with deposits of domestic
153
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
$,re •: PJo? .ao
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i.1wc::a:::1MIIC:=:=11---' l'a&T
)(
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.,
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m
-
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-
m
1)11- S,tt01J# ,o,,,,
,.,,.,.,,. F,-,-,,-:1
eNl'llfco,.,, -,.AlfUt,e.1> sr,,:-,r
,i.Ol'IH
.sr1,F #/11/t.),( IJ,ifOIJN' $0,J.
8UtONrGtRV' ('.'Y:z>Jllu•) -
C'N,t"-At r,t,.,CAcb
Joos-e, lt-Nr •o
t:'/1,.J..>t. C,,A,tltb S'o,,1...
RS RISOIJ'E' 1,J1rN C>IRJA:.
,(,.(1/><(I/#$
IMAY CNRLk. SIJ.T'
.-,..,.Jii Rua11,
Fig. 16. Site 8. Iron Age Enclosure: Pit 20 - section (see Fig. 14 inset).
rubbish, accretions of loam and weathered chalk (Fig. 16). The
obvious periodicity of 20 may have applied to Pit 14. (Pit 20 small
finds, p. 165 and Fig. 21).
In all the Phase 2 ditch sections the main finds of pottery come
associated with tips of burnt flint, ash and iron 'dross'. This 'late'
phase of activity is reflected identically in Ditch 8-9 and Features
12, 16 and 18. In summary, at least three phases of activity appear:
Phase 1: The pre-ditch excavation and ? infill of irregular
hollows.
Phase 2: The Phase 2 Ditch (10-15), ? Ditch 8-9 and Pits 6, 15
and 20. External Pits 1 and 2 probably belong here, as
may the second enclosure.
Phase 3: A 'late' and ? semi-industrial phase, possibly associated
with iron-working, the residue and contemporary
occupation debris being dumped into convenient
hollows such as the partially infilled Phase 2 Ditch.
Finally, though not examined, the find of Iron Age pottery in
1964 at N.G.R. TR 19455313, is almost certainly related.
154
-
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' '
· .,
..
□ hAIC.2
o,
-- -- a ' '
' '
' '
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Fig. 14. Site 8. Iron Age Enclosure: Excavation Plan.
Inset: Overall Plan and Phase 2 Features.
I
I
I
·
I
I
I
I
I , ,
··;(_-,-.
I
I
0
-=-c-i::==---====---
0
Fig. 15. Site 8. Iron Age Enclosure: Ditch - Section 3 (see Fig. 14).
1'4r.cc
•
s
,cc.r
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG TIIE A2: 1966- 1974
THE POTTERY (Figs. 17-20).
78. BBP (5).
79. BBP (5).
80. BBP (6).
81. BBP (6).
82. BBP (6).
83. BBP (8/9).
84. BBP (8/9).
85. BBP (8/9).
86. BBP (8/9).
87. BBP (8/9).
88. BBP (8/9).
Jar with flat-topped rim in soft black flint-tempered ware,
with red-brown lining below exterior surface. Surfaces
dirty dark brown/brown, the oxidization process extending
1-2 mm. into core. Moderate temper with c. 2 mm.
grits against finer background.
Jar/bowl in fairly soft black-brown flint-tempered ware
with dark leather-brown surfaces. The temper is fairly
sparse (grits quite large - av. l mm. - 2.05 mm.). Fabric
also contains some ironstone grits. All surfaces wiped, rim
and exterior lightly burnished.
Jar in fairly hard black flint-tempered ware; rim and
exterior fired to a dirty brown-red. Blue burnt flint-temper
is fairly coarse (1-2 mm. against moderate finer background).
Structure angular and brittle.
Shouldered bowl in fairly soft black flint-tempered ware,
with dirty brown-grey interior and orange-red exterior.
The oxidization process is consistent - extending 1 mm.
into core. The temper is well sorted and fairly fine (0.02
mm. av. with sparse 1-2 mm. grits in foreground). Fabric
contains occasional rounded ironstone grits c. 2-3 mm.
Exterior with worn dirty maroon-red haematite coat. Worn.
Base in fairly soft dark brown flint-tempered ware. Surfaces
dark grey-brown. The temper is moderate and fairly fine
(0.02 mm. av. with sparse 1-2 mm. grits in the core).
Fabric also contains stone grits and moderate rounded
ironstone grains - latter 2--4 mm. All surfaces, including
base with incipient foot-ring, roughly burnished.
(Not illustrated). Bowl - rim top decorated with spaced
finger-tip impressions. Ware and temper close to 78.
Body sherd in fairly soft dark grey flint-tempered ware
with light-brown lining below exterior surface. The temper
is well-sorted and fine (av. < 0.01 - 0.02 mm. with moderate
1-2 mm. foreground grits). Exterior decorated with
horizontal rows of neat finger-nail impressions. Body
sherd from same vessel in BBP (17).
Thin-walled ? bowl in fairly soft black flint-tempered ware.
The grits are profuse (from 0.01 - 2 mm. av.). Light burnish
on all surfaces. Worn.
Bowl in fairly soft dirty dark brown flint-tempered ware
with dark grey/black surfaces. Thin ochre-brown lining
below exterior surface. Temper is moderate with dominant
2 mm. grits against sparse finer background. Some ironstone
grains present. Surfaces wiped, with grit-drag on
exterior.
Foot-ringed base in fairly hard black flint-tempered ware
with dark grey interior and dirty grey/light brown exterior
surface. Temper moderate with sparse < 0.01 mm. to
open-spaced l mm. foreground. All surfaces burnished.
Foot-ring is neatly formed L ·1t not deep.
Base in soft black flint-tempered ware with dirty buff
interior and lining to core in body wall. Pink-red ox.idization
below pale orange-brown exterior surface. Grits are
155
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
,--r9 ,
·: 0 78 79
#f.:: '
' sol D---"'-
t ., a ::· 2:LI
I @ 84
88
. • '-:.2;/
85
f;;;.c
-··
: . ' --·
89
..
• 87
,-, - -"'- . : ---
90
----
t·: --.-- 1---.'
':"·"'"-'j -- .· r.,.,,·:·
. 91 · · · . .- -----J - . _·_.·.·1
..
. .. . ·.
-----
·c;'- -,;-- . ...... -
O""'-.•
.--.. _ ·-:. ..
.
92
Fig. 17. Site 8. Iron Age Pottery (¼)
156
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG TIIE A2: 1966-1974
89. BBP (8/9).
90. BBP (8/9).
91. BBP (8/9).
92. BBP (8/9).
93. BBP (8/9).
94. BBP (8/9).
95. BBP (8/9).
96. BBP (10/15).
97. BBP (10/15).
98. BBP (10/15).
99. BBP (10/15).
fairly well sorted (0.02 mm. - 1.03 mm. mix). Structure
friable and slightly laminated.
Bowl in fairly soft black flint-tempered ware with patchy
dirty dark grey/brown surfaces. Temper generally openspaced
(0.01 mm. - 1 mm. av. with rare 5 mm.). All
surfaces wiped.
Jar/bowl with upright rim in fairly soft black flint-tempered
ware with dark grey-brown burnished surfaces. The temper
is sparse(< 0.01 mm. - 1 mm.).
Bowl in crisp fairly hard black flint-tempered ware, with
dirty dark grey-brown exterior. Temper is moderate ( <
0.01 mm. - 1 mm. av. with larger 2--4 mm. foreground).
Rim and interior wiped - rim with light burnish.
Base - slab built, in fairly soft dirty grey flint-tempered
ware with lighter grey/dirty buff-grey surfaces. Thin ochrebrown
lining below exterior surface. Temper fairly fine
(< 0.01 mm. - 1 mm. av.). Fabric contains occasional
chalk and haematite grains. Both surfaces originally
burnished.
Large thin-walled jar with heavy rim in fairly hard dirty
buff-grey flint-tempered ware. Grey surfaces. The temper
is coarse (1-3 mm. av.) and profuse with a tendency to
cluster. Fabric also contains occasional chalk grains.
Rim-top lightly burnished.
Jar in same tradition as 93, though rim not as heavy.
Fairly hard dirty grey flint-tempered ware; dark grey
internal surface, dirty chocolate-brown exterior. The
temper is fairly profuse and ill-sorted (0.01 mm. - 1 mm.
av. with larger 2-3 mm. tending to cluster). Fabric contains
occasional ironstone grains. All surfaces roughly wiped
with marked grit-drag on exterior. Rim very lightly burnished.
Slight exterior sooting.
Shouldered jar in fairly hard dark brown-black flinttempered
ware. Part surface and original fracture refired
(after breakage) to deep red-pink. Temper is open-spaced
with 1-2 mm. av. and sparse finer background. Light ripple
burnish internally below rim/neck angle, fairly strong
burnish above and on exterior. Body below carination
wiped only.
Base in soft chocolate-brown flint-tempered ware with
dark grey/chocolate-brown surfaces. The white and red
temper is fairly profuse (< 0.01 mm. - 1 mm., with illsorted
but dominant 1.03 mm. - 2 mm. foreground).
Deep well-formed foot-ring. Lightly burnished.
Base in fairly hard ochre-buff flint-tempered ware with
grey surfaces. Moderate temper (1-2 mm. with sparse
finer background). Neatly moulded foot-ring. Worn
burnish on all surfaces.
Bowl with ware and temper as 91. Dirty grey surfaces.
Bowl/jar in soft dirty dark brown flint-tempered ware
with dirty dark grey-brown surfaces. Temper moderate
with 0.01 mm. - 1 mm. av. and sparse 1-2 mm. foreground
grits. Fabric also contains brown-red ironstone
grains (varying 1-2 mrn.). Interior and rim lightly burnished,
exterior wiped.
157
,. .
.
l
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
0
0
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...
J . ''
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;· fui\ ·Jz.L V' --
158
0'.
-
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00
....
I. it
-
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG THE A2: 1966-1974
100. BBP (10/15).
101. BBP (10/15).
102. BBP ( 10/ IS).
103. BBP (10/15).
104. BBP (10/15).
105. BBP (12).
106. BBP (14).
107. BBP (14).
108. BBP (14).
Shoulder sherd from bowl in fairly hard black finely flinttempered
ware with dark grey surfaces. The temper is
fairly sparse and fine ( < 0.01 mm. - rare 2 mm. max.).
Interior wiped, exterior with traces of light burnish.
Small jar in fairly soft dirty grey flint-tempered ware with
dark grey surfaces. Thin brown lining below both surfaces.
Temper is fairly profuse (0.01 mm. - 1 mm. av. with sparse
2 mm. foreground), showing strongly on rim-top. Both
surfaces lightly burnished.
Bowl in fairly soft dark brown-black flint-tempered ware
with dark grey interior; exterior dark dirty grey-brown.
Fairly coarse temper (ill-sorted 2 mm. av. against finer
background). Fabric also contains moderate quantities of
ironstone grains (up to 3 mm.). Roughly wiped. Rim
lightly burnished.
Foot-ringed base in fairly hard black flint-tempered ware
with black/dark grey surfaces. Thin ochre-brown lining
below exterior surface of foot-ring only. Temper is fine
and fairly sparse (av. 0.01 mm. - l mm., with occasional
2 mm. grit). Good, but worn burnish on all surfaces
(vertical on exterior towards foot). Fairly neat foot-ring.
? Bowl in fairly soft dark grey finely flint-tempered ware
with dirty grey surfaces. Thin dirty brown-grey lining below
exterior surface. The temper is profuse (av. 0.02 mm.),
but well-sorted, giving a fine even speckle to the core and
worn surfaces. Interior is very worn. Traces of a good, but
not high burnish on exterior. The bowl is decorated with
two broad horizontal grooves below the rim; appended to
the lowest groove is an incomplete design of fine incised
lines. The reconstruction is very tentative. If the design
were repeated, the diameter of the bowl would suggest
that originally there were two, just possibly four groups.
Bowl? round-based.
Deep bowl/plain-rimmed jar in fairly hard black-dark brown
flint tempered ware. Temper is fairly open-spaced (coarse
2-4 mm., with 0.01 mm. - l mm. background). Fabric
contains occasional ironstone grits (up to 4 mm.). Rim
and interior wiped and lightly burnished, lumpy exterior
wiped only.
Base in fairly hard grey flint-tempered ware with greydirty
buff surfaces. The fabric contains an ill-sorted mixture
of fine and coarse flint (< 0.01 - I mm. and 3 mm. with
rare 9 mm.) and rounded ironstone grits (0.05 m. - 3/6 mm.).
Both surfaces with fairly high burnish. The untreated
base has been added separately.
Shouldered jar in fairly hard crisp black flint and chafftempered
ware. The surfaces are a uniform dirty buff-pink,
the oxidization process extending 1-2 mm. into the core.
The flint temper is moderate (varying 0.02 - I mm. av.
with occasional 4 mm.). The chaff admixture is fairly high,
giving a slight laminar tendency and elongated voids on
the surfaces. Rim burnished. Exterior wiped only.
(Not illustrated). Small sherds from jar with neat, shallow
foot-ring and ? chevron decoration tooled into a burnished
159
,-- -
,. .. -
/
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
1171-
127
128
f:.:, __ 129
If/
130 131
I
•;,.
r·
1321
Fig. 19. Site 8. Pit 20 - Iron Age Pottery (¼)
160
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG TI1E A2: 1966-1974
109. BBP (17).
110. BBP (18).
111. BBP (18).
112. BBP (18).
113. BBP (18).
114. BBP (18).
115. BBP (18).
116. (BBP (18).
117. BBP (20).
118. BBP (20).
119. BBP (20).
surface. All sherds worn. Soft dirty buff flint-tempered
ware with dark grey surfaces. Temper is sparse (0.02 mm.
- 1 mm. max.). Toe clay appears to contain some fine
sand and a little sparse mica.
Shouldered jar in fairly hard red-brown partially flinttempered
ware with brighter coloured linings below dirty
brown-red surfaces. The temper is very sparse (varying
from 0.01 mm. - 5 mm.). Body above shoulder, rim and
interior wiped smooth. ? Traces of worn dark red-brown
haematite coat.
Jar in fairly hard black flint-tempered ware with dirty
buff-pink surfaces. The temper is moderate and fairly
open-spaced (0.01 mm. - l mm. av.) with a tendency for
larger grits (up to 5 mm.) to be concentrated on the rim.
Though worn, the surviving rim surface shows the subsequent
finishing treatment gave intentional 'bevelled'
facets. Form shows general similarities to 93, 94 amd 101.
Jar rim in fairly hard dirty dark grey flint-tempered ware
with buff-brown/dark grey surfaces. Though temper is
finer than 110, it is probable that the vessel is in the same
tradition.
Jar in ware and temper as 101.
Rirn-sherd from jar in fairly soft dirty dark grey flinttempered
ware. The temper is moderate and ill-sorted (grits
0.01 mm.- 2/4 mm.). Slight internal burnish. Rim probably
decorated with spaced finger-tipping. Worn.
Drawn as a shouldered bowl, but the unusual thickness of
body and the short rim-to-shoulder distance could suggest
a lid. Fairly soft dirty buff-grey flint-tempered ware, with
dirty grey-brown surfaces. Pink-buff lining below exterior
surface, the thickness increasing downward. The temper
is fine ( < 0.01 mm. - I mm. av. with rare 2 mm.) and
open-spaced with an exterior tendency to 'gather' at the
rim and shoulder. Both surfaces burnished.
Bowl in fairly soft black ware with dark grey surfaces.
The temper is a mixture of very sparse flint (1 mm. av.)
and fine chaff. The fabric also contains some ironstone
grains. Both surfaces wiped; rim lightly burnished.
(Not illustrated). Worn jar rim in soft dark brown flinttempered
ware.
Bowl in hard dark grey finely flint-tempered ware, with
darker grey burnished surfaces. The temper is fine(< 0.01
mm. up to sparser 1 mm.) and fairly well sorted. High
ripple burnish on rim and exterior, moderate streak
burnish inside.
Base in fairly hard dirty brown-grey flint-tempered ware
with dark grey/dirty brown-grey surfaces. The fabric
contains very little flint (a sparse scatter 0.01 mm. -4 mm.)
but much angular ? grog. The harsh fracture and core
colouration is very reminiscent of some Belgic coarse
wares. Clay has much fine mica. Interior and base lightly
burnished.
Bowl in hard black flint-tempered ware. The temper is
fairly fine(< 0.01 - 1 mm. av. background and occasional
161
1,....-- .
: .· . .
'
137
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
r. ltf?:-:-·. .'· . ;. ..... J :-_ . .,
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. - .
136
f r ,J;;, 1421- _··:··
138
120. BBP (20).
121. BBP (20).
122. BBP (20).
123. BBP (20).
124. BBP (20).
125. BBP (20).
Fig. 20. Site 8. Pit 20 - Iron Age Pottery (¼)
larger 2 mm. grits). A little fine mica in clay. Irregular
overall burnish.
Bowl in fairly hard dark brown flint-tempered ware; dark
grey surfaces. Temper is moderate (0.01 mm. - 0.05 mm.
av. with sparser 1-2 mm. foreground grits). Rim and
interior only, lightly burnished.
Shoulder sherd from carinated bowl (large diam.) in fairly
hard black finely flint-tempered ware. Exterior surface
dirty grey-brown; interior, dirty brown-grey. The temper
is fine (< 0.01 mm. - l mm. rare max.). Both surfaces
with medium burnish.
Jar with large diam. in hard crisp, light grey flint-tempered
ware with darker grey-brown surfaces. Temper is fairly
coarse (1 mm. av. background with larger 2-5 mm. max.).
Medium burnish on rim and exterior.
Bowl/jar in crisp black hard flint-tempered ware with light
brown-grey surfaces. Temper moderate but ill-sorted ( <
0.01 mm. - 1 mm. av. with larger mm. foreground grits).
All surfaces wiped; rim-top lightly burnished.
Body sherd from shouldered bowl in fairly hard dark grey
flint-tempered ware. Dirty grey interior surface; exterior
dark brown-grey above carination, dirty brown below.
Moderate and ill-sorted temper(< 0.01 mm. - 1 mm. av.
with clusters of 2-3 m.). Exterior above carination lightly
burnished.
Base in fairly hard dirty grey-brown flint-tempered ware
with grey interior surface and exterior dirty brown-grey
(dirty pink where surface has worn). The temper is mod·
erate and fairly well sorted (0.01 mm. - 1 mm. av.).
Fabric noticeably micaceous. Light interior burnish;
exterior wiped, with vertical grit-drag.
162
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG THE A2: 1966- 1974
126. BBP (20).
127. BBP (20).
128. BBP (20).
129. BBP (20).
130. BBP (20).
131. BBP (20).
132. BBP (20).
133. BBP (20).
134. BBP {20).
Jar in fairly hard dirty grey flint-tempered ware. Thin
brown lining below exterior surface. Temper is moderate
(with av. as 125, and rare 2-3 mm. grits). Wiped. Little
or no burnish.
Thin-walled bowl in fairly hard brown flint-tempered ware
with dark grey/leather-brown surfaces. 2 mm. orange•
brown lining below exterior. Temper is moderate, but
surprisingly coarse for thickness of vessel (up to I mm.).
Surfaces only roughly smoothed and then hard burnished.
Jar/bowl in crisp black chaff and flint-tempered ware with
near black surfaces. The chaff content is moderate and
mixed with coarse flint grits (l-3 mm.), giving the fractures
a confused angular and partially laminated structure.
Some rounded stone grits. Both surfaces wiped.
Bowl in fairly soft dirty grey-brown flint-tempered ware,
with lighter dirty-grey surfaces. Temper is ill-sorted with
0.01 mm. - l mm. av. background, with sparser 2-3 mm.
flint. Flat rim, smoothed.
Bowl with large diameter in fairly soft, brittle, black flint•
tempered ware. Dark grey surfaces. Slight chaff content
gives a partially laminated structure. Some rounded stone
grits. Both surfaces wiped, marked grit-drag outside. The
temper is fairly profuse ( < 0.01 mm. - 0.03 mm. av. with
1-4 mm. foreground).
Decorated body sherd from bowl in fairly hard dirty grey
flint-tempered ware with darker grey surfaces. The temper
is fairly profuse with strong 0.01-0.03 mm. background
and less well sorted 1-2 mm. scatter. The fine temper
'sparkle' shows clearly in the zone of horizontal decoration
where the grooves have cut the smoothed surface. Fabric
contains several plates of mica (up to 0.01 mm.).
Bowl in fairly soft dirty grey-brown sandy ware with drab
dirty grey surfaces. Thin dirty buff-pink lining below
surfaces. The fabric contains fine black sand (0.02 mm.
max.) mixed with fine mica, and occasional grains of buff
? grog, red-brown haematite and sparse stone and chalk
grits. Surfaces wiped with light burnish on rim and neck
'hollow'.
Jar in fairly hard, crisp, black chaff and flint-tempered
ware with dirty buff-grey surfaces. The chaff temper is
fairly profuse giving a tightly laminated structure; the
additional flint grits are an ill-sorted scatter ( varying
widely from 0.01 mm. - 3-4 mm. av., with large obtrusive
grits up to 1.5 cm.). The clay is micaceous with plates up
to 0.02 mm. Surfaces pitted with linear voids where the
chaff has burnt out. Lumpy exterior body virtually untreated;
light internal wiping. Exterior heavily sooted.
Shouldered jar in fairly hard dirty dark brown flint-tempered
ware. Exterior: dirty grey-brown above and dirty buff
below shoulder. Interior dirty brown-red where burnished,
dirty orange-brown on untreated surface. The temper is
fairly coarse, the 0.01 - 4 mm. being open-spaced. Exterior
only roughly wiped. Rim and interior down to shoulderangle
rough burnished.
163
135. BBP (20).
136. BBP (20).
137. BBP (20).
138. BBP (20).
139. BBP (20).
140. BBP (20).
141. BBP (20).
142. BBP (Ext. 1).
143. BBP (Ext. 1).
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
Shouldered jar in fairly hard, crisp, dark grey flint-tempered
ware with dirty grey, orange-and chocolate-brown surfaces.
The temper is fairly sparse with a thin < 0.01 mm. - 1 mm.
background and an irregular scatter of larger grits (up to
5 mm.). Both surfaces are only roughly smoothed. The
sherd is virtually unworn, and has a peculiar 'dry' appearance.
External body above shoulder slightly sooted.
Possibly re-burnt after breakage.
Jar in fairly soft dirty grey-buff flint-tempered ware; dirty
buff/grey surfaces. Temper is moderate and open-spaced
(0.01 mm. - 3 mm. max. range) with clustering at shoulder.
The fabric also contains moderate, ill-sorted brick-red
and buff grog grains. Surfaces wiped. Worn. One fracture
? refired.
Shouldered jar. Same fresh state and 'dry' appearance as
135. Fairly soft dark brown flint-tempered ware, with
variable thickness brown lining to core. Dirty dark grey
surfaces. The temper is moderate and ill-sorted with thin
0.01 mm. - 1 mm. background and scatter of 2-3 mm.
grits. Fabric also contains some haematite (grains up to
3 mm.).
Jar in hard dark brown flint-tempered ware; richer brown
lining below dirty dark grey surfaces. Moderate temper
(grit sizes and habit as 137). Surfaces roughly wiped.
(Not illustrated). Sherd from bowl with maroon-red
haematite coat. Hard dark grey finely flint-tempered ware,
with orange-red exterior, and interior burnished black.
The temper is fine, a < 0.01 mm. dust with sparse larger
grits up to l mm. max. Haematite coat originally burnished.
Jar in fairly soft dark brown flint-tempered ware with dark
brown-grey/black surfaces. Chocolate-brown lining of
varying thickness below exterior surface. Moderate but
ill-sorted temper (normal grit size range, with occasional
larger 2-3 mm.). Fabric includes an irregular scatter of
maroon-red haematite grains. Rim and both surfaces with
light ripple burnish.
BowVsmall jar in fairly soft dark brown partially flinttempered
ware; dark grey interior, patchy dark grey/light
brown exterior. The temper is sparse and ill-sorted, 0.01
mm. - 1 mm. and occasional 2 mm. Mixed with the flint is
a little chaff (burning out both on the surfaces and in the
core), and buff/red-brown grog. Fabric also contains
some maroon-red haematite grains, and is noticeably
micaceous (up to 0.02 mm.). The shoulder is neatly
decorated with finger-tipping. All surfaces with fairly
high partial bumish.
Bowl in soft dirty brown flint-tempered ware with dark
grey interior and dark dirty brown exterior. 2-3 mm.
orange-.brown lining below outer surface. Temper is fairly
light and ill-sorted (0.01 mm. - 2 mm. range). Surfaces
smooth, but worn. No apparent trace of burnishing.
(Not illustrated). Several body-sherds from small bowl with
dirty brown-red haematite coat. Fairly soft black flinttempered
ware, with brown exterior surface. Temper is
164
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG TIIE A2: 1966-1974
moderate, i\l•sorted and occasionally very coarse, with
large obtruding 1 cm. grits. A little chaff also present in
the fabric. Both surfaces burnished.
NOTE: The clay used for the above pots consistently contains very
fine mica, in varying quantities; only where it is visually
obvious has its presence been mentioned.
®'
...
,
2
E3
3 I I
--
Fig. 21. Site 8. Pit 20. No. 1- Pottery Spind le-whorl.
No. 2 - Bone Tool (stipple = polished surfaces).
No. 3 - Bronze Object(½)
THE SMALL FINDS. PIT 20. (Fig. 21).
1. 'Star'-shaped pottery spindle-whorl, the points being roughly
pinched into shape. Worn, with traces of original light burnish.
2. Bone tool, from animal limb bone; one end shaped to a point
and polished through use - ? weaving.
3. Bronze object, of two rectangular plates of sheet bronze pierced
at either end by a pin with square-sectioned shank and flattened
ends.
Traces of an iron object, possibly a knife, were also found in the
lower pit fill, but disintegrated on exposure.
Discussion
The pottery from this site is fully discussed in Section II (pp. 175, 179),
but some comments should be made here. Bowl no. 104 from Ditch
10/15 and small find no. 1 (the spindle-whorl) from Pit 20, with their
Continental Umfield parallels are the earliest dateable items,
broadly to between c. 1000 - 800 B.C. As argued below, this is
uncomfortably early, particularly since the bulk of the pottery
165
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
should be placed into the bracket c. 500 - 300 B.C. Even if the
spindle-whorl was not residual at deposition, it is associated with
pottery that is only marginally different from the remaining Site 8
material. So the Pit 20 group is tentatively placed near the end of
the period c. 1000 - 800 B.C., if not slightly later. The pottery
evidence does, therefore, suggest a significant gap in occupation.
How does this affect the stratigraphic sequence outlined above? (p.
154). Pit 20 could now equally well belong to either Phase 1 or 2.
Unfortunately, the Phase 1 hollows and the primary fills of the
Phase 2 Ditch 10/15 contained little useful pottery that can be linked
to the group from Pit 20. If indeed the dating for Pit 20 is correct,
then the apparent disparity in the ceramic sequence is emphasized
by the noticeable lack of pottery ( or finds of any type) in the
primary fills of the Phase 2 features. Most of the pottery dated to c.
500 - 350 B.C. comes from the postulated 'late' Phase 3 infills only.
lf so, no. 104 is, in this context, probably residual.
Late Bronze Age. Site 9: BBP 1974 (Grant - Site 3).
(Fig. 13, insets).
Fortunately this site was found early, before Messrs. Mears had
assembled the bulk of their machinery. Stripping revealed two
barrow ring-ditches, one certainly of the Late Bronze Age. Both lie
on a flat shoulder of chalk, between the 200 and 225 ft. contours,
near the eastern slope of the Nailbourne valley. A third probable
barrow, marked on Ordnance Survey maps, remains unexcavated,
lying just off the by-pass route. (fig. 13, no. 1).
Barrow 1 and Iron Age features: N.G.R. TR 19295324. (Fig. 22).
The ditch diameter (outer edge to outer edge) was 45 ft. (13.72 m.),
the surface width of the ditch, and its depth, averaging 4 ft. 6 in.
(1.48 m.) and 2 ft. 3 in. (67.6 cm.), respectively. The ditch was
flat-bottomed. The ditch sections (Fig. 23) are self-explanatory, the
points to emphasize being the presence of carbon flecks in the
primary silt, the bevelled profile of the outer ditch-edges, and in the
late fill of Section 1 the ? Iron Age pottery (see p. 173 and Fig.
25.144). The interior of the barrow was thoroughly examined for
features, but none were found.
A narrow flat-bottomed ditch (10), c. 1 ft. (30.5 cm.) deep, cut
the barrow. It was traced west towards the A2, and east to a
terminal a short distance beyond the barrow. Near the terminal was
a group of large post-holes, four being paired, two of which were
internally stepped (Fig. 22, 5 and 6, 3 and 4 respectively, and inset).
166
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ALONG TIIE A2: 1966-1974
8
0
Q A
1 • 6) 3 • () ,_(D_.
a o' 5 2
0
9
lltON .OW kllfYUlfO
tlllll>#H l'/74 t
iN If) = lM'il"CfJNJ..
,/\ \
/ ' '
Fig. 22. Site 9. Late Bronze Age Barrow 1 and Iron Age Features.
(see Fig. 13 and Sections - Fig. 23).
s
The ditch and post-holes are probably related, with the ditch being
part of a field-system (see p. 151 ). When Ditch 10 was cut the
barrow mound (if there were one) was probably much eroded, a
residual tump perhaps serving as a boundary marker. Small scraps
of Iron Age pottery were found in the ditch, post-holes and the
upper fill of the barrow ditch.
167
NIGEL MACPHERSON-GRANT
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