Excavations at East Farleigh 2019
The Maidstone Area Archaeological Group (MAAG) activities began in 2019 with a magnetometry survey and a resistivity survey of a 30m x 120m section of the site (Fig 1), which showed some promising anomalies and a great deal of background noise (see Issue 109). We subsequently dug four trenches using a mechanical digger. The first trench, (19A), was intended to pick up two late Iron Age ditches which we had traced the previous year, and also to see the rest of a flue-like feature which had been dated to the fifth century AD, subRoman rather than Anglo-Saxon. It was also meant to identify the part of the features seen in the survey data.
Trench 19A was ‘L’ shaped and measured 8 m x 4 m x 4 m. The most recent feature that we encountered was the circular end of a corn-dryer associated with the flue feature seen in 2018 (Fig 3). We found that there was a whole pot buried in the base of this feature, surely a cessation deposit. Tentative dating of the vessel agrees with the earlier dating of this feature, as sub-Roman, 400 to 450 AD (Fig 4). Interestingly the flue and stokehole appear to be secondary features, with the primary flue blocked, but disappearing into the baulk, indicating continued re-use of this structure. The Iron Age ditches were also traced across the trench. One of them appeared to terminate or possibly change direction against the northern baulk. The other continued across the trench in a straight line and is probably a palisade fence. We also picked up another ditch terminus on the western side of the trench, along with some small stake holes. This feature appears to be in alignment with another ditch, running east/west, seen in 2013, which held an Iron Age ritually deposited pot containing cremated bones.
[pg7]Located close to the corn-dryer were two cremation burials, each containing two vessels and a small quantity of cremated material. These have yet to be analysed, however tentative dating of the pottery appears to put these at 70 to 120 A.D.
The archaeological features in the rest of the trench proved very difficult to work out, as there were no finds associated with it to guide us, but it does appear that we have been digging part of at least one large structure. On the south side of the trench, we identified a flat area containing ephemeral features, a ring of charcoal-rich soil, a couple of stake holes and what appears to be an arc of stones. Alongside this, we discovered a man-made bank of stones and another intersecting it, with a change in level between. These features are seen on the north side of the trench heading into the baulk to the north and east. We hope to follow these features next year. During the initial opening of our second trench with the mechanical digger, we encountered the top of a vessel, at a relatively shallow depth. This turned out to be another cremation grave, holding three vessels, and a brooch. Again dated to the late first century, early second century AD. We also identified what appeared to be a row of three postholes aligned north-east south-west. There was no visible sign of any feature resembling the magnetometry data.
[fg]jpg|Fig 2: Plan of trench 19A|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|Fig 3: Corn-dryer Middle|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|Fig 4: Sub-Roman pot as cessation deposit from ‘Corn-dryer’|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|Fig 5: Plan of trench 19A|Image[/fg]
In the third trench we encountered a ditch running east-west, with a stake-hole at one end. There was no dating evidence for this feature.
This year’s discoveries are significant and demonstrate evidence of Roman activity before construction of the buildings to the north, probably in the latter part of the second century A.D.
The cremation burials appear to be in two distinct groups, rather than being part of a formal cemetery, with one group perhaps of a higher status than the other. We will likely encounter more burials in future excavations in this area. The location of the burials could be due to the proximity of the earlier Iron Age features, which might have retained a spiritual legacy. Alternatively, there may have been a road nearby, possibly in much the same location as the modern road following the course of the river, and it was not uncommon at this date, for burials to occur at the roadside. However, no such road has yet been identified. The corn-dryer is also significant, as it demonstrates continued activity on the site after the third-century buildings to the north have collapsed or been demolished. As yet though we have found no contemporary structures to accompany this late feature.
[fg]jpg|Fig 6: MAAG excavting 1st century cremation burial|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|Fig 7: Biconical beaker of Monaghan class 2G1 in North Kent fineware c.50–100 AD|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|Fig 8: Colchester ‘Crossbow’ brooch 70 AD–110 AD|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|Fig 9: Cremation burial|Image[/fg]