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Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by the Developers to undertake an archaeological watching brief on land at Stedlyn Retreat, The Street, Lynsted, Kent, centred on NGR 594360 160875, during machine excavation of a cable trench. Recent archaeological evaluation and excavation undertaken by Wessex Archaeology revealed evidence for two periods of occupation on the Site. Early to mid-17th century remains were identified in the form of garden wall footings whilst Middle to Late Iron Age activity was evident in the form of boundary ditches, possibly associated with a small farmstead. Despite recent archaeological evidence close to the cable trench location, no significant archaeological remains were identified during this watching brief. 1.1 Project Background 1.1.1 In March 2005, Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Millwood Designer Homes Limited (the Client) to undertake an archaeological watching brief on land at Stedlyn Retreat, The Street, Lynsted, Kent (hereafter, ‘the Site’), centred on NGR 594360 160875. 1.1.2 The archaeological watching brief was required by Thanet District Council Council on one element of the redevelopment of the Site (the opening of a cable trench) and was undertaken subsequent to the completion of archaeological excavation. 1.2 Site Location 1.2.1 The Site is bounded to the west by The Street and by private residences which front onto it, to the north and east by open space, predominantly fields, and to the south by a brook. A number of buildings and areas of hard standing were demolished on the Site in 2004. 1.2.2 The excavated extent of the cable trench is illustrated in Figure 1. 2.1.1 The underlying geology of the Site is Upper Chalk, although the Site lies at the interface between the Upper Chalk and the London Clays of the Swale (BGS Solid & Drift Edition Sheet 274, 1:50 000). 2.1.2 The topography of the Site is generally flat, lying at between 42m and 46m above Ordnance Datum (aOD), although it does drop away sharply toward the brook in the south (c. 37.50m aOD). 3 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 3.1 Background 3.1.1 The Site is known to lie within an area of moderate archaeological potential. The village of Lynsted contains a number of Listed Buildings, some of which date to the medieval period (1066-1539). 3.1.2 Situated on the opposite side of The Street to the Site is the parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul, which is Grade I Listed. It dates from the 14th century, although it is known to retain some 13th century elements. The chancel was rebuilt in the 16th century, with the whole structure restored during the 19th century. 3.1.3 A further two medieval buildings lie to the south of the church, Heathfield and Anchor House. Both are Grade II Listed Buildings and both are in use as private residences. An additional Listed building, the Old School House, lies immediately north of the Site. 3.1.4 The Site was in use as a greyhound racing circuit until the 1970s, and continued in use as kennels up until recently. 3.2 Recent Archaeological Evaluation Results 3.2.1 A small ditch dating to the Middle to Late Iron Age was identified in one of the evaluation trenches, from which quantities of pottery and animal bone were recovered. The ditch appeared to represent part of an enclosure, although further investigation of the feature was impossible due to a standing structure and the presence of overhead power lines (Wessex Archaeology 2004, Figure 1). 3.2.2 To the west of the ditch, closer to the street frontage, the remains of a post-medieval brick wall were identified, possibly representing an area of walled garden. Historical records suggest these remains to relate to a former building on the Site, which was demolished in 1643 (Figure 1). 3.3 Recent Archaeological Excavation Results 3.3.1 Two excavation areas were opened which targeted archaeological features identified during the evaluation (Wessex Archaeology 2004, Figure 1). 3.3.2 Area 1 revealed two possible early to mid 17th century walls forming a right-angle, which represented the footings for what is most likely to have been a garden or boundary wall. This wall is likely to have formed part of the remains of structures associated with the former mansion of Sir Dru Drury, a Member of Parliament and Lieutenant of the Tower of London. 3.3.3 Only the foundations of the wall survived to any great extent, suggesting that extensive robbing of material may have occurred, possibly at the time the mansion was demolished. 3.3.4 Given the lack of definitive evidence with which to date the wall, it is possible that the wall may represent construction undertaken on the Site subsequent to the demolition of the mansion, which is believed to have occurred c.1643, and perhaps therefore represents the remains of the boundary wall of a later property. 3.3.5 Area 2 revealed a number of Late Iron Age ditches which are probably the remains of field systems, associated with a small farmstead located probably to the north of the area. No structures or other deliberately cut features associated with the Iron Age field systems were revealed. 4.1.1 The objective of the watching brief was to identify the extent, nature and approximate date of any archaeological features encountered, and ensure their preservation by record. 4.1.2 Particular attention was to be paid to identifying and mapping any remains associated with the Iron Age field systems discovered during the excavation (WA 2004b) within the southern half of the development. 5.1.1 The watching brief comprised the observation of groundworks associated with the excavation of a cable trench (Figure 1). This was undertaken by via 360° tracked excavator. 5.1.2 An archaeologist monitored the upcast spoil from the trench and recorded any archaeological features revealed in the exposed sections, measuring their extent and their location in relation to the Ordnance Survey. 5.1.3 The watching brief was undertaken in accordance with the Institute of Field Archaeologists’ Standards and Guidance for Archaeological Watching Briefs (1994). 5.1.4 Wessex Archaeology’s standard recording methods were employed, as set out in the Written Scheme of Investigation (Wessex Archaeology 2005) and comprised written details and the maintenance of a full photographic record. 6.1.1 The basic stratigraphic sequence noted in the trench comprised five recorded deposits overlying the natural chalk. Appendix 1 presents a generic profile, outlining the depth and composition of these deposits. 6.1.2 The natural chalk is seen at depths of 0.90m to just 0.20m below the topsoil. The latter case suggests some degree of truncation has taken place. 6.1.3 No anthropogenic archaeological features were observed, although some possible tree boles were observed. These areas consisted of a mottled mid to dark orange-brown clay, and are seen to cut irregularly through the natural chalk. All of these features were sealed by the sub/plough soil, suggesting some antiquity. 7.1.1 Finds recovered included a single piece of animal bone (cattle) from the subsoil and a fragment of post-medieval roof tile. Further to these, a small specialised bronze hammer (with shaft missing). The hammer was recovered up by one of the ground workers and probably dates to the beginning of the 20th century. It has been retained as part of the site archive. All other finds have been noted and will be discarded, unless Wessex Archaeology receives instruction to the contrary. 8.1.1 The site lies within an area of moderate archaeological potential, containing a number of Listed Buildings, some of which date to the medieval period (1066-1539). 8.1.2 Recent archaeological evaluation and excavation undertaken by Wessex Archaeology revealed evidence for two periods of occupation on the site: early to mid 17th century, in the form of garden wall footing and Middle to Late Iron age activity in the form of boundary ditches, possibly associated with a small farmstead. 8.1.3 This archaeological watching brief identified stratigraphy similar to that observed in earlier archaeological investigations, although no significant archaeological remains were recorded. 8.1.4 The cable trench extended approximately 150m on an east-west alignment. Should the Middle to Late Iron Age boundary ditch identified in the earlier evaluation and excavation have extended this far north, the alignment of the cable trench is likely to have intersected it. 8.1.5 It may be concluded from the results that, given the surviving stratigraphy, little truncation has occurred across most of the area observed during the watching brief. Any significant activity associated with the already identified Iron Age activity, therefore, is unlikely to have extended into this part of the Site. 9.1.1 The archive is currently held at the offices of Wessex Archaeology, Old Sarum Park, Wiltshire, under the project code reference 59360. The archive will ultimately be deposited with Kent Museums Service.
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