What seems like forever ago I told you all about Mysterious
Margate, so now as promised it is the turn of North Foreland. For those not in the know, North Foreland is
an area within the locality of Broadstairs.
It has a well defined Iron Age past and provides a nicely sized area for
discussion. There are several sites for
us to explore; St Stephen’s College (Boast et
al 2006), Stone Road (Moody 2005a), Bishops Avenue/Hamilton Lodge (Moody
2005b), Lanthorne Road (Hurd 1913), Albert Lodge (Hart 2006a), Castle Keep
Hotel (Hart 2006b) and ‘Beauforts’ (Hart 2005).
St Stephen’s College (Boast et al 2006)
St Stephen's College, site plan, The North
St Stephen's College, Site Plan, The South
This site is particularly complex so we will approach it one
phase at a time. It is rich in Iron Age
archaeology and the principal features consist of post built structures, linear
features (including 50 post holes), rectilinear enclosures and a number of
pits.
Phase 1
This phase dates to c.500-300/250BC so can be characterised
as being Middle Iron Age in nature. It
was suggested by Boast that the sporadic nature of the features may mean that
this was a seasonal site. There are
several large, air-tight storage pits which bolter this theory as they are
likely to have contained foodstuffs.
They provided an area of storage away from the nucleated settlement;
however I am unsure as to the seasonality of their use. The area in which they are located has soil
well suited to growing crops and an expanse of land that can be used for animal
husbandry, it therefore seems as though seasonality in this instance leads to a
waste of land. The climate remains
constant across the Isle and as such there seems little reason for the site to
be undesirable at any given period of the year.
Environmental sampling suggests that the level of chaff present is
consistent with cereal processing, thus meaning that the site may be related to
industry. This is enhanced from the
variety of animal bones that are present; the sample is indicative of animal
husbandry rather than feasting. A
further point of interest is the presence of marine shell. Within Britain there is a distinct lack of
evidence relating to Iron Age peoples exploiting the sea, with the exception of
salt production. Therefore their
discovery is something of a mystery, particularly as the site offered potential
examples of net sinkers. If fishing was
occurring, it is unlikely that it would have been conducted off the jagged
coast of North Foreland, instead I would suggest that it was taking place
further South towards Joss Bay or along the coast of Margate. In these areas the sea is far more
accessible, yet the evidence of fishermen is currently missing from these
locations. It is possible that wide
scale storage was taking place at St Stephen’s College; however, I am more
inclined to suggest that this was a small nucleated settlement and that the
excavation missed the area of occupancy.
It seems illogical to store so much, so far away from a settled area.
The pottery assemblage for this phase enhances the link the
residents had with the sea. There are
several examples of localised pottery; however, there is a strong Continental
flavour. The highlight of this is a
sherd from a vessel which has distinct parallels with those known at
Neuville-sur-Escaut, particularly around the 450-300BC mark. Along with the ceramic evidence noted at
Hartsdown, Margate, it is becoming increasing
clear that Middle Iron Age Thanet had strong Continental links, despite it
generally being accepted that Britain
as a whole was relatively isolated during this period.
There is also burial evidence for this period, firstly in
Pit 4228; sadly this is the final resting place of a neonatal, this can often
be interpreted as infanticide, however, I do not feel this is the case in this
particular instance. The site is also
the resting place of an individual with unilateral ankylosis; this means the
person in question would experience a great deal of discomfort when pressure
was applied in the mouth. The result
would be that large pieces of food and meat in general may have been
particularly difficult to consume. The
survival of the individual into adult life suggests a tolerant and
compassionate society, willing to care for others and assist them with their
needs. I therefore question why they
would practice infanticide and conclude that the neonatal remains were a result
of nature’s cruelty as oppose to that of society.
Phase 2
Broadly speaking this phase encompasses c.300/250-50BC, there
is some overlap with Phase 1, but it interestingly ends before the Roman
invasion. The principal features
relating to this phase is an enclosure running parallel to a hollow way and a
50 post palisade. The interpretation of this
phase is debated, but, on initial observation I sided with a cattle kraal,
until I looked deeper. The cattle kraal,
for me, was certain from the palisade and the formation of an extensive
boundary, however, pottery found within the post holes was of an Early Iron Age
nature. This makes me doubt the cattle
kraal theory, but at the same time I am not ready to embrace the enclosure as
being a defended enclosure for times of trouble. Firstly the enclosure is only 0.1ha, which I
feel is too small an area to sustain a community, secondly there is limited
evidence that such a protective enclave would have been required. Further to this there are limited 4 and 6
post structures, so where would people have sheltered? These structures are interpreted in the report
as being granaries; this would be in keeping with a potential defended interior,
however in this case I do not think it is the case. Instead I propose that these structures are
in fact housing, there is a distinct lack of roundhouses upon Thanet, this is
possibly due to ploughing and the loss of the tell tale drip gully. I however believe that it may be a case that
they were never there in the first place.
Instead I think that the population of Thanet lived it houses similar to
those on The Continent, this would mean they would leave rectangular traces
consistent with the long-house culture.
If the 6 post structures are related to dwellings, those
that are 4 post may well be granaries, but why would one nucleated settlement
need so many and why would they be enclosed?
Maybe this relates to the economic expansion of the area, possibly even
by the decedents of those in Phase 1.
Increased production, would require increased storage, perhaps the
dwelling was that of a merchant, a trader, even an Iron Age entrepreneur? Okay so maybe an entrepreneur is pushing it
and I should watch a little less of The Apprentice and the Junior version, but,
I hope you are following my point! I
believe this enclave to be a centre for trade, whether there was power for the
people who may or may not of lived there I do not know and I am not overly
concerned by it either. What I do know
is nearby a potin coin hoard has been found, the original Phase 1 site has
seemingly progressed and the levels of external influences speak for
themselves. The pottery assemblage is
key to this; Flanders’ La Tène III inspired
pottery is present, particularly the S-profile noted on a number of locally
produced sherds. This suggests prolonged
contact with the Continent, the pottery of Flanders
is considered to be so accepted that it was becoming a feature of Late Iron Age
Thanet. People were so accepting of it
that it had almost become their own.
There is also evidence for pottery indigenous to more localised regions,
with several sherds consisting of fabrics associated with Folkestone. This suggests a level of contact with East Kent;
however, it is notably rare in comparison to vessel sherds inspired by Flanders.
So far, St Stephen’s College is depicting the region as
being affluent, secure, complex and economically developing, while highlighting
a community that was able to trade and demonstrate compassion.
Stone Road
(Moody 2005a)
Stone Road, Site Plan
This site does not demonstrate the richest collection of
Iron Age features, particularly in terms of occupation evidence. However it remains of interest.
Firstly I will discuss the presence of a high number of
animal bones. The species present
included cattle, sheep/goat, pig, dog and horse. A study was conducted to determine if the
bones were evidence of a butchery site, due to such high volumes. The study concluded that the gnawing was
consistent with general domestic consumption and the notions of wide scale
butchery are quickly lost. However,
there is a distinct lack of domestic occupation evidence; the site lacks pits,
linear features and post holes.
The site did produce further features, most of which are
Roman and are found much higher than the numerous bones, so it is safe to
assume that they are unconnected. The
site does contain 6 prenatal inhumations, each with sherds of Late Iron Age
pottery, which acts as dating evidence.
These inhumations are truncated by Roman features, so it can be assumed
that there was no settlement present when Roman construction began. The graves were presumably unmarked to the
invaders eye, or it is unlikely that they would have been disturbed. The presence of pottery and the nature of the
burials are indicative of deliberate acts, suggesting that it was a form of
traditional practice, at least in this region.
It is possible that the site is at the edge of a Late Iron Age burial
ground, but what about those bones? Well
there is plenty of evidence of feasting at Iron Age funerals, so why should
these 6 tiny individuals be any different; time had been taken to bury them, so
surely they would have received all rites.
Bishops Avenue/Hamilton Lodge (Moody 2005b)
Bishops Avenue, Site Plan
This site dates from the Middle to Late Iron Age and
consists of linear ditches and 4 post structures. The fill from the linear ditches yielded high
amounts of faunal remains and as such comparisons have been made to Stone Road.
Despite the presence of structures and animal bone, there is
very little in the way of material culture.
28 sherds of a single rusticated storage jar, with parallels to those
found in Ebbsfleet, were discovered at date to c. 500-300BC. This gives the earliest date for potential
landscape use; however, due to the amount of the vessel that survives it is
potentially a deliberate deposit. There
is little else to suggest a hoard, just a single vessel in an unusual
location. There are several sherds of
Later Iron Age pottery associated with the 4 post structures, suggesting that
they are secondary to the activity relating to the rusticated storage jar. There is also a single potin coin,
c.150-50BC, but it is unlikely that this is representative of anything more
than casual loss.
I have already mentioned the faunal comparisons and the
findings are supportive of the limited material culture. The bone assemblage at this site is in far
poorer condition than those at Stone
Road. This
maybe indicative of two things, firstly the deposition was much earlier, making
the bones contemporary with the vessel or secondly the soil is more acidic and
that has caused the damaged. There is
little evidence as to the purpose of the bone assemblage at Bishops Avenue, but, I ma inclined to
believe that the assemblage is related to the rusticated jar in some way and
entirely unrelated to the structures.
The purpose of this site is very difficult to untangle with such limited
evidence and as such it needs to be further considered in relation to other
local finds and more importantly excavations.
Unfortunately the inhabited nature of the environment makes this
unlikely.
Lanthorne Road
(Hurd 1913)
This excavation took place in the early 1900’s and there is
little in the way of a record and definitely no site plan. I have included it though…you are probably
wondering why, while thinking I may have gone a touch mad, but there is a
method…I promise!
All that was recorded was the discovery of a vessel; it was
black ware, local and nothing particularly special. It was decorated with ‘nail marks’ and had
some comb detail on a number of sherds.
Its interest comes with its parallels to vessels in Dumpton, hardly a
million miles away I know, but when I couple it with a mixture of faunal
remains and geographical positioning, I think it gets interesting. During this time Thanet, much like today, had
a network of tracks. Some of these we
know, whereas other areas seem isolated, this is one of those. The evidence is suggestive of a route way
that we were possibly unaware of, this is very tentative and possibly
circumstantial, but considering the high presence of potin coins in the area,
entirely possible. North foreland lacked
a sea connection, but Dumpton did not…see there is some method!
Albert Lodge (Hart 2006a), Castle Keep (Hart 2006b) and
‘Beauforts’ (Hart 2005)
The location of these sites in North Foreland, made me
certain when I picked up the reports that I would find more archaeological
gold…but there was nothing, not a single Iron Age sherd, not one tiny coin, not
even a post hole. Either this was not
the place to be in Iron Age Thanet, or something is a miss. Well I’m going with the latter…I do not
believe that nothing happened here, in such close proximity to other evidence,
instead I think it is lost. This area
has been agriculturally significant for hundreds and hundreds of years and it
has been a desirable spot for construction.
So, imagine the amount of ploughs that have turned that soil, the amount
of holes dug for foundations. Now
consider how our post holes, pits and ditches would survive it. It is hardly surprising that we have a
feature free zone. I have included this
to make the point that a lack of evidence is not always evidence for a lack of
landscape use…an important archaeology lesson!
What does all this mean?
Well unlike Hartsdown, North Foreland is complicated and
little bit messy. It clearly saw Iron
Age life, definitely in the Middle and Late periods and we know the Romans
found it too.
From the evidence we have seen it seems that St Stephen’s
College was the place to be, it was multi-phase and expanding, suggesting a
strong and stable economy. The presence
of Continental material culture and inspiration was clear and life was
seemingly good. However, it is difficult
to place Stone Road
and Bishops Avenue
into that picture, were they areas of industry? Or of trade? Do they hint at a
regional house form? Maybe it is the possible missing evidence at Castle Keep,
‘Beauforts’ and Albert Lodge that held the answers. As in the case of Hartsdown, consideration
needs to be given as a whole, the geographical area considered is not huge;
there is a danger of missing big picture through looking at little ones. Stone
Road and Bishops
Avenue could have easily have been one site,
focusing on the exact same thing during the Iron Age. North Foreland is without doubt thriving, but
this evidence has provided more questions than it has answers.
The next area I will explore is Central Broadstairs, but be
sure to keep North Foreland in mind while reading…I have a feeling it has a lot
more to offer.
Until then keep exploring
and keep in touch via
Facebook,
Twitter and email:
musingsofanunemployedarchaeologist@hotmail.co.uk
Infleuntial Reading
Boast
et al. 2006
Excavations at St Stephen's College, North Foreland, Broadstairs Kent: Archaeological Excavation Report Thanet Archaeological Trust Unpublished
Hart, P.C. 2005
'Beauforts', North Foreland Avenue, Broadstairs, Kent: Archaeological Report Thanet Archaeological Trust Unpublished
Hart, P.C. 2006a
Groundworks Associated with the Construction of a Swimming Pool at Albert Lodge, North Foreland, Broadstairs, Kent: Archaeological Watching Brief Report Thanet Archaeological Trust Unpublished
Hart, P.C. 2006b
The Construction of a Block of 16 Self-Contained Flats, Former Castle Keep Hotel and Forelands, Joss Gap Road, Broadstairs. Kent: Interim Archaeological Watching Brief Report Thanet Archaeological Trust Unpublished
Hurd, H. 1913a; 1913b; 1913c.
Some Notes on Recent Archaeological Discoveries at Broadstairs Thanet Archaeological Trust Unpublished
Moody, G 2005a
Land to Rear of 103 Stone Road, Broadstairs, Kent: Archaeological Report Thanet Archaeological Trust Unpublished
Moody, G. 2005b
Hamilton Lodge, Bishops Avenue, Broadstairs: Archaeological Report Thanet Archaeological Trust Unpublished
