| Title: |
Land at Meopham School, Wrotham Road, Meopham, Kent DA13 0AH |
| Series: |
Canterbury Archaeological Trust unpublished report series
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| Downloads: |
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canterbu3-507376_189630.pdf (6 MB)
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Download
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| Licence Type: |
ADS Terms of Use and Access
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| DOI |
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| Publication Type: |
Report (in Series)
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| Abstract: |
The archaeological evaluation comprised the excavation by machine of eleven trenches located within the footprint of the proposed development. The trenches measured between 20 and 15m in length and 1.5m in width.
Mechanical excavation was limited to the removal of overburden to expose the uppermost archaeological deposits or the natural geological surface, whichever was the higher. Ground reduction was undertaken using an 8-tonne 360° tracked mechanical back-acting excavator with a flat-bladed grading bucket under constant archaeological supervision. All undifferentiated overburden was removed in spits of c 100mm thickness. Following the mechanical clearance of overburden, excavation of archaeological features was undertaken by hand.
Survey was undertaken using a differential GNSS Leica Viva GS08 using Leica Smart Net data via live internet feed with a positional accuracy of less than 20mm (3D). The mapped features were located in real time to the Ordnance Survey grid Between 30 May and 1 June 2022, Canterbury Archaeological Trust undertook an archaeological evaluation of land at Meopham School, Wrotham Road, Meopham, Kent DA13 0AH. The works were commissioned as part of preparations for the construction of a new freestanding two storey school building, new staff car park, new parent car park and drop off/pick up area, together with associated access, signage and landscaping works. The site was divided into Area A located to the north and Area B located to the south of the proposed development area (PDA).
A complex geological horizon was encountered within Area B that comprised an outcrop of chalk with associated Clay with Flint. In places this was overlain by Head deposit silty sandy clay that was also predominant within Area A. The uppermost surface of the geological deposits was artificially truncated in Area A approximately 0.3m beneath the present ground level. In Area B the geological surface undulated between 0.6–0.3m beneath the present ground level.
Several north-north-east to south-south-west aligned ditches were identified crossing Area B. In addition, a ditch and possible tree throw were identified at the northern limit of Area A. All the features contained limited artefactual remains but the presence of burnt flint as well as potential worked flint would indicate the ditches were formed at some point during the later prehistoric period (4000–100BC). A single pottery sherd from a ditch is likely late Iron Age in date (c 100 BC –100AD). Due to the presence of substantial remains dated to the Iron Age adjacent and to the north of the PDA it is likely that the identified archaeological resource is a continuation of this activity. |
| Author: |
Rebecca Lane
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| Publisher: |
Canterbury Archaeological Trust
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| Year of Publication: |
2022
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| Locations: |
| Parish: |
Meopham |
| Country: |
England |
| County: |
Kent |
| District: |
Gravesham |
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Grid Reference: 564219, 165804 (Easting, Northing)
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| Subjects / Periods: |
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DITCH
(Monument Type England)
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EVALUATION
(Event)
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BURNT FLINT
(Object England)
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LATER PREHISTORIC BURNT FLINT
(Tag)
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TREE THROW
(Monument Type England)
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SHERD
(Object England)
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UNCERTAIN TREE THROW
(Tag)
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LATER PREHISTORIC SHERD
(Tag)
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LATER PREHISTORIC DITCH
(Tag)
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LATER PREHISTORIC
(Historic England Periods)
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UNCERTAIN
(Historic England Periods)
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| Identifiers: |
| OASIS Id: |
canterbu3-507376 |
| Report id: |
2022/101 |
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| Source: |
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| Relations: |
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| Created Date: |
14 Jul 2023 |
