1119241. Cite this using datacite

Title:

Land South of Sutton Road, Langley, Maidstone. Post-excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design.

Series:

Wessex Archaeology unpublished report series

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Biblio Note

This report was uploaded to the OASIS system by the named Publisher. The report has not been reviewed by the relevant HER. The report has been transferred into the ADS Library for public access and to facilitate future research.

Licence Type:

ADS Terms of Use and Access

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5284/1119241

Publication Type:

Report (in Series)

Abstract:

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by RPS Consulting Services to undertake archaeological mitigation works comprising the excavation of seven areas, in total 1.62 ha, on land south of Sutton Road, Langley, Maidstone, centred on NGR 579900 151800. The work was carried out as a condition of planning permission, granted by Maidstone Borough Council (15/509015/OUT; Condition 17), for the development of approximately 47.8 ha for residential and non-residential purposes. The excavations were conducted alongside a phased programme of trial trenching between November 2019 and August 2020. Preliminary investigations undertaken to support the planning application had included desk-based assessment (DBA; RPS 2015), trial trenching (ASE 2015; comprising 17 trenches) and geophysical survey (Stratascan/SUMO 2015). Following determination of the planning application, the development site was subject to more extensive evaluation, comprising the excavation of 355 trial trenches. This was carried out in four stages between November 2019 and August 2020 (Wessex Archaeology 2019a; 2020a–c). The excavations were conducted alongside the trial trenching in a rolling programme of works. Specific areas were targeted for excavation based on the results of the trial trenching, in consultation with Kent County Council’s (KCC’s) Senior Archaeological Officer. The targeted excavations following the trial trenching were undertaken in accordance with written schemes of investigation (WSIs). These WSI's detailed the aims, methodologies and standards to be employed for the fieldwork and the post-excavation work (Wessex Archaeology 2019b–c; 2020d–e). The KCC Senior Archaeological Officer approved the WSIs, on behalf of the Local Planning Authority (LPA), prior to the fieldwork. The most significant findings of the investigations comprise the identification of a probable late prehistoric ‘burnt mound’ (Area 4) and a small Romano-British cremation cemetery (Area 7). The burnt mound consisted of an extensive spread of material incorporating abundant charcoal and heat-affected stone. This measured at least 50 m by 16.5 m (approximately 535 m2) and had probably formed through numerous episodes of deposition. Approximately 30 pits were also encountered in this area. Many were ostensibly sealed by, yet probably contemporary with the burnt mound deposits – some potentially being the remains of troughs or basins. Although few finds came from the burnt mound deposits and pits, one of the latter yielded exclusively Middle/Late Bronze Age pottery, whilst another that contained possible coarse, domestic Beaker pottery was the earliest feature identified on the site. The Romano-British cremation cemetery contained the remains of at least 12, probably 13 burials, all made in urns placed upright within the small, pit-like graves and accompanied with (between one and three) ancillary/accessory vessels. Of the 45 vessels from graves, 16 were imported wares and 29 were produced relatively locally. The cremated bone from the graves (a little under 1 kg) represents the remains of a minimum of 14 individuals – some provisionally identified as adult males, females and juveniles/subadults. A sparse scatter of other later prehistoric–Romano-British features was identified. These include two, possibly three small Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pits in Area 1 and three small Early/Middle Iron Age pits in Area 3. A few other small pits in Area 3 were potentially late prehistoric, whilst one, possibly two other undated examples contained cremation-related deposits. Middle/Late Iron Age–Romano-British pottery came from several large, amorphous hollows of uncertain origin in Area 6 and two Late Iron Age/Romano-British pits were identified in Area 2.

Author:

Tom Wells
Andrew Souter

Publisher:

Wessex Archaeology

Year of Publication:

2022

Locations:

District:	Maidstone
Country:	England
Parish:	Langley
County:	Kent

Grid Reference: 579898, 151800 (Easting, Northing)

Subjects / Periods:

DITCH (Monument Type England)

UNCERTAIN ENCLOSURE (Tag)

ENCLOSURE (Monument Type England)

TRACKWAY (Monument Type England)

EXCAVATION (Event)

ROMAN CINERARY URN (Tag)

SCRAPER (TOOL) (Object England)

POST HOLE (Monument Type England)

PALAEOLITHIC SCRAPER (TOOL) (Tag)

BLADE (Object England)

POST MEDIEVAL BOUNDARY DITCH (Tag)

UNCERTAIN BLADE (Tag)

IN SITU BURNT DEPOSIT (Monument Type England)

BURNT FLINT (Object England)

HUMAN REMAINS (Object England)

ROMAN CREMATION CEMETERY (Tag)

BOUNDARY DITCH (Monument Type England)

ROMAN HUMAN REMAINS (Tag)

PIT CLUSTER (Monument Type England)

UNCERTAIN DITCH (Tag)

ROMAN FUNERARY SITE (Tag)

BUTCHERED ANIMAL REMAINS (Object England)

EARLY BRONZE AGE SHERD (Tag)

ROMAN SHERD (Tag)

PIT (Monument Type England)

BURNT MOUND (Monument Type England)

CREMATION PIT (Monument Type England)

CINERARY URN (Monument Type England)

IRON AGE SHERD (Tag)

POST MEDIEVAL BUTCHERED ANIMAL REMAINS (Tag)

LATE NEOLITHIC SHERD (Tag)

LATER PREHISTORIC BURNT FLINT (Tag)

UNCERTAIN TRACKWAY (Tag)

UNCERTAIN POST HOLE (Tag)

UNCERTAIN IN SITU BURNT DEPOSIT (Tag)

SHERD (Object England)

FUNERARY SITE (Monument Type England)

UNCERTAIN CREMATION PIT (Tag)

EARLY IRON AGE PIT (Tag)

LATER PREHISTORIC BURNT MOUND (Tag)

CREMATION CEMETERY (Monument Type England)

BRONZE AGE SHERD (Tag)

BRONZE AGE PIT CLUSTER (Tag)

LATE NEOLITHIC (Historic England Periods)

IRON AGE (Historic England Periods)

EARLY BRONZE AGE (Historic England Periods)

BRONZE AGE (Historic England Periods)

ROMAN (Historic England Periods)

POST MEDIEVAL (Historic England Periods)

LATER PREHISTORIC (Historic England Periods)

EARLY IRON AGE (Historic England Periods)

UNCERTAIN (Historic England Periods)

PALAEOLITHIC (Historic England Periods)

Identifiers:

OASIS Id:	wessexar1-508087
Report id:	225531.4

Source:

OASIS (OASIS)

Relations:

Created Date:

12 Jun 2024