Bradstow School, Dumpton Park Drive, Broadstairs

From 1st May to 10th June 2006 Archaeology South-East undertook the excavation of a substantial Bronze Age round barrow at Bradstow School in Broadstairs, following an initial evaluation of the site by the Trust for Thanet Archaeology during January of the same year.

The environs of Bradstow School have long been known to contain significant archaeological remains, including several Bronze Age round barrows and an extensive Anglo-Saxon cemetery. Some of the earliest fieldwork undertaken in the vicinity of the school includes the excavations carried out by Mr. Hurd during 1910 and 1911 in the grounds to the east and south of the school (then known as Valetta House). Here, Hurd excavated a Round barrow containing some nine crouched Bronze Age inhumations as well as 30 Anglo-Saxon graves. Further work in the area was carried out between 1970 and 1974 by the British Museum, where a further 60 Anglo-Saxon burials were excavated, as well as the ring ditches of additional round barrows. Two further Anglo-Saxon graves were uncovered by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust in 2003 during evaluation work close to the present excavations.

The barrow recently excavated by Archaeology South-East, therefore, can be considered to form part of a group of such monuments, situated on the east face of a promontory overlooking the coast. The ring ditch of this barrow measured some 4.5 m in width, up to 1.8 m deep and with an internal diameter of around 23.0 m. Excavation showed the ditch to be penannular in form with a narrow causeway on its western side. The dimensions of this ditch suggest that the barrow must have formed an impressive monument in its own right and more so as part of a group.

A total of 12 features were identified and excavated inside the ring ditch. For the most part these comprised a variety of pits and postholes clustered in the southeastern quadrant of the barrow. None of these features produced any finds and their function remains at present an unknown quantity. Analysis of environmental samples recovered from these features is currently underway, however, and it is hoped that the results of this may shed some light on their purpose. In addition to these features was a rectangular pit situated in the exact centre of the barrow. Though reminiscent of a grave, the feature proved to be completely empty, although the mixed character of the fill suggests that the feature may have been robbed out in antiquity.

The absence of any direct evidence for burial within this impressive round barrow came as a slight disappointment to those archaeologists who toiled over its excavation. However, the discovery of a much smaller companion to this barrow only a few metres to the north came as a welcome surprise for at least five burials of Bronze Age date were found interred within it. In contrast to the monument described above, the ring ditch of this humble little barrow measured only 1.0 m in width, with an internal diameter of just 4.0 m. Yet almost every square inch of space within the ring ditch was utilised for the interment of the dead. Three adult crouched inhumations were excavated, all of which were placed upon their right hand sides, as well as at least two probable juvenile or neonatal skeletons. No grave goods were seen to accompany any of these skeletons but it is hoped that analysis of environmental samples retrieved from these graves may help to determine whether any organic or otherwise perishable goods were interred with the bodies.

Other features excavated during the course of the fieldwork include a veritable wealth of postholes, a single east-west-aligned grave and an undated and interrupted boundary ditch. Most of the postholes formed a confusing cluster of undated features that are difficult to untangle. However, at least three four-post structures could be discerned during the excavation. Dating these structures is currently uncertain; on-site spot dating suggested an Iron Age date for their construction but full analysis of the pottery is still in progress and a Saxon date cannot, at this juncture, be ruled out.

The east-west orientated grave contained very little other than a handful of disarticulated fragments of human bone and it is probable that the feature was robbed out in antiquity. However, its clearly Christian character (i.e. its orientation) suggests that it formed part of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery described above. Dating the boundary ditch that lay just to the south of this grave is also fraught with difficulty. It is tempting indeed, however, to view the ditch, with its interruptions, as delineating and affording access to the Saxon Cemetery that lies to the north and east.

Aerial view of the excavations from the north

The drawn and written archive compiled during the course of the fieldwork has now been fully checked and processing of the environmental and finds archives is now well underway. At this early stage in the post-excavation analysis, the results of this excavation raise more questions than they answer but it is hoped that as detailed post-excavation analysis continues many of the uncertainties surrounding this fascinating site can be reconciled.

Project Officer: Diccon Hart
Client: