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Neolithic 4200 - 2000 BC

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Neolithic burials:

Thanet longbarrows


Seven Stones Dumpton
Dent-de-Lion
Alland Grange
Acol
Monkton roundabout

*Hackemdown Banks

Neolithic burials:

Thanet longbarrows

The traditional form of communal burial monument which we would expect to find in this area is the longbarrow.

None have been certainly identified by modern excavation, but aerial photography has identified five potential sites (numbers I-V below). These have been obtained from a map compiled by Dr. David Perkins which combines data from an RCHME survey of 1989 with the results of his own aerial photographic research (including images taken both by himself and those of the Potato Marketing Board, obtained from local farmers).

The original RCHME survey of 1989 lists four potential longbarrow cropmarks and presumably does not include the example at the Seven Stones Estate, Dumpton (I).

It is hoped that with the generous permission of the landowners we may get the opportunity to test some of these cropmarks through geophysical survey in the future.


Overlooking Dumpton Gap towards the Seven Stones Estate
(I) Seven Stones Estate, Dumpton Gap.
Initially identified through old aerial photographs, this site now lies under the Seven Stones Estate and may have been partially or totally destroyed by house-building. The name 'Seven Stones' itself is intruiguing and one wonders how that came about.

Someone who worked on the building site subsequently reported that many chalk-cut features (including graves) were disturbed during the construction works (Peter Summers pers comm.). Some archaeology may survive in areas of garden and verge untouched by foundations, service trenches or terracing.

The whole cliff-top area of Dumpton has a great concentration of important archaeological remains and demonstrates a continuity of occupation from at least the Beaker Period through to Roman times.

NGR 63937 16628.
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(II) Dent de Lion.


(III) Alland Grange.


(IV) Acol.


(V) Monkton roundabout.


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Hackemdown Banks tower
(*) Hackemdown Banks, Kingsgate.
In 1736 John Lewis described this site as comprising 'two large Butts or Banks of Earth...'.

Today his description of 'banks' might suggest the image of a long mound or longbarrow. However these monuments may more likely have been roundbarrows. Click here to read more about what was found at Hackemdown Banks!


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Abbreviations

RCHME - Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England.


Bibliography

Edis J. 1989. The classification of cropmarks in Kent. A report for the monuments protection programme. Air Photography Unit. Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. July 1989.


The text is the responsibility of the author; the photographs are by the author unless otherwise stated.


Paul Hart

Version 1 - Posted 26.09.06
Version 2 - Posted 16.12.06
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