Monument record TQ 75 SE 444 - Middle Bronze Age occupation site, Cripple Street, Maidstone

A programme of archaeological investigation carried ouit in 2016 found rare evidence of Middle Bronze Age occupation in the form of two pit clusters, a spread of post holes, a linear feature and a possible round-house. The latter was possibly evidenced by a semi-circular arrangement of post holes. The
chronology was supported by 3 radiocarbon dates of 2064-1880, 1516-1418 and 1501-1392 cal BC.

Artefacts included 159 sherds of prehistoric pottery (Bronze and Iron Age), struck flint tools (flakes, scrapers, serrated flakes), burnt flint (164g total), animal bone (15 fragments, mostly unidentifiable) charred plant remains (poorly preserved cereal grains and charcoal from oak and willow/poplar)

Post medieval and later features were also observed (1,2,3)

<1> Thames Valley Archaeological Services, 2014, Archaeological Desk-based Assessment: Land at Cripple Street, Maidstone, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE31175.

<2> Thames Valley Archaeological Services, 2016, Land at Cripple Street, Maidstone, Kent. Archaeological evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE32175.

<3> Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd, 2017, Middle Bronze Age occupation at Cripple Street, Maidstone, Kent, An archaeological excavation (Unpublished document). SKE52457.