Monument record TR 26 NE 1345 - Late Iron Age/Roman pits (group 1) along the forershore at Minnis Bay in Birchington.

A series of late Iron Age and early roman shafts or possible wells have been identified during various phases of investigation along the foreshore and on the clifftop along Minnis Bay in Birchington in Thanet. These form three distinct groups, the first intertidal group of 18 pits on the foreshore, 250m to the north east of the Bronze Age site and 100m from today’s promenade, covers an area about 125m by 100m. Eight of this group (1-8) were originally discovered by Jimmy Beck in 1938, they were revisited in 1957 to fully excavate them and to gain further measurements. Of these 8 pits, all bar ‘Well 6’, the first of the modern animal burial pits to be found, contained Mid-Late Iron Age to Roman sherds. In ‘Well 2’ a Mid Roman North Kent Thameside ‘Olla’ with rim, upper body and near complete profile was found, dated ad 175/200-250. From ‘well 3’ was a two-handled flagon of New Forest ware in perfect condition with a brown colour-coat and white slip decoration. Besides sherds, ‘Wells 2 and 3’ yielded wood fragments of withy and parts of bucket staves. Other finds included a metal ring and a bone antler tool in ‘Well 4’ and a small ‘V’-shaped whorl carved from chalk with an orange stain in Well 7. Between 1954-1959 Antoinette found a further ten pits in this first group (of which 3 were ‘modern’ animal burial pits). Excavation of Well 9 started in September 1954. It contained a Mid/Late Iron Age group of sherds consisting mainly of flint tempered coarseware and fine silty ware, dated to 150-50 bc. The two adjacent pits, Wells 10 and 11, contained much grog-tempered ‘Belgic’ ware. ‘Well 11’ was of particular note; besides containing the many sherds and wood pieces of a tusk-tenon joint, the upper part of a 3cm bronze brooch was amongst the fill. It has a 2-coil spring but the pin is missing. In 1958 Professor Hawkes dated it as pre-Roman, c.50-0 bc. It has recently been identified as a Nauheim Derivative type brooch. ‘Well 12’ was identified in a rock pool and once the surface water had drained away it was possible to excavate the well base. On this occasion it was 107cm in diameter with straight sides 61cm deep. It contained a small collection of pottery sherds, bone fragments, small pieces of wood, eggshells and stone. The artifact contents of Well 13 were studied by Nigel Macpherson-Grant in 2016 who felt that the initial excavation of this well was unlikely to have been any earlier than c.150 bc. Its main use appears to have been between c.150-75 bc, or slightly later. The dating of the LIA ‘Belgic’ grog-tempered component (25 bc-ad 50) may be conservative and therefore earlier, from c.75 or 50 bc. If so, and no other material was lost during erosion of the upper well levels, this final infill is possibly no later than c.50 or 25 bc. Timber remains were a feature of Well 13 with the largest piece being a plank measuring 35.5cm in length by 12.2cm wide with an average thickness of 6cm. It has a 15.8cm diameter hole in the centre. The function of this plank, has never been established although one suggestion was made that it may have been the mast tabernacle of a small boat. Other wooden finds in this well base included stake tips and two pieces of a wooden channel, the section of which is incomplete with cross cuts from pith removal at the broad end. The resultant slot narrows to a ‘v’ section at one end. One third of the tree section was used with two outward facing facets. Indications are that Wells 14 and 15 (approximately 30m apart) were in use at the same time. Both were dug and in use from ad 150/200 until closure and infill c.ad 400. ‘Well 14’ contained Roman building materials of brick and tile, both tegula and roof, dated to 2nd/3rd centuries. ‘Well 15’ also contained Roman building material and a large amount of pot sherds. The remains of leather sandals/slippers, a probable hobnailed boot and a shoe were found. Two small pieces of a sandal, 11.2cm long by 2.5cm wide, of similar shape were found in good condition. One piece is plain apart from having serrated edges, the other has serrated/rouletted edges, with a central panel of incised decoration in a cable pattern, inside an incised line coming to point at one end. One slipper of Roman date has the toe and cap area complete with the majority of the sole but the heel area is detached from the sole. It is edge flesh-stitched around the toe area where some reinforcement to the sole may have occurred. It has a wide V-shaped throat with serrated edges. This appears to be clumsily designed but well executed. Along the sole there are two medial tie thong holes 1cm and 1.5cm left and right respectively. The separated back heel area has a thong hole. The stitch holes are spaced at an average of 3cm intervals. The slipper’s fullest extant is 13cm long and 11cm wide. The ‘hobnailed’ boot/shoe is in a very fragile condition. The toe area of the sole is made up of two pieces of leather about 1mm thick with a lump of much corroded iron attached on the left side; 2cm down on the same side there is some iron staining. In the sole area there are 2 definite cut holes, 0.7cm in diameter and 2.3cm apart, possibly for hobnails. The rest of the footwear discovered is very fragmentary. Width 7cm tapering to 3.5cm at heel, a single piece of leather probably originally 2mm thick now about 1mm. No apparent stitch holes around extant sole. However apparent notches, two per side, approximately opposite and roughly central may indicate sandal straps. Reinforced central leather strip 2mm thick, 1.5cm in width at heel expanding to 3.7cm has been attached to the wider sole. At heel end, three definite and 1 or 2 presumed stitch holes; these do not however go through to lower sole which suggests possible use of leather off-cuts. Central row of stitches in pairs about 3cm to 4cm apart. One surviving piece of thong at heel end is 3mm wide. Left hand side reinforcing leather has knife cut 3mm in from edge. In the last 15cm of the fill of Well 15 two bone shuttles were found. Both are polished from use with two holes at the knuckle end. One shuttle is decorated with dot & ring cut/punched circles to top and sides. (1-2)

<1> Trevor and Vera Gibbons, 2018, The Archaeological Pits of Minnis Bay, Birchington, Kent 400 BC - 400 AD Middle to Late Iron Age to Roman (Unpublished document). SKE58997.

<2> Vera and Trevor Gibbons, 2021, The Middle/Late Iron Age and Roman finds made by Antoinette Powell-Cotton on the Foreshore and Clifftop at Minnis Bay in Birchington (Article in serial). SKE58998.