Wingham Village: History

  

village of the dwellers at the heathen temple

The Archaeology of Wingham

 
 Finds in a Drainage Ditch

 In 1955 a pipe line was dug along the western edge of the village. As this passed near to the remains of the Roman Villa the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments and the Ministry of works arranged for the work to be observed by an archaeologist. Evidence of human occupation was found dating from the Neolithic through to the early 19th century
 

From Archaeolgica Cantiana 74 p.59

The finds

  Neolithic Roman Medieval Later
A.   Small piece of imbrex tile     
B.   Fragments of roofing tiles    
C.   Fragments of roofing tiles    
D. Neolithic pit      
E.   Fragment of Samien ware    
F.   Fragments of roofing tiles    
G .   Two 2 wall sherds of grey ware    
H.    Three fragments of rim of flagon or bottle     
I.   Fragments of roofing tiles    
J.     Rim sherd (grey ware)  
K.     Small sherd (indeterminate ware)  
L   Decorated bone from knife handle    
M.    
sherds of jug shoulder 
Part of base of jug
Wall sherd
Rim sherd (small dish)
Wall sherd of jug
Large wall sherd of jug
Nine wall sherds of jug (joining)
Wall sherd
 
N.     Rim sherds (redfaced grey ware)  
O.       Most of small pipkin 18/19th C
         
         
         
  
Neolithic pit
Evidence of Neolithic occupation was found through the discovery of a pit that contained a number of artifacts. Analysis of the surrounding soil and that covering and filling the pit suggest that it was sealed sometime before 1600 BC. Finds include:

 
Pottery Round bottomed bowl thin ware grey-brown-black
Rim shard thin burnished ware black
Rim shards (fitting) smooth grey-brown
Rim shard (bowl) (highly)burnished ware brown-black
Rim and Body Shards smooth burnished ware grey-brown-black
Rim and Body Shards grey-brown-black
Rim shard smooth brown-black
Bone Artifacts Antler Comb
L: 9.65 Inches
Dia: 2.4 Inches
Made of Red deer Antler. Probably broken at time of excavation.
Bone Point (Awl) L: 3 Inches Made from sheep or goat bone
Saddle-quern and Rubber
Quern
L: 7.25 Inches
W: 5 Inches
Both items made of stone which probably came the Folkstone area
Flints Un-patinated flakes from a single nodule
As well as the Red deer antler come, other animal bones identified were from Ox, Sheep/goat, and pig. Shell samples were also studied.

 

Further information can be found in A Neolothic Pit and Other Finds from Wingham, East Kent by E Greenfileld in Archaeology Cantiana 74, 1960 pp58-72.