Cornwallis Circle Park, Whitstable, Kent: Archaeological and Geoarchaeological Monitoring of Ground Investigation (GI) Works

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Pegasus Group, on behalf of JBM Solar Projects 27 Ltd (part of RWE Renewables UK) to carry out preliminary geoarchaeological investigations through a programme of geoarchaeological test pits and geoarchaeological sondages on land located to the west of Iwade, Kent (the 'Site'). The Site is centred on NGR 588523 167517 (TQ 88523 67517). The investigations were carried out in advance of the proposed development of a solar farm. Development proposals for the solar farm include the installation of ground-mounted photovoltaic solar arrays and battery-based electricity storage containers, along with a substation, switchgear container, inverter/transformer units, landscaping, infrastructure, and associated works. A planning application (22/502778/EIFUL), submitted to Swale Borough Council, has been granted, with conditions. Condition 5 relates to archaeology. In consultation with the County Archaeologist at Kent County Council, it was determined that a programme of initial geoarchaeological investigations was required to determine the nature and distribution of Quaternary deposits and to provide an initial assessment of their geoarchaeological potential. These would establish the requirement for, and scope, of any further geoarchaeological works. The program of works comprised the excavation, investigation and recording of 15 machine-dug geoarchaeological test pits and 30 machine-dug geoarchaeological sondages. The test pits were located where Quaternary geological deposits are mapped in British Geological Survey (BGS). This excluded the footprint of the former brick pit, which was not included in these investigations. The test pits provided an initial assessment of the mapped deposits geoarchaeological potential. The sondages were located in areas where no Quaternary geological deposits are mapped by the BGS and were principally aimed at determining the presence/absence, distribution and nature of Quaternary deposits. The investigations established the distribution of different Quaternary deposits across the Site and has enabled an initial assessment of their geoarchaeological potential. The data have been used to provide a Geoarchaeological Landscapes Characterisation (GLC) for the Site. This has divided the Site into five Geoarchaeological Character Zones (GCZ) based on variations in the Quaternary deposits present. The deposits within these five zones and their geoarchaeological potential is summarised as follow: GCZs 1a and 1b - Pleistocene Head-Brickearth with moderate geoarchaeological potential. These are similar to deposit which in wider area at Bapchild (Dines 1929) have produced late Upper Palaeolithic lithic scatters from buried landsurfaces. The lower parts of these Head-Brickearth sequences, below levels of recent bioturbation, may also have palaeoenvironmental potential for landscape reconstruction. GCZ 2 - Remanent Pleistocene Head-Brickearth located within the former brick pit. Although not investigated, in line with broadly equivalent deposits in GCZs 1a and 1b these are assessed as having moderate geoarchaeological potential. They may be present beneath c. 2 m of made ground and may not be impacted by the development. GCZ 3 - Periglacial Pleistocene cold stage gravelly solifluction deposits with low geoarchaeological potential. GCZ 4a and 4b - Pleistocene slope deposits with low archaeological potential reflecting repeated erosion and reworking of the bedrock through solifluction. GCZ 5 - Pleistocene and/or Holocene slope/alluvial deposits with moderate geoarchaeological potential. While the age of these deposits is uncertain, similar sediments located 1.7 km to the west of the Site at Lower Halsted have produced significant prehistoric archaeology, including Mesolithic lithic scatters from a landsurface (Burchell 1927). Potential for landsurfaces within the deposits in the Site was noted.