Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Arcadis Consulting (UK) Limited, on behalf of Folkestone and Hythe District Council and Cozumel Estates, to undertake an archaeological watching brief during geo-environmental and drainage investigation works, centred on NGR 611239, 136507. The watching brief identified deposits of Holocene colluvium overlaying Pleistocene head-brickearth across large areas of the site, although the thickness of these deposits varies considerably. Within the floodplain of the East Stour River Holocene alluvial deposits, which in places overlie Pleistocene Head-Brickearth, were identified. A flint flake, identified as a soft hammer flake was recovered from the colluvium of test pit TP223, but the flake itself is not chronologically diagnostic. Within borehole BH206, located south of Westenhanger Castle, brick fragments were observed in the borehole spoil which have the potential to be associated either with the walled garden of Westenhanger Castle or related to the construction of the Folkestone horse racing course, but this hypothesis is limited within the confines a borehole observation.
Archaeology Wessex (2026) studied this question.