WHITEHORSESTONE

. li I

For many years, archaeologists have been England east of those on the Berkshire looking for traces of Neolithic longhouses in Southern England, similar to those so well-

Downs. The best known is Kits Coty House,

and the new site lies only a kilometre away,

known in Northern and Central Europe.

Now in Kent a longhouse of impressive continental type has been discovered at White Horse Stone, at the foot of the chalk at the foot of the hill slope. The discovery was in itself something of a triumph, for the house was covered by approximately four metres of hill wash (colluvium - see photo).

escarpment of the North Downs, near

Maidstone, close to the Pilgrim's Way.

The area is an important one for

Neolithic studies because it lies on the edge of the eastern group of 'Medway Megaliths'.

These Medway megaliths are two small groups of megalithic tombs on either side of the River Medway, which are virtually the

However, the archaeological trial trenching across the floor of the dry valley revealed a layer of buried soil just above the chalk of probable Bronze Age date; a full excavation was therefore laid on and it revealed the

Neolithic longhouse.

. The Longhouse only visible Neolithic monuments in Kent

The long-house was of a type well and indeed in South East England. They are known on the Continent. It was mainly of a the only megalithic chambered tombs in post hole construction, but very large - 18

Oxford

Archaeological

Unit

450

AWtWlIOLOGY