Hurst Wood, ARC HWD 98

The Oxford Archaeological Unit (OAU) was commissioned by Union Railways (South) Limited (URS) to carry out a strip, map and sample excavation on a site to the south of Charing Heath (centred on URL grid 72960 28460; NGR grid TQ 92955 48461). The work was conducted between 14th September 1998 and 1st October 1998, as part of a programme of archaeological investigation along the line of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Twenty-seven pits, 17 postholes, 4 tree-throw holes and 2 furrows were excavated. Of those features 2 pits contained Bronze Age pottery, one tree-throw hole produced Iron Age pottery and a further pit contained a single Romano-British sherd. Six pits and two postholes contained flint. It is likely that the postholes and the furrows are associated with a post-medieval hop garden. Many of the pits contained evidence of burning and may have been associated with charcoal production, woodland clearance or some other form of woodland management.