London, Feb 1 (ANI): A team of archaeologists has unearthed the remains of an Iron Age settlement, working along the route of a new water pipeline in Kent, UK.

According to a report by BBC News, evidence of a dwelling, postholes, pits, ancient hearths and pieces of pottery were found on land in Pembury, a large village in Kent.

South East Water plans to lay a 4.6km (2.9 mile) pipe between Kipping’s Cross Service Reservoir and Pembury.

The archaeologists, who were employed by the firm to survey the route, will now record and preserve the finds.

“We have found evidence of postholes, pits and ditches, probably part of an Iron Age dwelling, along with pieces of pottery that we can date to the late Iron Age,” said Tim Allen, from Kent Archaeological Projects.

“We also found evidence of a medieval enclosure further along the route and five circular, fire-scorched pits, probably parts of ancient hearths or kilns or evidence of charcoal production,” he added.

“It is likely that the Iron Age remains are associated with a prehistoric roundhouse that would have been approximately eight metres in diameter, with timber supports and with walls and roof made with wattle and daub,” he said.

According to Paul Clifford, engineering manager at South East Water, “This exciting find, on private land in the Pembury area, has emerged during careful archaeological surveys carried out during the excavation work before we lay the pipe.”

“On large schemes such as this, we take the extra precaution of having archaeologists working alongside our contractors to ensure that if we do find anything of historical significance, then we can halt work for further investigations. That ensures we can continue to protect and record our ancient heritage,” he said. (ANI)