ALB-Historic England-(Dont let it) Slip through the net: climate heritage at Sandwich Bay, Kent (360G-cabinetoffice-G2-GA-2023061068833-22-23)

Since 2019 CITIZANs East Kent Coast Discovery Programme have surveyed, with sub-cm accuracy, the remains of over 1100 small roundwood stakes along 2.5km stretch of foreshore at Sandwich Bay. These stakes, most of which are now likely to be only c400mm long, form the remains of at least 15 stake net stands. Documentary research, oral history and recent C14 dating carried out by Historic England suggest that these date from the mid-late 18th century into the 20th century. Collaborative research with CITiZAN volunteers has further revealed that this particular monument type, stake nets or keddle nets, have been little researched archaeologically. Their position as fish traps constructed on the open coast is also unusual. The sand and silt foreshore at Sandwich Bay is highly mobile: tidal action can remove and deposit the silts across the site and scouring up to 0.5m has also been observed during the course of our work. The remains are therefore at high risk of loss.