A mid-Neolithic monument discovered in Kent could point to a previously unknown human settlement.

The Kent Archaeological Society has found a ring ditch with a diametre of 25 metres carved into chalk bed close to Badlesmere, near Faversham.

Further excavations underneath Stringmans Field at the Lees Court Estate have revealed pottery and stone material, the earliest believed to date from circa 3,500 BC.

Coupled with the nearby discovery of five Bronze Age hoards and a 'barrow', or bowl-shaped burial mound, the KAS believes the latest discoveries - unearthed in early May - could point to continuous settlement over thousands of years.

The group says all of these finds, in such close proximity, are unheard of and could be evidence of a pre-historic community atop the North Downs overlooking Faversham Creek, a location where technological and cultural exchange could have taken place with continental Europe.

The five hoards, found by the Medway History Finders Detecting Club last year, are now being examined by the British Museum.

Archeologist Richard Taylor said: "From a county perspective, it's very significant, and it may have national significance too. There aren't many Neolithic monuments in the country, only about 80.

"And what's particularly interesting about this is we think there's other small monuments in the vicinity.

"It's unusual because we have got this monument. There's also an existing Bronze Age barrow, and we know from previous geophysical surveys that there are other ring ditches nearby. So we think we have actually got a large pre-historic landscape.

"It seems that there are a number of very interesting finds in this area that we plan to look at over the next few years. It's very exciting, and may well change the way we think about pre-historic life, certainly in Kent."

The group plan now plan to use geophysical surveys - similar to x-rays - to examine the ground underneath the field to identify further sites which may be worthy of excavation.

The digs have been carried out as part of a 15-year KAS project to archaeologically evaluate the 2,800 hectare Lees Court Estate.

Anyone interested in joining excavations in September can contact membership@kentarchaeology.org. Beginners are welcome.