Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Site of the Great Gate or Almoners Gate, which was known to protrude from the south-west turret of the Cathedral. Also referred to as the 'The Porter's Lodge' and the 'Inner Precinct Gate.'

Monument Types

• GATE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1744 AD (at some time))

Full description

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Fragments of the Great Gate were possibly seen during an archaeological watching brief on a cable trench in 1998 [1].

Later reanalysis of the above information suggests that as what appeared to be a ragstone face to the fragments was neither parallel to, nor at right angles to the south-west turret of the Cathedral; it seems more likely that the fragments recorded were part of the medieval drainage system, which presumably ran through the Gate. The Great Gate protruded from the south-west turret of the cathedral and is also referred to as 'The Porter's Lodge' and the 'Inner Precinct Gate'. The building was a three storey strcuture, pulled down in 1744, with the last vestiges gone by 1810. [2].

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1998, An Archaeological Watching Brief along the route of Telewest Communication cable trenches, Rochester (Unpublished document). SWX6727.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1999, DRAFT Archaeological Observations undertaken during the Boley Hill, Rochester Repaving Project 1998. Volume 1: Report (Unpublished document). SKE12475.

Sources and further reading