Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Anglo Saxon Graves uncovered in 1960 under the south-west corner of Gundulph's Tower at Rochester Cathedral. Finds include a spearhead, pottery and clench nails from coffins. The graves may be related to the original church of 603. The precise location of the graves is unclear. The grid reference has been altered in favour of a position under the southwestern corner of the Cathedral.

The site lies within the city walls, near the eastern bank of the River Medway, OD approx. 10m.

Monument Types

• INHUMATION CEMETERY (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 603 AD to 870 AD)

Associated Finds

• NAIL (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• SPEAR (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• SHERD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 603 AD to 870 AD)

Full description

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[TQ74286852] A number of Anglo-Saxon graves were uncovered in 1960 under the south-west corner of Gundulph's Tower during the installation of a heating system in Rochester Cathedral. Finds include a spearhead, pottery and clench nails from coffins. The graves may be related to the original church of 603 (1)

A penny of AEthilheard, Archbishop of Canterbury 791 to 805, was found in 1876 by workmen excavating for a new buttress to St. Edmund's Chapel in the cathedral (2) [TQ74286849 approx.]

The inhumations were found beneath, and either side of, the nave S. wall near to the S.W. Corner at TQ 74226854. The grave-goods are in Rochester Museum, the human remains were re-interred. (3)

Additional bibliography. (4,5)

See also Arch Cant vol LXXVI 1961 p.lxxiv which implies no grave goods were found?

Does entry [1] above mean Gundulph's Tower or the south western turret of the cathedral? Is entry [3], referring to a different set of inhumations to those outhlined in entry [1]? In the main Boley Hill Repaving Project Report, the summary of previous archaeolgical observations and excavations in the centre of rochester, describes two groups of burials. One group are located under the south western corner of the Cathedral and thought to be Saxon, the second undated group, were found just south of the cathedal [6].

<1> Md Arch 5 1961 309 (DM Wilson) (OS Card Reference). SKE46640.

<2> Arch J 33 1876 196 (RP Coates) (OS Card Reference). SKE36614.

<3> F1 ASP 18-DEC-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42162.

<4> Gaz of early AS burial sites 1964 134-135 (ALS Meaney) (OS Card Reference). SKE43546.

<5> Field report for monument TQ 76 NW 9 - December, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4078.

<6> 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