Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

One trench (B), excavated from the intersection of the High Street with Stour Street to 'The Weavers', exposed an extensive sequence of medieval and post-medieval street-metallings. Many of the earlier streets were mixed with or sealed by flood-silt. Also revealed was part of the eastern arch of the late 12th century King's Bridge.

Monument Types

• ROAD (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1101 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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During May and June 1982, the laying of a new 35cm gas main from the junction of Best Lane and the High Street to beyond the block of shops called 'The Weavers' (nos 1, 2 and 3, St Peter's Street) exposed part of the medieval fabric of the King's Bridge and parts of the church of All Saints.

One trench (B), excavated from the intersection of the High Street with Stour Street to 'The Weavers', exposed an extensive sequence of medieval and post-medieval street-metallings. Many of the earlier streets were mixed with or sealed by flood-silt. Also revealed was part of the eastern arch of the late 12th century King's Bridge. The bridge was double-arched, the eastern arch having a mill-leat passing beneath it to the King's Mill (first mentioned c. 1150), which is located under no 24, High Street. In 1769 the bridge was widened on the north side and the roads either side of the bridge raised and thickly metalled to prevent flooding. Much of the material used in this widening derived from a triple arched section of the northern city wall over the river called the Water Lock, demolished in the same year.

Down the centre of Best Lane a trench revealed parts of the east and south walls of All Saints church, together with the massive green sand quoins of the SE corner. Trench A, in the high street to the west, revealed the west side of the principal Medieval south door with the external flat chamfer and no 'stops' and and the original threshold which lay 1.2m below the present street.

Andrews, G., 1985, The Archaeology of Canterbury: An Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE30429.

Frere, S., Bennett, P., Rady, J., Stow, S., 1987, Excavations Intra- and Extra-mural Sites 1949-55 and 1980-84 (Monograph). SKE29800.

Sources and further reading