Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Layers of archaeological deposits had been largely destroyed by a large 16/17th century pit. The pit was sealed by a loam floor of the 17th century and above the floor was a layer of demolition debris sealed by 36cm of 18th century garden soil, in trun sealed by paving.

Several pits were found, one of which produced a sherd of 5th century Jutish pottery. A skeleton found in a cellar behind Burgate House.

Monument Types

• HUMAN REMAINS (Medieval to Unknown - 1101 AD)
• OCCUPATION SITE (Medieval to Unknown - 1101 AD)

Full description

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In summer 1948 the Canterbury Excavation Committee excavated four trenches to the west of a large bomb crater, and in a cellar, on the north side of Burgate Street. The site was coded CXIIIT.
The area was very disturbed and not fully excavated; the only Roman material was a deposit of dark garden soil which extended throughout all four trenches. Trench I was dug in a cellar and here footings of an east west Medieval wall were cut into the Roman garden soil. Trenches II and III were dug from the surface behind the cellar. The lowest level excavated in Trench II was a layer of late Roman black soil. The black soil was covered by two more deposits of garden soil, the first dating to the second half of the eleventh century AD. Overlying these Medieval garden soils was a burnt deposit containing iron slag and more Medieval pottery.
A putatuve chalk floor, sealed by chalk rubble, overlay the burnt deposit and the rubble yielded much 16-17th century pottery. From this level had been built a substantial wall on deep gravel foundations, whilst further layers of archaeological deposits had been largely destroyed by a large 16/17th century pit. The pit was sealed by a loam floor of the 17th century and above the floor was a layer of demolition debris sealed by 36cm of 18th century garden soil, in trun sealed by paving.
Trench III was disturbed by modern pipes and not fully excavated. Several pits were found, one of which produced a sherd of 5th century Jutish pottery. A disturbed skeleton, probably from the lay cemetery of the cathedral, was found in Trench IV which was located in a cellar behind Burgate House.

Frere, S. S and Stow, S., 1983, Excavations in the St. George's Street and Burgate Street Areas. (Monograph). SKE29967.

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

Sources and further reading