Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

At about the turn of the 11-12th centuries two insubstantial timber buildings were built on the site, the boundaries of which remained fixed for the next 800 years. The two structures had been rebuilt by the turn of the 12-13th centuries as small hall houses, and again rebuilt in the 13-14 th centuries.

Monument Types

• PIT (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Medieval - 410 AD to 1400 AD)
• ROAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Medieval - 410 AD to 1400 AD)

Full description

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In 1979 The Canterbury Archaeological Trust excavated on the site of 3 Beer Cart Lane in advance of redevelopment. The work was financed by the developers, Wiltshiers and the sitecode was CB/RIII.
The earliest levels investigated dated to the 1-4th centuries and consisted of a succession of courtyard metallings, probably belonging to the same surface (possible temple Precinct) seen in excavations CB/RI, CB/RII and later in CB/RIV, CB/RV. The late Roman deposits were sealed by a 10-15cm layer of black loam, which may have accumulated during a protracted period of abandonment.

A layer suggesting possible agricultural activity lay over the late Roman deposits, it contained pottery dating from 8th to 11th century. At the frontage of Beer Cart Lane the agricultural layer was overlain by the edge of a metalled street aligned roughly east-west. The street, probably late Saxon, was a major road leading to London and continued in until the late 13th century. A number of pits had been dug into the street surface in 11th century.

At about the turn of the 11-12th centuries two insubstantial timber buildings were built on the site, the boundaries of which remained fixed for the next 800 years. The two structures had been rebuilt by the turn of the 12-13th centuries as small hall houses, and again rebuilt in the 13-14 th centuries. In 15th century one of the houses was demolished and again rebuilt, probably as two road frontage shops with an adjoining chalk block cellar and garderobe.
The surviving hall house and shops were evebntuslly demolished in the early 17th century and replaced by three small timber frame cottages, converted into work shops in 18th century and replaced by new work shops in the 19th century.

Bennett, P., 1980, The 3 Beer Cart Lane Site (Article in serial). SKE30576.

Tatton-Brown, T., 1982, Potins and Other Iron Age Coins from Canterbury (Article in serial). SKE30507.

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

Sources and further reading