Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Nearly all of the Roman and Medieval defensive works between Worthgate and London Gate have been destroyed and removed but for sections of foundations. The walls originally of 3rd century Roman origin, were rebuilt or substantially repaired during the medieval period c. 1380-1390 when a threat of invasion seemed probable during the Hundred Years War.

Monument Types

• TOWN WALL (Medieval to Unknown - 1385 AD?)

Full description

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Nearly all of the Roman and Medieval defensive works between Worthgate and London Gate (including the Gates) have been destroyed and removed but for sections of foundations. The walls originally of 3rd century Roman origin, were rebuilt or substantially repaired during the medieval period c. 1380-1390 when a threat of invasion by the French seemed probable during the Hundred Years War. The walls here were still standing when Parlimentary troops pulled parts down during the Civil War. Since then the stones were gradually removed and used for building materials elsewhere in the city. Large sections of wall were taken down in the 1800's and the materials sold in an attempt to defray the cost of the demolition of the city gates and other municipal projects. Low section do survive however closer to the Castle.

In April in 1955 a further trench was excavated in the Westgate Gardens by the Canterbury Excavation Committee who had dug three trenches in 1952. This trench was coded CXXVII WG IV.
The purpose of this dig was to determine if the Roman bank (located in 1952) overlay Watling Street whose true course had been meanwhile traced on the NW side of the river. A gateway, The London Gate, was also found during the excavation and became the focus for investigation. The city wall had been badly robbed at this point, but a drain which ran through the wall just north of the gate was well preserved. Several road-surfaces were uncovered, contemporary with and earlier than the gateway. <ref 143>

In summer 1955 the Canterbury Excavation Committee dug two trenches near and on the site of Worthgate, adjacent to the Castle. The site was coded CXXVIII Castle, trenches IX and X.
Trench X was located east of Trench IX and was sited over the north end of Castle Street, on the site of the Roman Worth Gate. A small oven and a series of gravel and loam floors was found pre-dating the city wall and indicating occupation of the site prior to the construction of the defences. The footings trench for the city wall extended across the excavated area and masonry foundations of the Roman and Medieval defences were uncovered. Traces of loose flint chippings running north close to Castle Street may have represented the foundation for a guard chamber but had been partially destroyed by a 13th century pit and a more recent well so a positive interpretation was not possible. The remains fund seem to indicate that the Worth Gate was set at an angle to the main city wall, so that it was at right angles to the street.

Frere, SS, Stow, S, and Bennett, P, 1982, Excavations on the Roman and Medieval Defences of Canterbury. (Monograph). SKE28530.

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

Pratt, S., 2000, Tannery Evaluation Trench: Proposed Supermarket Site (Unpublished document). SKE30637.

Elder, J. & Duncan, M., 2002, Canterbury City Wall Trail (Monograph). SKE29730.

Sources and further reading