Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During extensive rescue excavations undertaken across Dover’s Town centre by Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, substantial remains of the Classis Britannica fort were uncovered and recorded. Excavations in 1973 on the Warehouse South site, revealed short sections of the external eastern wall alongside three internal walls of a barrack block (B22). (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information).

Monument Types

• BARRACKS (Barack block (B22), Roman - 125 AD to 210 AD)

Associated Finds

• COIN (Late Iron Age to Roman - 41 AD to 53 AD)
• SHERD (Roman - 75 AD to 210 AD)
• COIN (Roman - 81 AD to 96 AD)
• COIN (Roman - 98 AD to 117 AD)
• COIN (Roman - 117 AD to 138 AD)
• BEAD (Roman - 125 AD? to 210 AD?)
• HELMET (Roman - 125 AD? to 210 AD?)
• LAMP (Roman - 125 AD? to 210 AD?)
• PIN (Roman - 125 AD? to 210 AD?)
• SHERD (Roman - 125 AD? to 210 AD?)
• WATER PIPE COLLAR (Roman - 125 AD? to 210 AD?)
• WHETSTONE (Roman - 125 AD? to 210 AD?)
• COIN (Roman - 138 AD to 161 AD)
• COIN (Roman to Unknown - 141 AD)
• COIN (Roman - 193 AD to 211 AD)
• COIN (Roman - 244 AD to 249 AD)

Full description

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(Summarised from publication)

During extensive rescue excavations undertaken across Dover’s Town centre by Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, substantial remains of the Classis Britannica fort were uncovered and recorded. Excavations in 1973 on the Warehouse South site revealed short sections of the external eastern wall, alongside three internal walls, of a barrack block (B22).

From the small sections of walling which were uncovered it was established that the building had a north-south axis and at least three differing periods of development. Neither the north or south external walls were observed so the total length of the building could not be ascertained but it was at least 12m long by 6m wide and was probably originally about 35m in length. About 6.5m of the eastern external wall and two short lengths of internal walling may be attributed to the first period of the barrack block. All of these walls were of neatly squared chalk blocks set in an orange clay, surviving to a maximum height of three courses. The period one building was clearly demolished and replaced by a broadly similar structure with a different internal plan. The demolition layer of the period one building formed the floor of the period two replacement of which part of the external eastern wall was located, 60cm to the east of the earlier eastern wall. Alongside this, a hearth constructed of brick fragments and two new internal walls were located creating a room 4.1m wide. All of these new walls were of chalk blocks set in an orange clay, between 55cm and 63cm wide. The third period of development is represented by the insertion of a new floor of orange-white clay and chalk, and a new hearth. Numerous coins were recovered from the soil deposits and floors associated with this building (14 in total), these range in date from 43 A.D. to 249 A.D.. (1)

<1> Philp, B. J., 1981, The Excavation of the Roman Forts of the Classis Britannica at Dover 1970-1977 (Monograph). SKE7863.

Sources and further reading

Related records