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Monument details

HER Number:TR 15 NW 140
Type of record:Monument
Name:Romano-British Forum

Summary

Romano-British Forum - probable site of


Grid Reference:TR 1483 5789
Map Sheet:TR15NW
Parish:CANTERBURY, CANTERBURY, KENT

Monument Types

  • FORUM? (FORUM, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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[TR 14835789] Roman Forum (prob site of). (1) [TR 14805786] Extensive gravel spread behind The County Hotel near 30 and 34 High Street, all within a few yards suggest that here may have been the forum. (2) [TR 14905783] The well preserved remains of a Roman portico were revealed in 1984 by workmen cutting a small foundation pit in the road frontage basement of 9 High Street. This may be part of the Roman Forum complex. (3) Test hole in The County Hotel cellars revealed two Roman floor surfaces, almost certainly the Forum floor. (4) Forum courtyard metallings were observed in the basement of No 2 High Street. (5) Additional bibliography. (6) Frere suggests that the area north-west of the High Street and west of No 9 High Street may have been the Forum piazza. This suggestion is based on the observations at No 9 High Street where a stylobate foundation, flanked to the west by gutter blocks and courtyard paving slabs, was found during the construction of new building foundations. Professor Frere further suggests that the Curia may have been located north-west of this, flanked by the walls located by Pilbrow in 1868. (7) The new walls and extensive courtyard metallings discovered during the cutting of a sewer tunnel in 1982 add yet more important evidence to the observations of Pilbrow and Brent and the excavations of Frere and Jenkins and suggest that these remains may have been part of Canterbury's Roman Forum. (8)


<1> Roman Canterbury 1957 9 (S Frere) (OS Card Reference). SKE49328.

<2> JRS 49 1959 135 (OS Card Reference). SKE45111.

<3> Arch Cant 101 1984 282-3 (P Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE34558.

<4> Arch NL 5 1954-5 (SS Frere) (OS Card Reference). SKE36796.

<5> Arch Cant 66 1953 163-4 (SS Frere) (OS Card Reference). SKE35421.

<6> CAT Ann Rep 11 1986-7 22 (P Bennett and J Bowen) (OS Card Reference). SKE38651.

<7> Arch Cant 100 1984 53-54 (P Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE34546.

<8> The Arch of Cant vol 8 1987 93-98 103-104 plan (SS Frere P Bennett J Rady and S Stow) (OS Card Reference). SKE50007.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>OS Card Reference: Roman Canterbury 1957 9 (S Frere).
<2>OS Card Reference: JRS 49 1959 135.
<3>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 101 1984 282-3 (P Bennett).
<4>OS Card Reference: Arch NL 5 1954-5 (SS Frere).
<5>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 66 1953 163-4 (SS Frere).
<6>OS Card Reference: CAT Ann Rep 11 1986-7 22 (P Bennett and J Bowen).
<7>XYOS Card Reference: Arch Cant 100 1984 53-54 (P Bennett). [Mapped feature: #43713 Forum, ]
<8>OS Card Reference: The Arch of Cant vol 8 1987 93-98 103-104 plan (SS Frere P Bennett J Rady and S Stow).