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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 76 NW 6
Type of record:Place
Name:Durobrivae, Roman town of Rochester

Summary

The Roman town of Rochester was Durobrivae, meaning 'the fort at the bridges'. This name occurs only in the dative or ablative - Durobrivis - in the Second, third and fourth Iter of the Antonine Itinerary, 25-7 miles from Canterbury on the Roman road. This places the name reasonably at Rochester. The Roman Town wall in part still exists.

Grid Reference:TQ 742 685
Map Sheet:TQ76NW
Parish:ROCHESTER & CHATHAM, MEDWAY, KENT

Monument Types

  • TOWN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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[Centred on TQ 742686. DVROBRIVAE [G.S.] ROMAN TOWN [G.S.] (site of) (1) DVROBRIVAE - lesser walled Town (2) Durobrivae 'the fort at the bridges' is the probable nominative of a name which occurs only in the dative or ablative - Durobrivis - in the Second Iter of the Antonine Itinerary, falling 25 miles from Canterbury along the road to London. In the Third and Fourth Iters the distance is given as 27 miles. This places the name reasonably at Rochester. The Roman Town wall in part still exists [TQ 76 NW 10] but no major buildings have been indentified. (3-4) There has been no systematic excavation of Rochester and very little has come to light in the little redevelopment that has taken place. The only recent work has been done by Messrs. Harrison and Chaplin the full reports and results of which remain unpublished. For details of these and early work and finds see the map diagram.(5) Report of 1960-66 excavations of Roman defences. (6) Name 'DVROBRIVAE' accepted for 4th. edition R.B.Map. Additional bibliography. (7-18) Additional refs. (19-25)


<1> OS 1/2500 1955 (OS Card Reference). SKE48125.

<2> OS Roman Britain Map 1956 (OS Card Reference). SKE48433.

<3> VCH Kent 3 1932 81 (REM Wheeler) (OS Card Reference). SKE51135.

<4> Arch 93 1949 33 (IA Richmond and OCS Crawford) (OS Card Reference). SKE34469.

<5> AC Harrison Chairman Lower Medway Research Gp (OS Card Reference). SKE32981.

<6> RE Chaplin Asst Curator Passmore - Edwards Museum Stratford (OS Card Reference). SKE49013.

<7> F1 CFW 11-JAN-65 (OS Card Reference). SKE42529.

<8> Arch Cant 83 1968 55-104 (AC Harrison and C Flight) (OS Card Reference). SKE35779.

<9> Arch Cant 2 1859 65-72 (B Poste) (OS Card Reference). SKE34806.

<10> Arch Cant 21 1895 1-16 (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE34821.

<11> Arch Cant 27 1905 lxvi-lxvii (OS Card Reference). SKE34919.

<12> Arch Cant 31 1915 285 (OS Card Reference). SKE35000.

<13> Arch Cant 76 1961 lxxi-lxxxii (ETL Baker) (OS Card Reference). SKE35605.

<14> Arch Cant 77 1962 xlix-1 (AC Harrison) (OS Card Reference). SKE35625.

<15> Arch Cant 87 1972 121-157 (AC Harrison) (OS Card Reference). SKE35880.

<16> Towns of Ro Brit 1975 26 (J Wacher) (OS Card Reference). SKE50611.

<17> JBAA 4 1849 30-37 (B Poste) (OS Card Reference). SKE44959.

<18> Brit 1 1970 304-5 (DR Wilson) (OS Card Reference). SKE38290.

<19> Lower Medway Arch Res Grp Newsletter 46 1966 2 (OS Card Reference). SKE46188.

<20> South East Eng 1970 180-2 (RF Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE49514.

<21> Arch Cant 78 1963 liv (AC Harrison) (OS Card Reference). SKE35651.

<22> Brit 7 1976 377 (R Goodburn) (OS Card Reference). SKE38330.

<23> Arch Cant 97 1981 95-136 (AC Harrison) (OS Card Reference). SKE36302.

<24> BAR 126 RB Urban Defences 1984 129-30 181 192 193 (J Crickmore) (OS Card Reference). SKE37478.

<25> Brit 15 1984 71 (SS Frere) (OS Card Reference). SKE38317.

<26> Arch Cant 83 1968 55-104 (AC Harrison and C Flight) (OS Card Reference). SKE35779.

<27> Arch Cant 85 1970 96-97 (AC Harrison) (OS Card Reference). SKE35830.

<28> Field report for monument TQ 76 NW 6 - January, 1965 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4076.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>OS Card Reference: OS 1/2500 1955.
<2>OS Card Reference: OS Roman Britain Map 1956.
<3>OS Card Reference: VCH Kent 3 1932 81 (REM Wheeler).
<4>OS Card Reference: Arch 93 1949 33 (IA Richmond and OCS Crawford).
<5>OS Card Reference: AC Harrison Chairman Lower Medway Research Gp.
<6>OS Card Reference: RE Chaplin Asst Curator Passmore - Edwards Museum Stratford.
<7>OS Card Reference: F1 CFW 11-JAN-65.
<8>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 83 1968 55-104 (AC Harrison and C Flight).
<9>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 2 1859 65-72 (B Poste).
<10>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 21 1895 1-16 (G Payne).
<11>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 27 1905 lxvi-lxvii.
<12>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 31 1915 285.
<13>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 76 1961 lxxi-lxxxii (ETL Baker).
<14>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 77 1962 xlix-1 (AC Harrison).
<15>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 87 1972 121-157 (AC Harrison).
<16>OS Card Reference: Towns of Ro Brit 1975 26 (J Wacher).
<17>OS Card Reference: JBAA 4 1849 30-37 (B Poste).
<18>OS Card Reference: Brit 1 1970 304-5 (DR Wilson).
<19>OS Card Reference: Lower Medway Arch Res Grp Newsletter 46 1966 2.
<20>OS Card Reference: South East Eng 1970 180-2 (RF Jessup).
<21>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 78 1963 liv (AC Harrison).
<22>OS Card Reference: Brit 7 1976 377 (R Goodburn).
<23>XYOS Card Reference: Arch Cant 97 1981 95-136 (AC Harrison). [Mapped feature: #22358 roman town, ]
<24>OS Card Reference: BAR 126 RB Urban Defences 1984 129-30 181 192 193 (J Crickmore).
<25>OS Card Reference: Brit 15 1984 71 (SS Frere).
<26>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 83 1968 55-104 (AC Harrison and C Flight).
<27>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 85 1970 96-97 (AC Harrison).
<28>Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 76 NW 6 - January, 1965.

Related records

TQ 76 NW 665Parent of: SECTION OF ROMAN WALL 20 METRES SOUTH OF FORMER DEANERY (Listed Building)

Related thematic articles