Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Part of a Roman temple (Temple 5) was discovered was uncovered during excavations carried out in the 1950s and 1960s at Springhead. It is part of a larger Roman religious complex and settlement and is one of six possible temples discovered within a walled temple complex. (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information)

Monument Types

• TEMPLE (Roman - 250 AD? to 350 AD?)

Associated Finds

• FOOD AND LIQUID STORAGE CONTAINER (Undated)
• BRACELET (Roman - 200 AD? to 350 AD?)
• BEAD (Roman - 250 AD? to 350 AD?)
• COIN (Roman - 250 AD? to 400 AD?)
• FACE JUG (Roman - 250 AD? to 350 AD?)
• GAMING PIECE (Roman - 250 AD? to 350 AD?)
• RING (Roman - 250 AD? to 350 AD?)

Full description

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Part of a Roman temple (Temple 5) was discovered was uncovered during excavations carried out in the 1950s and 1960s at Springhead. It is part of a larger Roman religious complex and settlement and is one of six possible temples discovered within a walled temple complex. Unfortunately only part of this temple could be examined as most of it was covered by the railway embankment to the south. The excavated area comprised a single small room measuring c.4.7m by 3.3m with walls that were 40cm wide. The walls were constructed using flint with courses of bonding tiles seen in some locations and plastered internally. Some of the plaster remained in-situ, it was buff coloured with thin red lines in unusual shapes. The in situ plaster finished a few centimetres above a clay floor suggesting that the building had a timber floor over the clay. Several coins were discovered within the lower floor which suggest a late third or early fourth century date for the temples construction and use, similar to the date given for temple 2 located immediately to the north. (1-2)

<1> WS Penn, 1965, Archaeologia Cantiana, Springhead - map of Discoveries (Article in serial). SKE12613.

<2> W. S. Penn, 1958, Archaeologia Cantiana - The Romano British Settlement at Springhead, Excavataion of the Watling Street Shop and Pedestal, Site B (Article in serial). SKE53583.

Sources and further reading

Related records