Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

Part of a Roman temple or shrine (Temple 4) was discovered 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. It comprised a small shrine measuring c.3.6m by 2.3m internally and contained a cult statue base. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• COURTYARD (Roman - 150 AD? to 350 AD?)
• SHRINE (Roman - 150 AD? to 350 AD?)

Associated Finds

• (Undated)
• CHAIN (Roman - 150 AD? to 350 AD?)
• COIN (Roman - 150 AD? to 350 AD?)
• PENDANT (Roman - 150 AD? to 350 AD?)
• RING (Roman - 150 AD? to 350 AD?)
• SHERD (Roman - 150 AD? to 350 AD?)
• WHETSTONE (Roman - 150 AD? to 350 AD?)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

Part of a Roman temple or shrine (Temple 4) was discovered 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. This structure had been constructed over the same raft/platform as temple 3, with flint foundations overlying chalk block walls. It measured c.3.6m by 2.3m internally and was divided by a cross wall to form a 0.91m square room at the northern end. The small northern room had in situ wall plaster with line decoration the other room (or cult room) had also originally been plastered but this had been mostly lost. The floor was of rammed chalk and dating evidence was retrieved from between two separate floor layers which puts the construction date of this structure as c150-160 AD (contemporary with temples 3 and 1 located nearby). This temple deviates from the east west alignment of the other buildings within the temple complex and backs directly onto Watling street near the intersection of Watling Street and one of the Branch roads leading towards the temple complex, this is a common position for shrines. There was a crude hearth in the north east corner of the building with a small chimney connecting it to the outside. A series of shallow post holes were uncovered along the front of the square room. These represent the possible site of a low fence which may have existed in front of the shrine to prevent worshippers from stepping to close to the statue. In each of the four corners of the building a burial was discovered, all were young children, approximately 6 months old and were clearly foundation deposits. Some of the finds which ere uncovered within the building alongside the presence of these burials may suggest that the building was a shrine to a fertility cult. (1-2)

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

<2> W. S. Penn, 1960, Archaeologia Cantiana - The Romano British Settlement at Springhead, Temples 3 and 4 (Article in serial). SKE53584.

Sources and further reading

Related records