Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Site of a Roman villa, first discovered in 1843. Various excavations took place in the 1970s and 1990s, but the complete plan of the main villa was exposed for the first time in 1994. At least three phases of earlier timber structures were uncovered. The 1994 excavations identified the plan as being of the winged corridor style. Other lesser features were also discovered. A number of flint implements and two possible intercutting ditches suggest earlier prehistoric activity.

Monument Types

• BATHS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• FOUNTAIN? (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• HYPOCAUST (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• TESSELLATED FLOOR (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• VILLA (Demolished ?, Roman - 175 AD? to 325 AD? (between))

Full description

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[TQ 75725621]. ROMAN VILLA [R] (Site of) [NAT] (1) At the Mount, just south of Maidstone Barracks and northwest of the railway station, part of the eastern bank of the river fell in 1843 and disclosed Roman masonry. Further examinations in 1844 by Dr. T. Charles revealed part of an extensive villa. [See plan AO/63/196/4]. Traces of painted wall plaster were found, mostly deep red but also white and some bright yellow. Finds included pottery, bone hair pins, a copper alloy steel-yard weight and fragments of glass vessels. Two coins were found. (2-3 and 12). No material from this site appears to be held by Maidstone Museum. Following this the site was largely buried by dumps of soil, probably from the railway tunnel to the east. The site is covered by tippings and a timber yard and there is nothing of significance to be seen. (4)

In 1970 and 1971 the Maidstone Area Archaeological Group carried out limited excavations on the site. Work consisted of trenches dug either side of the garden wall exposing the western walls of the villa. The outer wall was found to have been damaged by cable trenches, a water main and a bomb. (5-6)

Between 1972 and 1976 the Maidstone Area Archaeological Group carried out excavations. No further information. (7-11)

In 1992 Canterbury Archaeological Trust carried out an evaluation. Part of a mortared surface and a section of the wall excavated by D Kelly in the 1970s were found. This was identified as one of the buttresses from the east end of the external wall of the main north range of the villa. (16-17)

In 1994 excavations were undertaken by Canterbury Archaeological Trust. For the first time the complete plan of the main villa was exposed while to the south and east of this building at least three phases of earlier timber structures were uncovered, the second of which included the southernmost four bays of a substantial aisled building. The lesser structures included fence lines and possible animal pens. The previous reconstructions of the building are incorrect, based on a planning error in the 1843 excavation, as the 1994 excavations identified the plan as being of the winged corridor style. To the east of the building a sunken heptagonal feature was uncovered with a smaller rectangular feature to its eastern side; they may have formed part of a small fountain. A number of flint implements and two possible intercutting ditches ,n-s aligned, suggest earlier prehistoric activity. (18-21)

<1> OS 1:1250 1957 (OS Card Reference). SKE48175.

<2> British Archaeological Association, 1847, Proceedings of the Association, January 7, 1846, JBAA II 1847 86-8 (plan) (T Charles) (Article in serial). SKE24801.

<3> VCH Kent 3 1932 99 (R E M Wheeler) (OS Card Reference). SKE51154.

<4> F1 ASP 24.02.64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42250.

<5> Various, 1971, Investigations and excavations during the year [1970], Arch Cant 85 1970 189 (P E Oldham) (Article in serial). SKE24802.

<6> A Miles, 1973, Romano-British Buildings at The Mount, Maidstone, Arch Cant LXXXVII 1972: 217-219 (Article in serial). SKE24803.

<7> Various, 1974, Investigations and excavations during the year [1973], Arch Cant 88 1973 225 (P E Oldham) (Article in serial). SKE24804.

<8> Arch Cant 91 1975 209-210 (P E Oldham) (OS Card Reference). SKE36054.

<9> Arch Cant 92 1976 252 (P E Oldham) (OS Card Reference). SKE36101.

<9> Various, 1977, Investigations and excavations during the year [1976], Arch Cant 92 1976 252 (P E Oldham) (Article in serial). SKE24805.

<10> Arch Cant 93 1977 224 (P E Oldham) (OS Card Reference). SKE36154.

<10> Various, 1978, Investigations and excavations during the year [1977], Arch Cant 93 1977 224 (P E Oldham) (Article in serial). SKE24806.

<11> Britannia 4 1973 323 (D R Wilson) (OS Card Reference). SKE38374.

<12> Arch Cant 1 1858 170-172 (OS Card Reference). SKE34505.

<13> Archaeological Excavations 1972 1973 58 (D B Kelly) (OS Card Reference). SKE37331.

<14> Studies in the Romano-British Villa (ed M Todd) 1978 119 121 123 177 (D J Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE49711.

<15> Field report for monument TQ 75 NE 27 - February, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3799.

<16> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1992, Archaeological Evaluation Works Along the Maidstone Spine Road (Unpublished document). SKE6766.

<17> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1993, Canterbury's Archaeology 1992 - 1993, 32-33 (Article in serial). SKE7909.

<18> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1995, Canterbury's Archaeology 1993 - 1994, 23-26 (Article in serial). SKE12336.

<19> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1994, The Mount Roman Villa, Maidstone: Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE6914.

<20> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1999, Excavations at The Mount Roman Villa Maidstone, 1994 (Article in serial). SKE7021.

<21> Eleanor Scott, 1993, A gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain (Unspecified Type). SWX23549.

Sources and further reading