Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A Roman bath house was discovered in a quarry in Stambers Field in 1942 and was excavated by the Ministry of Works in 1946. Associated finds included Roman coins, tesselated pavements, and samian and Belgic pottery. Also excavated in the vicinity, were a pit, one of a number, which contained fragments of Belgic pottery and a well that had been filled in during the mid-second century. Found in association with this was a pit containing charred wheat; the mouth was covered with a Roman flanged tile, and was found in a Ragstone quarry just outside the walls of Surrenden Park. In the same quarry was discovered the remains of three Anglo-Saxon skeletons associated with an iron spearhead, a shield boss, three shield studs, two knives and a group of three hooks.

The site is mid-way down a medium-to-steep, north-east facing slope. OD 75-80m.

Monument Types

• BATHS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• TESSELLATED FLOOR (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• WELL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• BURIAL (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• SHERD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• HOOK (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
• KNIFE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 469 AD)
• SHIELD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)
• SPEAR (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 649 AD)

Full description

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[TQ 9410 4577] Roman Bath House [NR] (site of) [NAT] (1) A pit containing charred wheat; the mouth covered with a Roman flanged tile, was found in a Ragstone quarry just outside the walls of Surrenden Park. In the same quarry Dr. Littledale discovered the remains of three Anglo-Saxon skeletons associated with an iron spearhead, a shield boss, three shield studs, two knives and a group of three hooks. (2) [TQ] 939458 The foundations of a Roman Bath-House were discovered in a quarry in Stambers Field in 1942 and were excavated by the Ministry of Works in 1946. The building consisted of an opodyterium A, a frigidarium with an apsidal plunge bath B, a tepidanium C, a calidarium D, and a stokehole for the hypocaust E. [See illus]. Associated finds included Roman Coins, tesselated pavements, Samian and Belgic pottery. Also excavated in the vicinity, [see Site plan AO:61:329:8] were a pit, one of a number, which contained fragments of Belgic ollae and a well that had been filled in during the mid-second century.(3) 'A' TQ 9399 4579 Mr. P. Spice, a worker employed at the quarry, who was present at the discovery of the Ro. bath house in 1942 confirms the siting given by Authority 3). (Note this differs from the siting shewn by Authority 1). Mr. Spice, also present when the A/S finds were made in 1936, indicated the site at 'B' TQ 9386 4568 (Surveyed on 25" AM) Both sites have since been completely quarried away, and the pits are now disused. None of the finds held by Maidstone Mus(4).

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> Arch Cant 48 (1936) pp 234-5 (N Cook) (OS Card Reference). SKE34492.

<3> Arch Cant 71 (1957) pp 130-146 Illust (J Eames) (OS Card Reference). SKE34496.

<4> F1 ASP 08-DEC-61 (OS Card Reference). SKE41995.

<5> Field report for monument TQ 94 NW 13 - December, 1961 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4762.

Sources and further reading