Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Excavations in 1972-3 uncovered a storehouse/granary, of aisled construction, which appears to have formed part of a villa complex; the main house may have been to the south east of the granary. The pottery suggests a 2nd to 3rd century date for the site.

Monument Types

• BOUNDARY WALL (Roman - 100 AD to 225 AD)
• DITCH (Roman - 100 AD to 200 AD)
• GRANARY (Roman - 100 AD to 300 AD?)
• VILLA (Roman - 100 AD to 299 AD)
• BUILDING (Roman - 300 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• NAIL (Roman - 80 AD to 400 AD)
• PIN (Roman - 80 AD to 400 AD)
• SHERD (Roman - 80 AD to 400 AD)

Full description

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TQ 560685. During clearance prior to sewer pipe trenching a substantial Roman building, possibly part of a villa complex, was discovered. A large granary was excavated and measured in excess of 100ft in length and 60ft in width. A series of rooms were found on two sides of the granary. A plain tessellated floor was found in the NE corner room and a number of coloured tesserae suggest a possibility of a mosaic. (1-2) TQ 55976852. Site of excavation. (3) TQ 55976852. Roman granary. Rescue excavation on the line of a branch sewer in the Darent Valley sewerage scheme revealed what appeared to be part of a large storehouse on the right bank of the river, measuring more than 18 by 30m. A main storage area with raised floor supported on parallel lines of dwarf walling was surrounded by rows of smaller rooms, some of which also had raised floors, while one had a plain tessellated floor. The pottery found was of the second and third centuries. (4) Excavation of the granary was completed. The sides of the main hall were flanked by smaller rooms, some with clay floors but at least two with tessellation. (5) Details of the discoveries, see authorities 1, 2, 4 and 12. (6) Brief details of the excavation. (7) Details of the excavations. (The Ganary may form part of a larger villa complex.) (8) In a large building which contained rooms of various sizes, and two tessellated floors. On the bank of the River Darient. The central room had 11 transverse walls. At least four others were subsequently converted to more granary space by the insertion of similar transverse walls. Hard standing at the East end showed where carts could come up to the entrance. Area at least 18x20m. 2nd and 3rd century pottery. A trial excavation nearby revealed part of a probable dwelling. (9) Scheduled listing. (10)

Aerial photos show a large range immediately to the northwest of the pavilion building on the sports pitch, extending east c. 40m. Visible as parch marks in 2001 and 2003. Additional parchmarks possibly relating to another range of buildings are visible in 1990 and 2003, centred on TQ 55922 68589.

From the Register of Scheduled Monuments:
Rescue excavation in advance of a sewer (subsequently diverted), uncovered remains of a Roman granary 100ft long with central storage areas supported on transverse walls and flanked by small rooms on all sides, one at least with a tessellated floor. A possible boundary wall was also found. Pottery from the area was of C2 and C 3 date. Site remains recreation ground. There are no above ground indications of the building. (11)

During the work on the Darent Valley (Dartford-Farningham) sewer scheme in 1972 a branch sewer was to be laid across Westminster Field in Horton Kirby. This exposed Roman foundations. These were subsequently excavated and the sewer branch re-routed. The adjacent pavilion site was also investigated at this time. Further excavation work was undertaken 1973.

The granary had a number of phases of use. Initially it consisted of a main hall and two side aisles. A series of sleeper-walls were built across the hall, evidently to support a wooden floor raised above ground level. The function of the side aisles at this time is unclear as they do not have the sleeper-wall arrangement. It is thought that the entrance to the building was at the east end; an area outside the east end of the building was metalled. The second phase of use saw the aisles divided into twelve rooms of varying sizes. The east end was also modified at this time, creating a new room where the entrance had been. These rooms suggest a change in use of the building with hearths and a small area of tessellated flooring installed in three of the rooms. Domestic rubbish was also found in these spaces. In the third phase additional sleeper-walls were added to the western rooms, thus increasing the storage capacity of the building (and indicating that storage was still a function of at least part of the structure). The final phase of use of the building appears to have taken place once the building had been largely demolished. The final structure on the site consisted of drystone foundations and timber posts. This building was less than half the size of the original granary. A ditch was found to the east of the building.

Pottery from the site spaces at least 200 years of the Roman period. The earliest dates from AD 80 onwards but is limited to a small amount of material. The majority of material is of the 2nd century and into the first half of the 3rd century. Late 3rd and 4th century pottery was found but in limited quantities. Some sherds of 13th century pottery were found but could represent stone robbing activity; recycled Roman tile is present in the nearby church fabric. Apart from nails the only other find was a copper alloy pin or needle.

The second building was found to the southeast below the southern-most corner of the pavilion built in 1972/3. A robbed wall was located with disturbed flints and tesserae. A trench to the south of this was excavated in 1973. Remains of a building were exposed, pottery of the 2nd and 3rd centuries was found.

During the topsoil removal for the sewer in 1972 a boundary wall was found to the southwest of the two buildings. It was traced for a distance of over 9m and probably extended to the east. (12)

Summary of Monument

Roman granary.
Reasons for Designation

A Roman granary is a storehouse for grain, usually after it has been threshed or husked. The remains of granaries, such as walls and foundations, have been found at the sites of Roman towns, forts, and as part of the agricultural estates of Roman villas in Britain. This example at Horton Kirby is thought to be a component of a Roman villa.

Romano-British villas were extensive rural estates at the focus of which were groups of domestic, agricultural and occasionally industrial buildings. The term "villa" is now commonly used to describe either the estate or the buildings themselves. The buildings usually include a well-appointed dwelling house, the design of which varies considerably according to the needs, taste and prosperity of the occupier. Most of the houses were partly or wholly stone-built, many with a timber-framed superstructure on masonry footings. Roofs were generally tiled and the house could feature tiled or mosaic floors, underfloor heating, wall plaster, glazed windows and cellars. Many had integral or separate suites of heated baths. The house was usually accompanied by a range of buildings providing accommodation for farm labourers, workshops and storage for agricultural produce. These were arranged around or alongside a courtyard and were surrounded by a complex of paddocks, pens, yards and features such as vegetable plots, granaries, threshing floors, wells and hearths, all approached by tracks leading from the surrounding fields. Villa buildings were constructed throughout the period of Roman occupation, from the first to the fourth centuries AD.

The Roman granary at Horton Kirby is a good example of its type, which survives well. It includes well preserved walls and foundations, tessellated floors and hearths, which provide valuable evidence for its original ground plan and layout. The granary will also provide information about the villa which is considered to be in the vicinity. The site has only been partially excavated and retains archaeological potential for further investigation. The granary will contain archaeological information and environmental evidence relating to the granary and the landscape in which it was constructed.
History

See Details.
Details

This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes a Roman granary surviving as buried remains. It is situated next to the west bank of the River Darent at the foot of a valley at Horton Kirby.

The granary is over 30m long and about 18m wide. It is constructed of stone walls set on substantial foundations up to eight courses deep. The granary includes two rows of rooms on either side of a central storage area. There are narrow sleeper-walls across the central storage area, which originally supported a floor above. The flanking rooms have clay or tessellated floors, as well as remains of several hearths. Some of the floors are raised, indicating that they were also used for storage. A room at the north-east corner has an intact plain tessellated floor. The recovery of coloured tesserae nearby suggests there was also a mosaic in the vicinity. Some of the rooms are thought to have originally served as accommodation for agricultural labourers. At the east end of the granary is hard standing, indicating that this area provided access for the loading or off-loading of carts.

The Roman granary is thought to be part of a villa complex. The buried remains of another building, probably a dwelling, with flint walls and a tessellated floor are situated to the south-east of the granary.

The site was partially excavated in 1972-3. The finds included samian and coarse ware pottery dating to the second and third centuries AD, a bronze pin and a large millstone.(13)

<1> KAR 30 1972-3 301-5 (B Philp) (OS Card Reference). SKE45294.

<2> KAR 34 1973 110-111 113 (OS Card Reference). SKE45306.

<3> 6" Plan (B Philp July 74) (OS Card Reference). SKE32749.

<4> Brit 4 1973 322-23 (DR Wilson) (OS Card Reference). SKE38322.

<5> Brit 5 1974 459 (DR Wilson) (OS Card Reference). SKE38324.

<6> Arch Cant 88 1973 214-5 (E Myrott) (OS Card Reference). SKE35940.

<7> KAR 29 1972 256 (D Crellin) 281-82 (OS Card Reference). SKE45287.

<8> CA IV 38 1973 89-91 (B Philp) (OS Card Reference). SKE38471.

<9> BAR 70 Ro Agricultural Bldgs 33-34 115 (P Morris) (OS Card Reference). SKE37557.

<10> DOE (IAM) SAMS 1988 Kent 18 (OS Card Reference). SKE40768.

<11> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<12> Brian Philp and Ralph Mills, 1991, The Roman Villa at Horton Kirby, Kent (Bibliographic reference). SKE24001.

<13> Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

Sources and further reading