Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Roman town at Canterbury. From the late 2nd Century, Durovernum Cantiacorum was the civitas capital of Kent. The settlement developed soon after AD43 and the Roman bridgehead at Richborough would have been the main military base.

Monument Types

• TOWN (TOWN, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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[TR 148576] DVROVERNVM CANTIACORVM Canterbury (Cantonal Capital). (1) Latin forms for Canterbury:- Ravenna List DURAOVERNO CANTIAGORUM (The `a' is probably intrusive, the result of copying the Greek form) Antonine Itinerary DURORVERNO, DURARVERNO, DURARVENNO. Peutinger Map DUROAVERUS. Meaning: The fort among the alders. (2) DUROVERUM CANTIACORUM: excavated 1944-57 by the Canterbury Excavation Committee, mainly under the direction of SS Frere, the results of which are largely unpublished. For course of city wall, sites of public buildings and major finds etc (based mainly on Frere's booklet) see Map Diagram. (3) Name `DVROVERNVM CANTIACORVM' accepted for 4th edition RB Map. (4) The Roman town at Canterbury. From the late 2nd Century, Durovernum Cantiacorum was the civitas capital of Kent. The settlement developed soon after AD43 and the Roman bridgehead at Richborough would have been the main military base. There is no evidence for an established military presence in Canterbury itself.A gradual Romanisation of the Iron Age settlement is likely to have occurred with the eventual Roman town laid out in a grid with buildings, baths and a late 1st century theatre. Substantial flint and tile foundations of the theatre with opus signinum floors were discovered, with the theatre rebuilt on a larger scale so that by the beginning of the 3rd century it was four storeys high, and semi-circular with a diameter of 70 metres. In St. Margaret's Street are the visible remains of the 2nd century bath complex: there is evidence of the furnace (praefurnium), caldarium, tepidarium and frigidarium. The baths may have continued under the site of the present day church of St. Margaret.Llittle of the insulae within the town have been excavated. The foundations of several town houses of the 'winged corridor' type have been found, one of which is underneath the Canterbury Museum in Butchery Lane. The building, dating from the 1st century, was built of masonry and has been altered and reconstructed with a hypocaust system, tessellated floors and mosaics. The exact positions of the forum or basilica are not known. The mediaeval town wall follows the route of the 3rd century Roman boundary wall, and the gates are still visible.Additional bibliography. (5-27) Photographs (29-34

<1> OS Ro Brit Map 1956 29 (OS Card Reference). SKE48430.

<2> Arch 93 1949 32 (IA Richmond and OGS Crawford) (OS Card Reference). SKE34468.

<3> F1 CFW 23.02.65 (OS Card Reference). SKE42712.

<4> The Place - Names of Ro Brit 1979 353-4 (ALF Rivet and C Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE50467.

<5> JRS 46 1956 144-143 Arch Cant 86 1971 232-33 239-240 (F Jenkins) (OS Card Reference). SKE45102.

<6> CBA Cal Ex 1967 7 (J Williams) (OS Card Reference). SKE38759.

<7> Brit 1 1970 304 (DR Wilson and RP Wright) (OS Card Reference). SKE38289.

<8> Brit 3 1972 351 (DR Wilson) (OS Card Reference). SKE38321.

<9> Med Arch 13 1969 265 (DM Wilson and DG Hurst) (OS Card Reference). SKE46728.

<10> JRS 35 1945 88-90 (OS Card Reference). SKE45079.

<11> JRS 50 1960 236 (OS Card Reference). SKE45116.

<12> Arch Cant 15 1883 338-350 (S Robertson) (OS Card Reference). SKE34732.

<13> JRS 48 1958 149 (OS Card Reference). SKE45108.

<14> JRS 40 1950-51 113 (OS Card Reference). SKE45087.

<15> JRS 43 1953 127-128 (OS Card Reference). SKE45092.

<16> JRS 19 1929 210 (OS Card Reference). SKE45057.

<17> Arch Cant 76 1961 lviii (F Jenkins) (OS Card Reference). SKE35603.

<18> CBA Res Rep 48 Arch in Kent to AD1500 1982 51-54 (PE Leach) (OS Card Reference). SKE38901.

<19> The Towns of Roman Britain 1975 19 20 178-195 Figs 39 40 41 42 pls 38 39 40 420 (J Wacher) (OS Card Reference). SKE50532.

<20> South-East England 1970 178-79 197 (R Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE49526.

<21> Studies in the Romano-British villa 1978 19 26 (M Todd) (OS Card Reference). SKE49713.

<22> The Roman Forts of the Saxon Shore 1976 100-101 (S Johnson) (OS Card Reference). SKE50503.

<23> Arch Cant 92 1976 241-244 (T Tatton-Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36095.

<24> BAR 126 Romano British Urban Defences 1984 6 7 13 illust 15 17 21 37 39 40 71 75 illust 77 143-4 182 (OS Card Reference). SKE37479.

<25> The Place Names of Roman Britain 1979 353-354 (ALF Rivet and C Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE50468.

<26> Med Arch 16 1972 156 (LE Webster and J Cherry) (OS Card Reference). SKE46731.

<27> Cant Arch Trust Topo maps of Canterbury AD 400 1982 (OS Card Reference). SKE38509.

<28> ROMAN QUENIN GATE AT DVROVERNVM CANTIACORVM (CANTERBURY). (Photograph). SKE2636.

<29> FOUND 1957,SHOWING RADIAL FIRE-BARS IN POSITION. ARCH J/CXIV/1957/PL.IIIB.ARCH CANT/74/1961 Types: P (Photograph). SKE115.

<30> FOUND 1957,SHOWING RADIAL FIRE-BARS IN POSITION. ARCH J/CXIV/1957/PL.IIIB.ARCH CANT/74/1961 Types: P (Photograph). SKE115.

<31> FIFTH-CENT. ANGLO-FRISIAN POTTERY.FROM FRERE,S.S. 'THE END OF TOWNS IN ROMAN BRITAIN' FROM WACHER (1 (Photograph). SKE266.

<32> DARK AGE OCCUPATION OF CANTERBURY AS EVIDENCED BY DISTRIBUTION OF EARLY POST-ROMAN POTTERY.FROM FRER (Photograph). SKE265.

<33> FIFTH-CENT. ANGLO-FRISIAN POTTERY.FROM FRERE,S.S. 'THE END OF TOWNS IN ROMAN BRITAIN' FROM WACHER (1 (Photograph). SKE266.

<34> DARK AGE OCCUPATION OF CANTERBURY AS EVIDENCED BY DISTRIBUTION OF EARLY POST-ROMAN POTTERY.FROM FRER (Photograph). SKE265.

Sources and further reading

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