Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

(TR 14705769) Roman Temple Precinct. Parts of the south portico of a possible Roman Temple enclosure was excavated by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust in 1980-1. The construction deposits associated with the laying-out of the temple enclosure, date to the late-first or early-second century. Both the stylobate and outer temeros wall robber trenches were found on the CB/R5 site (approx. TR14695769), while only the stylobate robber trench was within the CB/R4 area (TR14695766). Three sides of the enclosure were located. The remains of perhaps a small shrine (TR 15 NW 633) was located on the CB/R5 site and was probably demolished in the third century, at a time when the porticoes also seem to have been partly dismantled and a final sequence of courtyards laid over them. The robbing of the masonry walls of the south and west porticoes took place in the late 12th century. (1-5)

Additional bibliography. (6)

Overlying the final late Roman courtyard surface was a 15cm thick deposit of dark loam, which yielded a small corpus of 6thC potsherds and early A-S copper alloy brooch. The matrix of the loam contained quantities of Roman building material including patches of compact gravel and tile. A number of late Roman coins were also uncovered (7)

In 1997 work at 12 Beer Cart Lane uncovered the western edge of a massive mortared flint structure. Given its position and nature it is virtually certain to represent the podium of the principle temple. To the west of this was a deposit which could represent the backfill of a trench removing any veneer or facing to the structure, but is more likely to be the final metalling of the temenos courtyard.

Monument Types

• COLONNADE (Abandoned 5th c?, Roman to Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 75 AD? (at some time) to 499 AD? (at some time))
• COURTYARD (Roman to Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 75 AD? to 499 AD?)
• PRECINCT (Abandoned 5th century? Robbed Late 12th century, Roman to Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 75 AD? (at some time) to 499 AD? (at some time))

Associated Finds

• IMBREX (Roman - 75 AD? to 409 AD?)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Roman - 75 AD? to 409 AD?)
• ROOF TILE (Roman - 75 AD? to 409 AD?)

Full description

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(TR 14705769) Roman Temple Precinct. Parts of the south portico of a possible Roman Temple enclosure (Temple TR 15 NW 634) was excavated by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust in 1980-1. The construction deposits associated with the laying-out of the temple enclosure, date to the late-first or early-second century. Both the stylobate and outer temeros wall robber trenches were found on the CB/R5 site (approx. TR14695769), while only the stylobate robber trench was within the CB/R4 area (TR14695766). Three sides of the enclosure were located. The remains of perhaps a small shrine (TR 15 NW 633) was located on the CB/R5 site and was probably demolished in the third century, at a time when the porticoes also seem to have been partly dismantled and a final sequence of courtyards laid over them. The robbing of the masonry walls of the south and west porticoes took place in the late 12th century.

Occupation continued within the enclosure well into the 5th century and a family burial was found within area CB/R 5 within the walls of the portico (TR 15 NW 635).(1-5)

Additional bibliography. (6)

Overlying the final late Roman courtyard surface was a 15cm thick deposit of dark loam, which yielded a small corpus of 6thC potsherds and early A-S copper alloy brooch. The matrix of the loam contained quantities of Roman building material including patches of compact gravel and tile. A number of late Roman coins were also uncovered (7)

In 1997 work at 12 Beer Cart Lane uncovered the western edge of a massive mortared flint structure. Given its position and nature it is virtually certain to represent the podium of the principle temple. To the west of this was a deposit which could represent the backfill of a trench removing any veneer or facing to the structure, but is more likely to be the final metalling of the temenos courtyard.(8)

<1> Bennett. P., 1982, Interim Report on Excavations in 1981 by CAT: 2. 68-69a Stour Street, Arch Cant 97 1981 279-281 plan (P Bennett) (Article in serial). SKE8281.

<2> Bennett. P, 1981, Research and Discoveries in Kent: Interim Report on Excavations in 1980 by CAT: 4. 68-69 Stour Street, Arch Cant 96 1980 406-410 plans (P Bennett) (Article in serial). SKE8280.

<3> Arch Cant 92 1976 238-240 (T Tatton-Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36091.

<4> Arch Cant 94 1978 275-277 plan (P Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE36193.

<5> Arch Cant 95 1979 270-272 (P Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE36212.

<6> Arch Cant 102 1985 241-242 (P Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE34611.

<7> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1990, Canterbury's Archaeology 1988-1989 (Monograph). SKE6722.

<8> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1997, 12 Beer Cart Lane: Archaeological Evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE8261.

Sources and further reading

Related records