Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A Roman building was found when levelling a disused railway cutting. Excavation in 1962 revealed part of a cellar the walls composed of broken tiles, some wasters, set in clay; painted plaster suggested to come from an upper storey supposed to have been destroyed when the railway was built in the 19th century was found. A little late 1st/early 2nd century pottery was recovered. Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa.

Monument Types

• BUILDING (BUILDING, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• CELLAR (Roman - 43 AD? (at some time) to 150 AD? (at some time))
• WALL PAINTING (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Roman - 43 AD? to 150 AD?)
• WALL PAINTING (Roman - 43 AD? to 150 AD?)

Full description

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"Part of a cellar, 8 ft. wide, was found in levelling a disused railway cutting south of South Street, near Whitstable. The walls were of broken tiles, frequently wasters, set in clay, with a central niche in the end wall on the east; on the floor of natural clay lay painted plaster from the upper storey, presumably destroyed in nineteenth century railway construction. A little pottery belonged to the late first or early second century". Excavated by F. Jenkins. (1)

This cellar was excavated in July/August 1962. (a). The railway cutting in which it lay has now been completely filled in and the area laid down as pasture, but the farmer (b) was able to indicate the approximate site of the building (at TR 12306480) where a few pieces of Ro. tile occur on the ground surface. No evidence of other buildings in the vicinity has ever been noted during ploughing. (2-3)

KE 98 Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa. (4)

Additional Info (5-7)

<1> JRS 52 1962 190 (OS Card Reference). SKE45122.

<2> Oral F Jenkins (Hon Corr) (OS Card Reference). SKE47920.

<3> Mr DC Bartlett Brooklands Farm (OS Card Reference). SKE47374.

<4> Eleanor Scott, 1993, A gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain (Unspecified Type). SWX23549.

<5> Field report for monument TR 16 SW 5 - November, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5577.

<6> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1990, Thanet Way: Archaeological Evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE17200.

<7> F1 CFW 21.11.63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42680.

Sources and further reading