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Monument details

HER Number:TR 34 SW 65
Type of record:Monument
Name:Late Iron Age/early Roman occupation evidence , Dover Castle

Summary

Evidence of a late 1st c BC/1st c AD opccupation was revealed as a result of a landslide south of St Mary de Castro Church, Dover Castle. Excavations carried out in 1962 by the Ministry of Works, under the direction of Mr Martin Biddle, comprised a single trench through the earthwork which revealed at the lowest levels were found pits, gulleys, floor levels and Iron Age potsherds. (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information)

The site lies on the south face of the sea cliff, from the top of the ridge over looking the sea.

Grid Reference:TR 3264 4177
Map Sheet:TR34SW
Parish:DOVER, DOVER, KENT

Monument Types

  • SETTLEMENT (SETTLEMENT, Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • GULLY (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 100 AD)
  • PIT (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 100 AD?)

Associated Finds

  • POT (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC? to 100 AD?)
  • TILE (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
Protected Status:Scheduled Monument 1019075: DOVER CASTLE

Full description

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Evidence of a late 1st c BC/1st c AD settlement was revealed as a result of a landslide of part of the "Saxon earthworks" south of St Mary de Castro Church, Dover Castle. Excavations carried out in 1962 by the Ministry of Works, under the direction of Mr Martin Biddle, comprised a single trench through the earthwork. At the lowest level, in otherwise undisturbed soil, several pits, a gully and floor levels were revealed all of which were associated with pottery dating to the 1st Century BC. The latest of the Iron Age levels also revealed pottery and tile dating to the to the 1st Century AD, which is probably contemporary with the construction of the Roman lighthouse or Pharos here. (1-3) Additional reference (4)


<1> E. H. Bayly, 1962, KAS Annual Report 1962: Activities around Dover, Arch Cant 77 1962 xlviii (EH Bayley) (Article in serial). SKE7873.

<2> H. M. Colvin, 1959, Antiquity: An Iron Age Hillfort at Dover? (Article in serial). SKE52163.

<3> M. Biddle, 1964, Medieval Archaeology: Medieval Britain in 1962 and 1963; Kent: Dover (Article in serial). SKE52161.

<4> Andrew Richardson, 2000, Gazetteer of Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries and Burial-Sites in Kent (Unpublished document). SKE29253.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Article in serial: E. H. Bayly. 1962. KAS Annual Report 1962: Activities around Dover. 1962 pp 48. Arch Cant 77 1962 xlviii (EH Bayley).
<2>Article in serial: H. M. Colvin. 1959. Antiquity: An Iron Age Hillfort at Dover?. Vol 33 pp 125-127.
<3>XYArticle in serial: M. Biddle. 1964. Medieval Archaeology: Medieval Britain in 1962 and 1963; Kent: Dover. Vol 8 pp 254-255. [Mapped feature: #103201 Iron Age pits, ]
<4>Unpublished document: Andrew Richardson. 2000. Gazetteer of Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries and Burial-Sites in Kent.

Related records

TR 34 SW 642Parent of: Possible Iron Age Hillfort at Dover Castle (Monument)
TR 34 SW 205Parent of: Roman ritual shaft located at Shot Yard Battery, Dover Castle. (Monument)
TR 34 SW 5Part of: Dover Castle (Monument)