Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

An area of possible Roman walling was discovered during the construction of the new Post Office building at the junction of Priory Street and Biggin Street, Dover, in January, 1913, by Whitley and Amos. (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BUILDING (BUILDING, Roman - 100 AD? to 199 AD?)

Associated Finds

• STATUE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• URN (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• FLAGON (Roman - 70 AD? to 140 AD?)
• FACE URN (Roman - 133 AD? to 166 AD?)

Full description

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An area of possible Roman walling was discovered during the construction of the new Post Office building at the junction of Priory Street and Biggin Street, Dover, in January, 1913, by Whitley and Amos. The footings of the wall were approximately 2.2m below the ground surface and rested on a light clay with flints, probably a brick-earth. The basal course was of chalk blocks with one piece of dressed ‘Oolite or Caen Stone’, the upper courses were of tufa with a little flint in a white mortar. A number of pottery finds were made in association with this walling including a red ware face urn. (1)

Fragments of a Roman stone figure were also located at the site of the post office, these were donated to Dover Museum in 1916 where they remain still. (2)

<1> S. E. Rigold, 1969, The Roman Haven at Dover; Archaeological Journal Vol. 126 (Article in serial). SKE32373.

<2> Dover Museum, 2017, Dover Museum Accession Books (Collection). SKE32383.

Sources and further reading