Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A hoard of some 2000 bronze Roman coins, contained in two pots, was discovered in 1830 by a labourer Mr Noble digging sand to the north of Sandown Castle. They range in date from Valerian (AD 254-260) and Gallienus to the time of Tetricus and Aurelian.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Roman - 254 AD to 275 AD)

Associated Finds

• COIN HOARD (Roman - 254 AD to 275 AD)

Full description

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C TR 371551 (1) a hoard of some 2000 bronze Roman coins, contained in two pots, was discovered in 1830 by a labourer Mr Noble digging sand to the north of Sandown Castle. (1,2) The find spot was apparently "opposite Blackhorse Wall" (1a) They range in date from Valerian (AD 254-260) and Gallienus to the time of Tetricus and Aurelian. After studing part of the hoard Charles Roach Smith (3) concluded that it was buried c.271 AD. In 1848 William Rolfe of Sandwich excavated near the same spot and found a considerable quantiy of Roman pottery, including a fragment stamped SEVERIANVS, fibulae, pieces of hand-mills, a large stone drilled with holes, which bears the mark of ropes, as if it had been used as an anchor, and other objects. (1,2,4) A search of the relevent area, now largely occupied by golf links, wasmade by the Dover Archaeological Group in 1982 but only two small abraided sherds probably of Roman date were found. (1) (1,2,3,4) A confused account of the finds giving the date of finding the coin hoard as 1832 among other things. (5) Additional bibliography - not consulted. (6)

<1> Story of Dola: A Romantic Hist of Early Brit 1921 118 (H S Chapman) (OS Card Reference). SKE49679.

<2> Parfitt, K., 1982, Roman Finds from the Sandhills, North of Deal, KAR 70 1982 225 (K Parfitt) (Article in serial). SKE8141.

<3> Hist of Deal 1864 265 (S Pritchard) (OS Card Reference). SKE43919.

<4> Arch Cant 24 1900 111-2 (G Dowker) (OS Card Reference). SKE34865.

<5> Num Chron 10 1838-9 259 (OS Card Reference). SKE47720.

<6> Arch Cant 14 1892 368-9 (C Roach Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE34721.

<7> JBAA 3 1848 329 (OS Card Reference). SKE44932.

<8> C R Smith MS in Exeter Museum Library (OS Card Reference). SKE38456.

<9> Gents Mag 1833 i 161 (OS Card Reference). SKE43583.

<10> Sir John Evans Collection (OS Card Reference). SKE49458.

<11> Memorials of Goodwins 1890 87 (G B Gattie) (OS Card Reference). SKE46874.

<12> Page, W. (ed), 1932, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Kent Volume III, VCH Kent 3 1932 152 (M V Taylor, R F Jessup & R E M Wheeler) (Monograph). SKE7810.

<13> Hist of Deal 1917 13-14 (J Laker) (OS Card Reference). SKE43920.

Sources and further reading