Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The remains of a large shaft or pit with a large gallery were found during brickearth operations near Northdown in the late 19th century. Roman pottery and urns, a quern, a large brass of Faustina the elder, several portions of decayed wood, and animal bones were found in the gallery. The original discovery was made in c.1876 but subsequent finds may have been made in 1888, including a coin of Vespasian.

Monument Types

• DENE HOLE (Roman - 43 AD? (at some time) to 409 AD? (at some time))
• FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• QUERN (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• URN (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)

Full description

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[TR 38066953] Roman Urns and Coins found A.D. 1888 (NAT) (1) Roman Remains found A.D. 1888 (NAT) (2) A shaft, with a gallery in the chalk on its north side 12ft. down, was revealed by brickearth operations in 1876 on the highest point of Thanet, not far from the monument and sea mark. [The O.S. 3" Drawing, 1801, shows a monument at TR 38936973, now the position of a trig. point]. Roman pottery (including Samian), a Roman quern, a large brass of Faustina the elder, several portions of decayed wood, and animal bones were found in the gallery. The shaft continued for another 30 ft. through the chalk. (3,4) Although no evidence was obtained during fieldwork to ascertain the provenance of the finds, it is nevertheless, felt that the shaft site is not far removed from that already shown on O.S. maps and plans. The area within which the present O.S. siting symbol falls is now built over but there are signs of old brick workings in the vicinity. Vespasian coin found in brick earth near sea mark, Northdown in 1898 (a). On exhibition in Maidstone Mus. (Brass) (5) Margate. In 1876, while digging for brick earth, a hole 12 ft deep was found leading to an oven shaped cavern cut into the chalk. It was full of flint boulders and at the bottom were many bones of animals, a dark coloured urn and other fragments of Roman pottery, a small piece of Samian, an amphora handle, part of a quern; a 'first brass' of Faustina the elder, many shells, and traces of decayed wood, but none of a fire. The shaft was continued for another 30 ft. The brickworks belong to Mr Reeve. [Romano British finds found nearby, see TR 36 NE 66]. (6) TR 381696 [sited to nearest 50m] Romano British remains discovered in 1888. Site no 59. (7) Roman urns and remains were found her in 1888. A shaft with a gallery found here in 1876 contained Roman pottery, a quern, the handle of an amphora, animal bones and wood. (8)

Additional references (9-10)

<1> OS 6" 1932-46 (OS Card Reference). SKE48333.

<2> OS 6" 1962 (OS Card Reference). SKE48371.

<3> Arch. Cant. 11, 1877, 126-7 (G. Dowker) (OS Card Reference). SKE36965.

<4> Arch. Cant. 24, 1900, LIX (W.H. Hills) (OS Card Reference). SKE36990.

<5> F1 GS 15-APR-53 (OS Card Reference). SKE43016.

<6> Display Card, Margate Public Library (OS Card Reference). SKE39741.

<7> V.C.H. Kent 3, 1932, 160-1 (OS Card Reference). SKE50737.

<8> Thanet. The Arch Heritage c.1982, 5 (Thanet Dist. Council & Isle of Thanet Arch. Unit) (OS Card Reference). SKE49906.

<9> Isle of Thanet Arch. Unit, Sites and Mons. Archive 1988, Record No. 59 (OS Card Reference). SKE44762.

<10> Field report for monument TR 36 NE 2 - April, 1953 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6145.

Sources and further reading