Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Roman remains , Drapers Mill County Primary School, Margate Excavations at this site in the 1960s and 1980s uncovered the site of a Roman building, timber with flint footings - possibly an outbuilding with 3rd-4th century AD pottery which overlaid a ditch containing 2nd century AD pottery. A ditch containing painted wall plaster and tile fragments was also uncovered; possibly the site of a Roman villa. Another ditch containing late Iron Age pottery was also excavated. Other finds included a prehistoric elephant's tooth, a Bronze Age flint arrowhead, a post-Tudor building and undated extractive pits of uncertain purpose.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Prehistoric or Roman - 500000 BC to 409 AD)
• DITCH (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
• BUILDING (Roman - 100 AD to 399 AD)
• VILLA (Roman - 100 AD to 399 AD)

Associated Finds

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
• ARROWHEAD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• SHERD (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 399 AD)
• WALL PLASTER (Roman - 100 AD to 399 AD)

Full description

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[TR 36256995] Roman Remains found A.D. 1925 (NAT) (1) [TR 36256995] Roman Wall and Pottery found A.D. 1925. (NAT) (2) No further information gained during fieldwork. (3) TR 36266996: Drapers Mill School site: excavated by J. Coy 1958-63. A Roman building, probably timbered part on flint foundations, with 3/4th c. pottery and occupation debris (? farm outbuilding) overlaid a ditch with 2nd c. R.B. pottery and imported ware. A ditch containing painted plaster, mortar and tile fragments was sealed by 4th c. pottery and hearth. A Belgic ditch with butt beaker was also identified. Finds suggest more permanent buildings (? Villa) nearby. (4) The present excavation is completed and there are no firm plans to extend it; the trenches still open are centred at TR 36276997 - 'B'. All finds are in Mr. Coys possession. (5) TR 363699. Drapers Mills School excavated in 1980-81. Romano- British ditch found with fill of light brown loam and Romano British pottery, shells and bone fragments. Above this lay a rammed chalk floor and chalk foundations of a pot-Tudor building and 14th - 15th century material. Modern disturbance of the site was attributed to a World War II slit trench. [Information from plan drawn by Thanet Archaeological Unit. No other information supplied] (6) TR 363699 (sited to nearest 50 m) Romano British remains discovered 1960-81. Site no. 49. (7) Full detailed report of a Roman bronze head found during the excavation in 1981 at Drapers Mills School, at TR 363699. (8) Roman remains were first found here in the 1960s. In 1980 in a corner of the school playing field, Roman pottery and the tooth of an extinct elephant were discovered. Subsequently trenching showed deep chalk working with round holes whose depths were not ascertained, (flint mines?). In the lowest fill a Bronze Age flint arrow head was found. The next higher fill of brown loam contained Romano-British building material, potsherds and coins (2nd-3rd century). One particular find was the bronze head of a boxer. (9)

In 1996 an evaluation took place on the site of proposed building extension. Two features were found; a small pit or large post hole containing shells and charcoal and another pit from which a rim of a large Belgic storage jar, c.50 BC - 100AD was recovered. (13)

<01> OS 6" 1962 (OS Card Reference). SKE48371.

<02> OS 6" 1936-46 (OS Card Reference). SKE48341.

<03> F1 GCS 08-APR-53 (OS Card Reference). SKE43010.

<04> Corr 6" and plan (J Coy 30-JUN-1963) (OS Card Reference). SKE39283.

<05> F2 CFW 11-OCT-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE43223.

<06> Oral J Coy (Hon. Corr.) (OS Card Reference). SKE47934.

<07> Letter from Ordnance Survey, 1 Cliff Street, Ramsgate, 16.02.81 (plan only see illustration card) (OS Card Reference). SKE46105.

<08> Thanet. The Archaeol Heritage c.1982, 5 (Thanet Dist. Council and Isle of Thanet Archaeol Unit) (OS Card Reference). SKE49918.

<09> Archaeol Cant 97, 1981, 307-11, illus (DRJ Perkins) (OS Card Reference). SKE37253.

<10> Isle of Thanet Arch. Unit Sites and Mons. Archive 1988, record No 49, plan (OS Card Reference). SKE44751.

<11> Field report for monument TR 36 NE 25 - April, 1953 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6164.

<12> Field report for monument TR 36 NE 25 - October, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6165.

<13> Trust For Thanet Archaeology, 1996, Drapers Mills County Primary School Margate Extension 96027 (Unpublished document). SWX7100.

Sources and further reading