Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During the excavation of foundations for a new house in 1896, workmen uncovered two skeletons. The skeletons lay east and west, head to head. No finds were found in association with the burials, but horse bones, charred material and oyster shells were found. A third skeleton with a small Roman vase by the skull was discovered at a depth of 2 ft 6 inches a few yards to the north-east of the house when laying a drain. It lay east and west with the head to the west. Within a yard of the skull the outline of another grave cut north and south was detected in the drain trench.

Monument Types

• INHUMATION (Roman - 43 AD? (at some time) to 409 AD? (at some time))
• INHUMATION CEMETERY? (Roman - 43 AD? (at some time) to 409 AD? (at some time))

Associated Finds

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• OYSTER SHELL (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• VESSEL (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)

Full description

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Two skeletons, with animal bones, charred matter and oyster shells, were found at a depth of 10 ft in 1896 during excavations for the foundations of a house for W.W. Neame at Birchington on the edge of a new thoroughfare to be called the 'Beaconsfield Road', between the high road from Margate and the railway. Both skeletons lay east and west, head to head, one head being to the east, the other to the wsst. Only animal bones, charred material and oyster shells were met with. A third skeleton with a small Roman vase by the skull was discovered at a depth of 2 ft 6 inches a few yards to the north-east of the house when laying a drain. It lay east and west with the head to the west. Within a yard of the skull the outline of another grave cut north and south was detected in the drain trench. (1) There is no record of a Beaconsfield Road, Birchington. However, four houses in Alpha Road, known as 'Beaconsfield', (TR 30056941) may be the site of the burials. (2) TR 301694. Sited to the nearest fify metres. Romano British burials. Symbol on map indicated finds of coins, pottery or artefacts. Site No.22. (3) See authorities 1-3. (4) additional reference (5)

<1> Arch Cant 22 1899 lxii (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE34854.

<2> F1 GCS 16.04.53 (OS Card Reference). SKE43011.

<3> Thanet Arch Heritage c1982 4,6 (Thanet Dist Council & Isle of Thanet Arch Unit) (OS Card Reference). SKE49858.

<4> Trust for Thanet Archaeology, 1987, Isle of Thanet Archaeological Unit Sites and Monuments Archive, Isle of Thanet Arch Unit sites and mons Archive 1988 22 (Collection). SKE11846.

<5> Field report for monument TR 36 NW 1 - April, 1953 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6209.

Sources and further reading