Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Originally immediately beyond the precinct wall between the Lay and Monk's Cemetery and the shops and houses fronting Burgate Street was a lane (now lost) which had shops, workshops and houses lining its south side and facing the precinct wall, and backing onto the rear of the properties in Burgate Street.

Monument Types

• HOUSE (Norman, Undated)
• SHOP (Norman, Undated)
• WALL (C12, Undated)

Full description

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Originally immediately beyond the precinct wall between the Lay and Monk's Cemetery and the shops and houses fronting Burgate Street was a lane (now lost) which had shops, workshops and houses lining its south side and facing the precinct wall, and backing onto the rear of the properties in Burgate Street. This lost lane also gave access to the Priory Precincts and Cathedral via the original 'Cemetery gate' which prior to 1200 lay further east than the later Cemetery gate of 1200+ (later rebuilt as Christ Church Gate off the Buttermarket).

In 1177 there was a great exchange of land between Christchurch Priory and St. Augustine's Abbey and the Cornhill Family and from this Christchurch acquired the lost lane and the properties fronting it behind those of the northern side of Burgate Street. Accordingly the former buildings, shops and houses, were demolished, the lane closed and the Precinct was extended over this land and a new southern Precinct wall was built along this new boundary by 1180. Within this new area of land shops were built by Robert Monk of Canterbury and Abbot of Chester upon his return to Canterbury in 1186; he also gave as well, shops to the monk's with the house of Liefwin a carpenter (across Burgate). Next to these eastwards were shops of Andrew the Sacrist and another to the east of another Sacrist; east of these were shops given to the monk's by Terric the goldsmith. Further land to the east as far as the Burgate behind St. Michael's Church was obtained in parcels between 1287 and 1368.

After the Dissolution this land was allocated to various Prebendaries and dwellings were either erected or converted for their accommodation.

Urry, W., 1967, Canterbury under the Angevin Kings (Monograph). SKE28529.

RCHM & Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1990, Roman and Medieval Canterbury, Ordnance Survey Historial map & Guide (Cartographic materials). SKE30269.

Sources and further reading