Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

In the Medieval period the city wall fell into decay and a building with chalk walls and an earth floor was erected on the surface of the bank. Later the bank of the Medieval defences was piled on its demolished remains. Much restoration work was carried out in c. 1790, in connection with the new Riding Gate.

Monument Types

• WALL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

In September 1948 The Canterbury Excavation Committee began work on a site 27.4m south of the Riding Gate on the city wall. At this location the city wall had suffered bomb damage in 1942. Two trenches were dug, one across the bank inside the wall, the other (4.88m further south beyond the major damage) against the outer face of the wall. Theses were coded C XIII CW A and B.

The trenches revealed that the Roman wall stood to a height of 2.44m on footings 0.91m deep and that the bank was contemporary with it with no earlier bank discernable. A late third-century date for the building of the defences seems certain; although most of the pottery from the bank itself was residual, sherds of mid to late third century date were found sealed by it. In the Medieval period the city wall fell into decay and a building with chalk walls and an earth floor was erected on the surface of the bank. Later the bank of the Medieval defences was piled on its demolished remains. Much restoration work was carried out in c. 1790, in connection with the new Riding Gate.

Frere, S. ?, 1949, Untitled Source (Article in serial). SKE30762.

Frere, SS, Stow, S, and Bennett, P, 1982, Excavations on the Roman and Medieval Defences of Canterbury. (Monograph). SKE28530.

Sources and further reading