Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Roman walling and stratified Roman deposits were located during excavations at the south east corner of Market Square, Dover. Many of the finds located within these deposits were water worn and therefore may represent the location of the bank of the Dour Estuary in the Roman period. (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BURIED LAND SURFACE (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• WALL (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)

Associated Finds

• BRICK (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• SHERD (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• TILE (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)

Full description

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During extensions to the London, County and Westminster Bank on the S side of Market Place, Dover, in 1913-14, some square, red Roman tiles were found, one bearing the CLBR stamp. They lay at a depth of some 9 ft and just under the pavement, halfway between the N corner of the new building and the "Duchess of Kent" Public House. Further evidence of Roman settlement in this area was revealed in 1923 when a Roman wall or platform of masonry about 3.5 ft high was uncovered. The wall was built of flints, chalk, tufa and greensand stone with good mortar was found close to and parallel to the East wall of the public house, running north south to a distance of about 15 feet from the north face of the building. The width of the wall was not ascertained but 18 ins of it were shorn off in the side of the trench. The walling was associated with a series of well stratified Roman deposits. Over the natural clay, upon which the wall stood, was a layer of sandy silt with pebbles, rounded chalk, Roman tile and potsherds with rounded edges, all consolidated by water action into a compacted mass. Over this was a layer of peaty soil again containing Roman material including brick and tile, this time however the finds were sharp and unworn. This whole sequence, including the wall, was covered by made ground. All of the deposits sloped down towards the east in the direction of the River Dour.

Enquiries of the foreman in charge of the present rebuilding of the "Duchess of Kent" (now the Elephant and Hind) revealed that no further exposures of the wall had been made and nothing of significance has been found. The CLBR tile is on display in Dover Museum. Nothing is known of the other finds. (1-2)

<1> E. G. J. Amos and R. E. M. Wheeler, 1929, Archaeological journal: The Saxon Shore fortress at Dover Vol. 86 (Article in serial). SKE31895.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1998, Dover Town Centre Investment Zone: Archaeological Appraisal Stage 2 (Unpublished document). SKE6598.

Sources and further reading