Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During excavations undertaken in Dover town centre by Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, a Roman military bath house was excavated and recorded. A small room, immediately to the east of the stoke hole, containing a small hot bath was located. Two phases of development are represented by the evidence, the second phase destroying most of the first, and a later large furnace destroying most of the second. (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BATHS (room 2 hot bath, Roman - 155 AD? to 390 AD?)
• HYPOCAUST (Room 2 hypocaust, Roman - 155 AD? to 390 AD?)

Full description

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(summarised from publication)

During excavations undertaken in Dover town centre by Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, a Roman military bath house was excavated and recorded. A small room, immediately to the east of the stoke hole, containing a small hot bath was located. Two phases of development are represented by the evidence, the second phase destroying most of the first, and a later, large furnace destroying most of the second.

The original bath measured 1.71m (E-W) but only 37cm of its original north-south width and 25cm of its original depth. It was rendered with red opius signinum and overlay the remains of a substantial hypocaust. The replacement hot bath measured 3.1m (N-S) by 1.6m (E-W) and was 1m deep. Again it had been rendered with a red opius signinum and overlay a hypocaust, which survived to a height of 40-80cm. Both the walls of this room and the hot bath situated within it were cut by a late furnace which partly rested upon the hypocaust pilae of the second phase bath.
(1)

<1> Brian Philp, The Discovery and Excavation of the Roman Shore Fort at Dover, Kent (Monograph). SKE32061.

Sources and further reading

Related records