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. Room ten was at the eastern end of the complex, to the south of rooms eight and nine. Its north south and west walls were located but the eastern wall was located outside the limits of excavation. The walls consisted of tufa blocks set in a white mortar, they suggest maximum internal dimensions of 5.04m (N-S) by 3.74m (E-W). (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information).

Monument Types

• FLOOR (room 10 floor, Roman - 155 AD to 390 AD)
• WALL (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. Room ten was at the eastern end of the complex, to the south of rooms eight and nine. Its north south and west walls were located but the eastern wall was located outside the limits of excavation. The walls consisted of tufa blocks set in a white mortar, they suggest maximum internal dimensions of 5.04m (N-S) by 3.74m (E-W).

The base for the period one floor was constructed of large pebbles set in a cream white mortar, this was later replaced by a flint and mortar floor over which had been constructed a hypocaust. Later demolition rubble covered this hypocaust infilling it and creating a surface on which was situated a hearth and oven. Another floor, this time of brown clay, was laid over this surface and represents the period three developments in this room.

An inserted doorway, with a sandstone sill was located in the north wall, linking it to room seven. Alongside this the west wall contained three vertical cavities and a further one in the north wall, these were clearly an integral part of the hypocaust system which would have heated this room. It is possible that an associated stoke hole exists but no traces of this were uncovered and it may have been situated on the eastern wall. (1)

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

Sources and further reading

Related records