Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A possible Roman villa may be located under the Holy Trinity Church. When the churchyard was extended in the late 19th century building foundations were uncovered supposedly constructed of Roman masonry. Excavations in the nearby Church Field (TQ 96 NW 5) recovered Roman flue and roof tiles.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Early Mesolithic to Roman - 10000 BC to 409 AD)
• VILLA? (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

• ARROWHEAD (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FLAKE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
• LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
• POT BOILER (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
• SCRAPER (TOOL) (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• FLUE TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• TEGULA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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[TQ 9088 6546] Roman remains found A.D. 1872 [RO] (1) In 1872, substantial foundations were found by the sexton in the northern extension of Milton Churchyard. Similar finds were made in the years following and in 1881 Payne examined some masonry which "was pure Roman work, composed of lints set in concrete, with a bonding course of tiles embedded in mortar mixed with pounded tile". The finds, which included Roman pottery and a coin of Antoninus Pius, extended into the old churchyard. The sexton stated that similar foundations intersect a large portion of the old churchyard and are probably part of the same work. The Rev. W. Vallance, former curate, found several Roman bricks or tiles in the foundations of the north wall of the church. (2)(3) No further evidence of this building has been seen during recent years in grave-digging, etc. (4) [TQ 908 654] The possiblity of Roman building foundations discovered in Milton churchyard extending into the adjoining "Church Field", scheduled for development in the early 1980's, prompted excavations by the Sittingbourne and Swale Archaeological Research Group. (See Illustration Card for plan.) Stage 1: In September and October 1976, seven trenches were excavated. Although evidence of Roman occupation was revealed, no trace of foundations, mortar, or walls were detected in any of the trenches. Finds included: Romano-British pottery, worked flints, a Mesolithic flake-scraper, a Mesolithic type arrowhead, five Roman box-flue tile fragments, pieces of Roman roof tile, several pieces of orange- coloured tile, and animal bones. The finds from this excavation are housed in the Old Court Hall, Milton Regis. (5) Stage 2: In c. 1977 further excavations took place. The only feature discovered was an insubstantial linear arrangement of flints, probably the packing of a medieval or post medieval field drain. Finds included: tegulae fragments, Romano-British pottery, and pieces of daub. Signs of Mesolithic occupation were plentiful, including several worked tools, and an abundance of pot boilers. On a separate occasion several pieces of Roman roof tile were recovered from a trench for a services main which had been dug near the north of "Green Porch" Childrens' Home. (6) Stage 3: In 1979 three trenches were dug at the south end of the field, but revealed no evidence of a Roman building. However, the edge of a shallow pit was found containing a piece of mortarium flange, with the fragmentary impression of an unknown potter's stamp, possibly made in Canterbury in 140-190 A.D. Other Roman course ware sherds and fragments of flue tile were also found but the lateral extent of the feature was not determined. Further Mesolithic worked flints were found in all three trenches. Although no evidence of foundations was detected, the distribution of Roman roof tiles and flue tiles indicated a building close by, perhaps at the site now covered by the church. (7) KE 85 Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa. (8)

Eleanor Scott, 1993, A gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain (Unspecified Type). SWX23549.

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> Coll Cant 1893 30-32 Map A no 9 (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE39143.

<3> Arch Cant 12 1878 428-429 (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE34668.

<4> F1 AC 09-JUL-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE41779.

<5> Kent Arch Review 49 Autumn 1977 206-210 illusts (R Baxter) (OS Card Reference). SKE45855.

<6> Kent Arch Review 52 Summer 1978 22-27 fig (R Baxter) (OS Card Reference). SKE45857.

<7> Kent Arch Review 66 1981 133-4 fig (R Baxter) (OS Card Reference). SKE45861.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 96 NW 8 - July, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4867.

Sources and further reading