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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 75 NE 877
Type of record:Monument
Name:Roman trackway, gullies and wayside shrine, Thurnham

Summary

A Roman trackway and associated gullies found in 1998-1999 prior to the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Also found was a possible wayside shrine.


Grid Reference:TQ 7995 5714
Map Sheet:TQ75NE
Parish:THURNHAM, MAIDSTONE, KENT

Monument Types

  • GULLY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SHRINE (Roman - 43 AD to 175 AD?)
  • TRACKWAY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

  • COLCHESTER BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 175 AD?)
  • FIGURINE? (Roman - 43 AD to 175 AD?)
  • POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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Roman trackway and associated gullies found in 1998-1999 prior to the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

A cobbled trackway approached the villa complex (TQ 75 NE 374) from the east across low-lying ground. The date of its construction is unclear, although associated gullies suggest that it had certainly been established by the mid 2nd century and continued in use through the 3rd and 4th centuries. (1)

The wayside shrine consisted of a slightly sunken area surfaced with flint nodules approximately 3m across, bounded by the trackway and the ditch. A large posthole, 0.3m in diameter was positioned at the western edge of the surface adjacent to the trackway. Finds from the area included a possibly deliberately damaged Colchester derivative brooch and a fragment of bronze base or cladding, possibly relating to a large figurine. There were also 69 sherds of pottery, 20% of which were fine wares, both Samian and Upchurch fabrics, giving a mid 1st to late 2nd century date. (2)


<1> Oxford Archaeological Unit, 2001, Thurnham Roman villa, post-excavation assessment report, Thurnham. (Unpublished document). SKE13710.

<2> Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture, 2006, The Iron Age settlement and Roman Villa at Thurnham, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE16390.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Unpublished document: Oxford Archaeological Unit. 2001. Thurnham Roman villa, post-excavation assessment report, Thurnham..
<2>Unpublished document: Oxford Wessex Archaeology Joint Venture. 2006. The Iron Age settlement and Roman Villa at Thurnham, Kent.

Related records

TQ 75 NE 872Part of: Possible Roman temple, Thurnham (Monument)
TQ 75 NE 870Part of: Roman aisled building, Thurnham (Monument)
TQ 75 NE 876Part of: Roman timber structure, corn drier, Thurnham (Monument)
TQ 75 NE 374Part of: Thurnham Roman Villa (Monument)