Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

This major highly complex Anglo Saxon church/hall was located immediately to the south and partly underneath of the remains of the church of St. Martin-Le-Grand, on broadly the same east-west axis. The excavated remains consisted of deep wall trenches and pits, dug through the underlying Roman deposits to a depth of between 30cm and 1m. The vertical wooden posts which would have filled these trenches had rotted away leaving a void which was subsequently filled with a dense grey mud, which contrasted sharply with the surrounding packing material, this allowed the identification of 114 posts. Numerous phases of development/rebuilding of this structure were identified five in total including the original structure all dating to between the 7th and 10th centuries. (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information)

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Medieval - 630 AD to 1090 AD)

Associated Finds

• POT (Roman to Medieval - 350 AD to 1299 AD)
• URN (Roman to Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 400 AD to 499 AD)
• BEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD? to 699 AD?)
• DISC (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 500 AD to 699 AD)
• COMB (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 575 AD to 699 AD)
• PITCHER (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD to 699 AD)
• BEAKER (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 650 AD to 675 AD)

Full description

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(Summarised from publication)

This major highly complex Anglo Saxon church was located immediately to the south and partly underneath of the remains of the church of St. Martin-Le-Grand, on broadly the same east-west axis. The excavated remains consisted of deep wall trenches and pits, dug through the underlying Roman deposits to a depth of between 30cm and 1m. The vertical wooden posts which would have filled these trenches had rotted away leaving a void which was subsequently filled with a dense grey mud, which contrasted sharply with the surrounding packing material, this allowed the identification of 114 posts. Numerous phases of development/rebuilding of this structure were identified five in total including the original structure all dating to between the 7th and 10th centuries.

The first period of development consisted of a small single cell unit within the centre of the western half of the structure. It was rectangular in plan and small by comparison to the later developments; just 4.96m by 2.7m. Its walls were constructed in shallow U shaped beam slots which contained evidence of 19 small stake holes. A floor of a bed of angular flints and small cobbles, capped by a fine orange clay was uncovered, this was cut by a series post holes relating to the later phases of development. Another wall trench was located 2m to the west of the western wall of this first structure, its function and dates are uncertain but it predates that third period of construction which seals it. It possibly relates to the first period of development but this remains uncertain.

The second period of development is represented by a substantial enlargement of the structure. The structural remains again consisted of a series of separated trenches for vertical wooden posts, which framed the original single cell. Evidence of new north, south and west walls were uncovered running for a total length of 22m east-west and 9.7m north-south, the eastern wall was situated outside the limits of excavation. A small room was created through the insertion of a short north-south wall placed just to the east of the original cell; this was given a chalk wash floor which partially overlay the earlier structure. The line of the south wall trench terminated at about the half way mark but was continued by a short wall trench containing two pairs of vertical planks, about 1.3m apart, this must represent a door opening. On the eastern side of this opening the south wall is represented by two further wall trenches bringing it to a total length to 22m and containing 22 post holes, with a possible original total of 30. A series of circular and ovoid pits were situated approximately 2.5m-3m from the southern outside wall. The purpose of the ovoid pits is unclear but the circular ones, which were spaced 1.1m apart, are almost certainly post holes, these would have created a colonnade effect. The final addition was represented by a wall trench which was situated 1.5m from the western wall, it was less substantial than the external wall trenches and probably represents the location of an internal division.

The third period of development includes the demolition and replacement of the west end of the church with a new external porch and the insertion of a new polished floor which sealed many of the earlier features. The new porch was inserted within the footprint of the period two structure, approximately 1.5m from its western external wall, thus reducing its size rather than extending it. It was similar in form and construction to the original period one structure, its foundation trenches contained 8 small stake holes, quantities of burnt daub and a beam slot on its northern side. The new floor was traced throughout the building and but was heavily damaged on the northern and eastern ends. It consisted of a thick layer of large worn flints capped by compact white mortar containing small pebbles, which was topped with a surface of skilfully laid opius signinum.

It is likely that this period three structure was eventually destroyed by a fire, which is evidenced by quantities of burnt daub, and was replaced by the marginally narrower and shorter period four structure. The north, south and west walls are all represented by large foundation trenches which cut through the period three floor and are situated, on the north and south sides, 50cm within the previous walls, and at the west end, 75cm from the previous external wall and porch. The new dimensions were 8.65m (N-S) by a minimum length of 18.5m (E-W). All of these new walls contained vertical wooden post slots, set in staggered rows, contrasting sharply with the period two single rows system.

The final phase of this structures development is represented by a series of post holes on the north south and west sides and inside the structure, 18 in total. It seems likely that these are a replacement of the period four outer walls as they are situated just within them. They are placed at regular intervals, approximately 2m on the south side and less than 1m on the north. Alongside these post holes 16 very large flints were located along the lines of the north and south walls, the purpose of which is uncertain, but were likely to have had some structural function. The eastern end of this phase of development was not reached and was likely situated outside of the limits of excavation.

The dating evidence recovered in association with each of the phases of development of these structures, is sparse and only an approximate estimation of the date of construction, use and demolition may be given. The historical information indicates an original construction date of c. 630 A.D. and it is unlikely that the second phase is later than the 7th century. It is likely that the posts would have had a life of between 50-100 years, thus a provisional date of c. 630-675 A.D. for phase one, c. 675-725 for phase two, c. 725-825 A.D. for phase three and c. 825-1090 A.D. (the latter being the date from the construction of the church of St. Martin-Le-Grand) for the final phase. (1)

<1> Brian Philp., 2003, The Discovery and Excavation of Anglo Saxon Dover (Monograph). SKE31831.

Sources and further reading

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