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 series of at least five drains appear to have served the bath house, the north drain took waste water from the cold bath in room seven to the adjacent latrine building which it heled to flush. (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information).

Monument Types

• DRAIN (north drain, Roman - 155 AD? to 390 AD?)

Associated Finds

• GEMSTONE (Roman - 250 AD to 375 AD)
• COIN (Roman - 324 AD to 358 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 series of at least five drains appear to have served the bath house, the north drain took waste water from the cold bath in room seven to the adjacent latrine building which it heled to flush.

A lead pipe was located in the north wall of room seven, water would have passed through this into a U shaped gully which had been substantially robbed. The drain was traced for a total distance of 5m and was filled with a gritty brown silt from which was recovered a number of interesting finds including 13 gemstones and 16 coins. (1)

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

Sources and further reading

Related records