Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During extensive rescue excavations undertaken across Dover’s Town centre by Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, substantial remains of the Classis Britannica fort were uncovered and recorded. Excavations in 1973-74, at the former site of the substantial Warren and Reynolds store, to the north of Queen Street, an area of metalling in-between the inside face of the eastern wall of the CLBR fort and adjacent buildings, was uncovered; this represents the eastern intervallium road. Three distinct phases of metalling are apparent, the first of which may have been laid by the fort builders to facilitate access to the site. (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information).

Monument Types

• METALLED SURFACE (Intervallium Road, Roman - 125 AD to 210 AD)

Associated Finds

• MORTARIUM (Roman - 100 AD to 160 AD)
• BOWL (Roman - 120 AD to 160 AD)
• CARVED OBJECT (Roman - 125 AD? to 210 AD?)

Full description

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(Summarised from publication)

During extensive rescue excavations undertaken across Dover’s Town centre by Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, substantial remains of the Classis Britannica fort were uncovered and recorded. Excavations in 1973-74, at the former site of the substantial Warren and Reynolds store, to the north of Queen Street, an area of metalling in-between the inside face of the eastern wall of the CLBR fort and adjacent buildings, was uncovered; this represents the eastern intervallium road. Three distinct phases of metalling are apparent, the first of which may have been laid by the fort builders to facilitate access to the site.

The primary phase consisted of a narrow band of blue-grey pebbles, about 2.4m wide. It had clearly been cut through by the foundation trenches of the period interior 1 buildings, therefore implying its use during the construction of the for rather than during its occupation. The second period of metalling provided a solid road 3.6m wide between the inside face of the fort wall and the barrack blocks. This and associated overlying soil deposits were cut by the period 2 foundations and overlain by the final layer of metalling which appears to have served the period two buildings. (1)

<1> Philp, B. J., 1981, The Excavation of the Roman Forts of the Classis Britannica at Dover 1970-1977 (Monograph). SKE7863.

Sources and further reading

Related records