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. These include the remains of the unfinished CLBR fort, which are represented by a series of foundations apparent across the site underlying the roads and buildings of the main CLBR fort. These foundations were abandoned before their completion in around 117 A.D. when troops were sent north to deal with the northern revolts. The largest of these early structures was uncovered during excavations at the burial ground site, here a major structure lay with its main axis roughly down the centre of the site. (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information).

Monument Types

• Wall Foundation (Roman - 100 AD? to 117 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. These include the remains of the unfinished CLBR I fort, which are represented by a series of rammed chalk foundations apparent across the site underlying the roads and buildings of the main CLBR II fort. These foundations were abandoned before their completion in around 117 A.D. when troops were sent north to deal with the northern revolts. The largest of these early structures was uncovered during excavations at the burial ground site, here a major structure lay with its main axis roughly down the centre of the site.

The length of the structure was sub divided by a series of cross walls, again in the form of rammed chalk foundations varying in width from 55cm to 80cm. This major structure had a minimum length of 31.07m and an overall width of 6.28m with the cross walls representing at least 7 internal rooms which were internally 4.94m long and generally between 4m and 4.2m wide. There is no evidence that these foundations had ever supported walls and it seems likely that the building represented was never completed. (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