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, sections of the defensive ditch and berm were located on all four sides of the fort. During excavations in an area covering most of the disused burial ground of St. Martin-Le-Grand's church (Burial Ground site) part of the northern ditch and berm was uncovered. The berm was 1m to 1.17m wide and covered with a layer of pebble metalling, the ditch, which had been re cut at least once, was 4m wide and 1.15m to 1.22 deep. (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BERM (Roman - 125 AD to 210 AD)
• DITCH (Roman - 125 AD to 210 AD)

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Roman - 69 AD to 180 AD)
• SHERD (Roman - 75 AD to 399 AD)
• MORTARIUM (Roman - 90 AD to 160 AD)
• PIN (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, sections of the defensive ditch and berm were located on all four sides of the fort. During excavations in an area covering most of the disused burial ground of St. Martin-Le-Grand's church (Burial Ground site) part of the northern ditch and berm was uncovered. The berm was 1m to 1.17m wide and covered with a layer of pebble metalling, the ditch, which had been re cut at least once, was 4m wide and 1.15m to 1.22 deep.

The original ditch had a sharp V shaped profile and a narrow base, most of it had been removed by the later ditch but its surviving fill suggests that it had silted substantially before it was re cut. The later ditch was a broad V shape in section, with a narrow bottom which varied in width from between 10cm and 25cm. the bottom half of the fill of this ditch consisted of a brown clay loam which was sealed by deep layers of rubble representing the demolition phase of the adjacent wall. (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