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, extensive remains of the Classis Britannica Fort were uncovered and recorded, these included parts of all four of the walls, two gate houses, numerous drains and sewers and at least nine of the internal structures of the fort. From this evidence it is clear that the arrangements broadly reflect the standard layout of a Roman auxiliary fort and it is therefore possible to ascertain the locations of the structures and features which are commonly located within Roman forts but have remained unexcavated at Dover. The possible location of a barrack block to the north of the two granaries (B16 and B17) is suggested by the fact that there is a space of approximately 15m between the northern walls of the granaries and the southern face of the northern fort wall. (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BARRACKS (B31 possible barrack block, 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, extensive remains of the Classis Britannica Fort were uncovered and recorded, these included parts of all four of the walls, two gate houses, numerous drains and sewers and at least nine of the internal structures of the fort. From this evidence it is clear that the arrangements broadly reflect the standard layout of a Roman auxiliary fort and it is therefore possible to ascertain the locations of the structures and features which are commonly located within Roman forts but have remained unexcavated at Dover. The possible location of a barrack block to the north of the two granaries (B16 and B17) is suggested by the fact that there is a space of approximately 15m between the northern walls of the granaries and the southern face of the northern fort wall.

A small section of walling which may relate to this possible barrack block was uncovered at the extreme south west end of the Burial Ground site in 1970. This consisted of 3.5m of chalk block walling, surviving to a height of 70cm. Later roadworks associated with the York Street bypass revealed more small sections of chalk block walling to the north of the granaries which, again may relate to this possible barrack. One revealed a section of north-south walling (possible eastern external wall) the other revealed a 5.2m section of east-west walling (possible southern external 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