Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During a series of extensive rescue excavations, ahead of development in Dover’s town centre, undertaken by Kent Archaeological Rescue unit a series of features relating to the late Roman Saxon Shore Fort were excavated and recorded. The defensive ditch and associated berm were located in various locations (but mainly along the western side of the fort) close to the outside face of the fort walls. This includes a 7m length which was located during excavations of a large area covering most of the disused burial ground of St. Martin-Le-Grand's church (Burial Ground site). (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BERM (western berm of the shore fort, Roman - 240 AD to 330 AD)
• DITCH (western ditch of the shore fort, Roman - 240 AD to 330 AD)

Associated Finds

• BROOCH (Roman - 100 AD? to 399 AD?)

Full description

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(Summarised from publication)

During a series of extensive rescue excavations, ahead of development in Dover’s town centre, undertaken by Kent Archaeological Rescue unit a series of features relating to the late Roman Saxon Shore Fort were excavated and recorded. The defensive ditch and associated berm were located in various locations (but mainly along the western side of the fort) close to the outside face of the fort walls. This includes a 7m length which was located during excavations of a large area covering most of the disused burial ground of St. Martin-Le-Grand's church (Burial Ground site).

As is the case in other areas, the ditch had cut a large number of the earlier Roman features of the CLBR fort, notable the north gate house and part of the via principalis. The berm, which occupied the space between the external face of the fort wall and the lip of the ditch, was about 4.5m wide. The ditch was approximately 8m wide and 4m deep, with a steep V shaped profile and a flat bottom just 35cm wide. The fill of this ditch consisted of a deep layer of loam containing large amounts of rubble including flint, tufa and chalk blocks. (1)

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

Sources and further reading

Related records