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. Long lengths of both the south and western defensive walls of the Shore fort were located at various sites during these excavations. This includes a 15.1m length of the southern wall which was located during excavations to the west of Gaol Lane, north of Queen Street and south of the façade of Market Hall (Gaol Lane Site). (Location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information)

Monument Types

• RAMPART (southern rampart bank, Roman - 240 AD to 330 AD)
• WALL (southern wall of the shore fort, Roman - 240 AD to 330 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. Long lengths of both the south and western defensive walls of the Shore fort were located at various sites during these excavations. This includes a 15.1m length of the southern wall which was located during excavations to the west of Gaol Lane, north of Queen Street and south of the façade of Market Hall (Gaol Lane Site).

The wall was constructed of ashlar blocks of local tufa on the external face, roughly squared chalk blocks on the internal face and a core of flint and chalk rubble with occasional tiles. This wall had been constructed upon a broad foundation consisting of six courses of chalk rubble in a grey clay, 2.8m in width. The wall itself was 2.5-2.6m wide and survived to a maximum height of 3.02m (23 courses) and was supported by a rampart bank. This substantial bank consisted of a series of purposefully dumped soils which sealed earlier features relating to the CLBR fort.

The walling had been damaged by numerous later features including many Medieval pits and the foundations of the post medieval Market Hall. (1)

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

Sources and further reading

Related records