Archaeological Investigations in the Borough of Staplegate, Canterbury 2012-2015
135
ArchAeologicAl investigAtions in the borough
of stAplegAte, cAnterbury, 2012-2015
tania wilson and richard helm
Within the northern quarter of the walled city of canterbury and east of the river
stour lies the tiny borough of staplegate, its name now all but lost from modern
references to this part of the city. covering just 1.5 acres (0.6 hectare), the borough
remains ‘fossilised’ within the existing streets, being bounded by the borough,
King street, Knott’s lane and church lane (Fig. 1). formerly known as stablegate,
it occupies the historic location of the medieval archbishop’s stables which were
first mentioned in a document recording the rent-rolls of Christ Church holdings,
dated c.1206. the entry, in fact, relates to a holding in the borough – ‘terra iacet
retro murum elemosinarie nostre. iuxta stabulum domini archiepiscopi’ (urry 1967,
356) which, Urry clarifies, ‘lies next to the stable of the lord archbishop’ (ibid., 202).
in the fourteenth century William thorne, the chronicler of st Augustine’s Abbey,
recorded that these stables now stood where st Augustine and his companions
were lodged by King ethelbert of Kent following their arrival from rome in 596.
thorne also noted that there had been a pagan oratory located here for the king’s
family where worship and sacrifice was maintained (Urry 1967, 201). Following
the conversion of ethelbert, the area was granted exemption from tax assessments
and subsidies and was placed under the control of the archbishop, enjoying liberty
from the city (hasted 1800, 292), a position formalised by a charter of henry
vi (1422-1461) (somner 1640, 133). the borough of staplegate continued to be
exempt from the city until 1835 (urry 1967, 104), when it was brought under the
jurisdiction of the city by the local government Act.
The current street configuration defining the borough of Staplegate was certainly
established by the seventeenth century, as can be seen in a map of the city dated
to around 1640 (Fig. 2). this depicts buildings situated along the street frontages
of King street and Knott’s lane, with an entrance into the borough on King street
close to what is now the entrance to cobden place. further properties are depicted
in a ‘cul-de-sac’ arrangement within the borough.
by the end of the eighteenth century the area had a poor reputation. hasted
(1800, 293) refers to the area as ‘… in a state of ruin and poverty; the houses in
it being inhabited only by poor and unprincipled people, who fly hither as to a
sanctuary, and shelter from the liberty of the city’. Writing an account of his life
in 1789, John Kirby, a convicted ‘house-breaker, horse-stealer and highway robber’
makes a passing reference to a ‘house of ill fame’ in Knott’s lane (Kirby 1789, 18).
the layout of the area appears to have changed very little into the nineteenth and
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early twentieth century. the first edition ordnance survey map of 1874 (Fig. 3)
and the goad insurance Map of 1912 show buildings fronting King street, which
comprised from west to east: no. 23, a ‘lodging house’ on the corner of King
street and Knott’s lane, nos 24 to 25 two retail properties, no. 26 a restaurant,
and no. 27, the Little Rose public house, first documented in 1789 (Wilmot 1992,
44). buildings along the southern end of Knott’s lane comprised four domestic
properties, nos 14 to 17, forming part of a terrace extending to the lodging
house at the corner of King street and Knott’s lane. to the north, the borough
was occupied by three rows of terraced housing, comprising staplegate place,
cobden place and goulden’s buildings. some of these buildings can be seen in a
fig. 1 the streets bounding staplegate borough.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN STAPLEGATE, CANTERBURY 2012-2015
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series of photographs dating to the 1930s (Fig. 4). staplegate place, cobden place
and buildings along Knott’s lane were demolished in the 1930s as part of slum
clearance. the properties along the King street frontage were demolished in 1946
(crampton 2011, 34).
Major redevelopment of the area did not take place until 1985 when ‘homespire
fig. 2 extract from a map of 1640 showing staplegate (canterbury cathedral Archives
and library, Map 123).
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house’ was constructed, and more recently, the present residential street of cobden
place was re-instated in 2002. the southern area of staplegate, however, remained
largely undeveloped being occupied for some years by a public convenience.
proposals for the redevelopment of this area led to a programme of archaeological
investigation conducted by the canterbury Archaeological trust between 2012 and
2015 (centred ngr 615020 158144; Fig. 5).
this report outlines the main results from this investigation which comprised
a series of archaeological interventions. initial archaeological evaluation was
followed by a strip and map of the proposed development footprint which revealed
and recorded the uppermost archaeological features and deposits. subsequent
augering of the site confirmed the survival of a deep stratified sequence.
opportunities to examine the full archaeological sequence were provided through
monitoring undertaken during the diversion of a main sewer which crossed the
area and, a small archaeological excavation conducted along the proposed route of
new foul drainage.
fig. 3 first edition ordnance survey map of 1874 (approx. 1:1,000).
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN STAPLEGATE, CANTERBURY 2012-2015
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fig. 4 (1) view along King street from palace street. (2) late seventeenth-century
properties along staplegate place. (3) early nineteenth-century houses in cobden place.
(photographs courtesy of paul crampton.)
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Archaeological background
it was during the construction of new mains drainage in 1868 that civil engineer
James pilbrow observed and recorded archaeological discoveries throughout the
city of canterbury. At staplegate, pilbrow recorded a road or metalled surface
encountered at a depth of approximately 1.5m, in addition to roman samian
pottery, a coin of lucilla (c.164-169) and deer remains (pilbrow 1871, 154).
More recent archaeological investigations have provided some evidence for preroman
activity, but this is at present relatively scarce. in 1952, sheppard frere
excavated buildings of late iron Age date within the cellar of no. 3 palace street
fig. 5 site location plan.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN STAPLEGATE, CANTERBURY 2012-2015
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(frere 1987a, 81-83). to the north, excavations in st radigund’s street during
1987 recorded a number of features including a ditch and a trackway dated to the
first century bc or early first century ad (rady 1988, 12).
During the roman period, a principal road linking canterbury (Durovernum
Cantiacorum) with reculver (Regulbium) was situated to the east of the staplegate
area and, perpendicular to this, another road lay to the north of the present site
(Fig. 6). the latter, observed during excavations in 2002 at cobden place (helm
2012, 4), has also been recorded at st radigund’s street and in the Mint yard of
the King’s school (rady 1988, 12; bennett 1980, 15). excavation undertaken at
st radigund’s street revealed evidence to suggest that this, and an earlier street
identified at the site, may have been established very early in the Roman period
(rady 1988, 12).
establishment of the roman road network was undoubtedly coupled with other
developments and occupation within the area. rubbish and cess-pits ranging in
date from the first to the early third century have been recorded at St Radigund’s
street and nearby church lane (rady 1988, 14; bennett 1982, 80). At the latter,
a timber-lined well of possible third-century date was discovered (bennett 1982,
80-82). to the south, along palace street, excavations at nos 20A-21A revealed
evidence for a timber building thought to have been initially occupied between
ad 70 and 200 (holman 2008, 7). At no. 7 palace street, a mid to late secondcentury
timber building was recorded (bennett 1987, 88), and nearby at no.
3, a third-century masonry building, perhaps preceded by a timber structure of
second- to early third-century date, was discovered (frere 1987a, 85). A building
established around the late first to early second century was also documented at
no. 53 King street (frere 1987b, 78). in addition to the section of road noted
above, archaeological investigations associated with the recent development of
cobden place recorded a metalled surface which was found in association with a
roman masonry wall (helm 2012, 4).
During the late third century the roman town wall was constructed, necessitating
change to the layout of areas within the immediate locale of this structure. At st
radigund’s street, excavated evidence suggests that one street was realigned at
this time to follow the inside of the new wall circuit (rady 1988, 14). evidence
from other roman towns such as london, silchester and Wroxeter, suggests that
this was a time when the administration and character of towns was changing
(frere 1984, 242-244). Within the northern quarter of roman canterbury, the
building identified at 20A-21A Palace Street appears to have been demolished by
300 and subsequently replaced by a series of gravel courtyards (holman 2008,
7). At church lane, examination of a section of the roman wall noted the re-use
of building material including a ‘large lump of opus signinum with fragments of
tessellated floor still adhering to it’ (Bennett 1987, 83). Perhaps the infrastructure
of roman canterbury was also changing at this time with the construction of the
town wall being part of wider restructuring and redevelopment.
the latest roman deposits at church lane and st radigund’s street were cut
by a number of features dated to the mid to late saxon period including, at the
latter site, two possible sunken-featured buildings (bennett 1987, 85-88; rady
1988, 14). evidence of late saxon or early norman intra-mural streets were also
identified at Church Lane (Bennett, 1982, 78). However, to the west and south of
142
fig. 6 the staplegate area of canterbury showing the roman town wall, roman roads
and location of previous excavations (1:2,000).
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN STAPLEGATE, CANTERBURY 2012-2015
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church lane, possible agricultural or horticultural activities may be represented
by a thick homogenous layer of dark brown soil. At st radigund’s street, this
deposit produced artefacts dating from the late roman period through to the
twelfth century (rady 1988, 14) and, at 20A-21A palace street, a similar deposit
is thought to have developed ‘between 850 and 1125’ (holman 2008, 7).
the arrival of Archbishop lanfranc in 1070 brought major changes to the
cathedral, the precincts and the palace street area. At this time the roman street
that ran towards northgate was moved westwards to create the current palace
street, thus increasing the area of the palace precinct (tatton-brown 1991, 3). As
documentary evidence suggests, by the early thirteenth century the Archbishop’s
stables had been located beyond the boundary of the new precinct, with the
likely location being staplegate (urry 1967, 201-202). in 1984, archaeological
investigations undertaken during the construction of ‘homespire house’ on Knott’s
lane recorded a stone foundation thought to be part of a range of the archbishop’s
stables (blockley 1985, 9). however, the layout of staplegate at this time remains
poorly understood.
Archaeological excavation at church lane, north of the present site, demonstrated
that timber-framed buildings had been established along this street frontage by
the thirteenth century (ibid., 8). to the west of staplegate lies the precinct of a
residence granted in c.1372 to the chaplains that served the black prince’s chantry
in the cathedral (hussey 1932, 37). recent excavations at cobden place revealed
evidence of a timber-framed building thought to have been constructed by the
late fourteenth century. the building only partially survived. however, a series
of hearths and a possible oven base suggested the remains of a service range,
typical of a standard domestic medieval ‘open hall’ house (helm 2002, 2). gravel
surfaces, possibly representing the early street frontage to the east and a courtyard
to the north, were seen to abut against the building’s exterior walls, confirming
that the basic street alignment into cobden place had been laid out at least by the
fourteenth century (ibid., 2). the medieval building at cobden place survived until
the sixteenth century.
evidence at cobden place suggested that this area was subsequently open
ground, until the development of staplegate place, cobden place and goulden’s
buildings. properties along the frontage of King street and Knott’s lane were also
established and, photographic evidence (see above) suggests that some of these
buildings survived into the early twentieth century.
results of the archaeological investigations
opportunities to examine the full archaeological sequence were afforded in two
areas of the development site. The first, a new foul drainage trench, located in the
entrance to cobden place leading from King street (Klc-eX-13; hereafter Area 1)
and the second, the new route of the mains sewer, situated running along a section
of King street (Klc-Wb-13; hereafter Area 2). Within the main development
area, only the uppermost archaeological features and deposits were exposed and
recorded (Klc-ev-12; hereafter Area 3) (fig. 5).
the underlying geology of the staplegate area is mapped as head deposits of
clay and silt overlying seaford chalk formation (british geological survey
TANIA WILSON AND RICHARD HELM
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2017). however, augering and deep excavation at the site revealed chalk overlain
with deposits of sand and gravel, the latter of which are potentially river gravels
deposited during the pleistocene.
Prehistoric
Within Area 1, the natural sands and gravels were overlain by a series of deposits,
the earliest of which produced a palimpsest of cultural material including struck
and burnt flint, animal bone, industrial waste and pottery. Analysis of the struck flint
suggests a Mesolithic or early neolithic date, whilst pottery dated to the early iron
Age and the late Iron Age to early Roman period was represented. These findings
provide evidence for early intermittent activity within what was undoubtedly a
favourable riverine location.
Roman
By the late first century ad, the road network for the roman town had been
established, which included principal streets situated to the east and north of
the site. the earliest evidence for development within the site was recorded in
Area 1 where two beam-slots may represent a timber building. unfortunately this
structure was not fully observed in plan and no associated dateable material was
recovered. however, pottery from underlying deposits indicated that the structure
was constructed sometime after ad 70.
subsequent development saw a more formalised approach to the layout of the
area. in Area 1, the timber building was succeeded by a metalled surface, probably
a courtyard, which appeared to have extended along the southern section of the site.
this surface had been previously recorded in 2003 during investigations conducted
in relation to the cobden place development, when a section of masonry wall was
discovered (helm 2012, 4; Fig. 7). The wall, constructed of flint nodules bonded
with a hard yellow mortar and aligned north-west to south-east, did not extend
as far east as Area 1, and no further detail of the plan or extent of this building
is currently known. Nevertheless, these findings provide tantalising evidence for
a high status building, perhaps a domestic dwelling, at this location. in Area 1,
patchy occupation deposits lying on the courtyard surface produced fragments of a
possible Hod Hill brooch dated to the mid first to early second century ad, tegula,
animal bone and pottery. the latter included sherds of a black burnished ware jar
(north Kent bb2 fabric) that places this phase of occupation no earlier than ad 130.
in Area 1, the courtyard and occupation deposits were subsequently cut by a
series of pits and post-holes suggesting a change of use for the courtyard and
perhaps the masonry building. The fills of these features produced an array of
domestic waste including pottery, animal bone, oyster shell and charred plant
remains comprising cereals and wild plant/weed seeds. pottery from this group
has been dated to c.190-300. one free-threshing wheat grain (Triticum aestivum/
tugidum type) recovered from a pit has been radiocarbon dated to cal ad 226-421
(at 2 sigma 95.4% probability; ubA-32278; 1713 +/- 46 bp; intcal13.14c (reimer
et al. 2013)). this suggests that the change of land-use was initiated in the third
century, perhaps relating to broader changes associated with the construction of
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the town wall and other possible intra-mural redevelopment.
These features were sealed by a series of deposits which produced significant
quantities of cultural material, suggesting that the area was then used for the
periodic dumping of waste. in Area 1, these deposits appear to have been reworked,
perhaps as a result of horticultural or agricultural activities. however in Area 2,
the deposits were interleaved with occasional features suggesting intermittent
episodes of low-level activity.
Analysis of the cultural material recovered from these dump deposits suggests
fig. 7 early roman features.
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that they were principally composed of domestic waste. the overall pottery
assemblage comprised a wide range of vessel forms which suggest a date after
c.270-300 for this activity (Fig. 8, nos 1-9). this assemblage included examples of
black burnished ware (bb1 fabric) which is generally rare in late roman canterbury
except for a period towards the end of the third century. it has been suggested that
‘this may be related to the walling of the city and movement of military units,
bringing their pottery supply arrangements with them, to man these new defences’
(lyne 2016, 4). in total six coins were recovered from the sequence of deposits in
Area 2. two were corroded together and illegible and the remainder comprised an
illegible radiate or nummus dated c.270-380, a radiate of Antoninianus dated 260-
270, a radiate of salonina dated 253–268 and a barbarous radiate dated c.270-
290. The dates of these finds complement the dating provided by the pottery.
other domestic items included a small quantity of glassware notably a fragment
of a bottle that may have contained oil, a pottery spindlewhorl, a hone stone and a
ceramic gaming piece. faunal remains were diverse, much of which was likely to
have derived from food preparation and consumption. cattle, sheep or goat, pig,
domestic fowl, teal, plover, woodcock, curlew, eel, shad, thin lipped grey mullet,
chub mackerel, plaice/flounder, sole and shellfish are all represented. Deer and dog
were also present. eggshell was common in one particular deposit. emmer and
spelt wheat, barley and oat were all represented and analysis suggests that these
remains originate from the final stages of crop-cleaning and food preparation.
the status of the masonry building at this time is unknown, it may be that it
continued in use, or that it was demolished or ruinous. building material recovered
from the dump deposits comprised brick, tegula, imbrex and a single fragment of
tessera. notably this assemblage comprised a wide range of fabric types suggesting
that this material was not derived from one particular structure. it is possible that
some of the assemblage derived from the masonry building. however, the diversity
of the assemblage could indicate that waste material was being brought to the site
from a number of sources around the town.
fig. 8 roman pottery (1:4) (opposite)
1. Jar, black transitional grog-tempered belgic/native coarse Ware.
2. lid-seated jar in oxidised pink brown fabric c.ad 90-130.
3. Cavetto-rim jar in similar fabric fired orange-brown with grey patches
c.ad 120-200.
4. tazza in similar fabric.
5. Flagon in similar fabric fired buff with black patches c.ad 130-200.
6. Corniced rim bag-beaker in hard red fabric fired rough-cast grey-black
c.ad 60-130.
7. necked bowl in transitional grog-tempered belgic/native coarse Ware.
8. everted-rim jar in black native coarse Ware with knife trimming c.ad
170-300.
9. Mortarium in very-fine dep pink fabric with feeble white external slip
and crushed flint trituration grits c.ad 240-400.
10 Everted-rim jar in late Roman grog-tempered ware fabric LR1.1 fired
black c.ad 300-400+. one of two.
11 Mayen ware dish, fired black with cream interior surface c.ad 350-400.
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circumstantial evidence of small-scale industrial activities taking place within
the general vicinity at this time derives from the metallurgical remains recovered.
Quantities of hammerscale, along with a probably related forge bottom and hearth
lining recovered from later deposits, suggest that iron smithing was taking place
in the locality.
cutting the uppermost dump deposits, and the reworked deposits in Area 1, was a
group of pits and post-holes. in Area 2 one feature with evidence of in situ burning
and ash was recorded, which may perhaps represent the site of a small hearth.
cultural material recovered from these features is probably to some extent derived
from the underlying deposits, and a similar range of artefacts was represented.
Dating of the pottery recovered from these features corresponds with that of the
underlying deposits.
A small quantity of pottery of fourth-century date recovered from medieval
deposits and a nummus of valens minted in 375 recovered from a modern service
trench, represent the only evidence of fourth-century activity at the site.
Medieval
in Area 1 the roman activity was sealed by a thick dark deposit which produced
pottery dated 800-900 and 1350-1450. some sherds of possible mid seventh- to mid
eighth-century pottery were also present. other cultural material included residual
Roman artefacts (Fig. 8, nos 10 and 11) and a significant assemblage of wattleimpressed
daub in a fresh condition. plant remains recovered from this deposit
included cereals (barley, wheat and possible oat) and wild plant/weed seeds. these
are thought to be derived from crop-cleaning and food preparation activities. A
free-threshing wheat grain (Triticum aestivum) and a rye grain (Secale cereale)
recovered from the underlying late third-century horticultural/agricultural deposit
produced radiocarbon dates of cal ad 428-611 (at 2 sigma 95.4% probability; ubA-
32280; 1519 +/- 35 bp; intcal13.14c (reimer et al. 2013)) and cal ad 721-963 (at 2
sigma 95.4% probability; ubA-32281; 1185 +/- 35 bp; intcal13.14c (reimer et al.
2013)), respectively. these cereals must be intrusive, but the dating does identify
activity in the area during the Anglo-saxon period.
comparisons can be made between this post-roman deposit and similar broadly
contemporary deposits recorded at st radigunds and 20A-21A palace street (see
above) and just to the north of the site at cobden place. the latter produced pottery
of thirteenth-century date (helm 2002, 2). the factors leading to the formation of
these deposits are not understood but the pottery suggests they developed over a
long period of time, perhaps indicating a period of abandonment or horticultural/
agricultural use of the area.
The horizon could not, however, be confidently identified in Area 2. here, the roman
layers were found to be sealed by a thick sequence of metalled surfaces, measuring
up to 1.5m in depth. these deposits continued up to the present road surface, and
are thought to represent the establishment and continued use of a thoroughfare along
the line of what is now King street. Dateable material, comprising fragments of
medieval or post-medieval roof tile, was recovered from the latest of the metallings
but no cultural material was recovered from the earliest phases. certainly the depth of
metallings recorded here suggests that the thoroughfare is of some antiquity. urry’s
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN STAPLEGATE, CANTERBURY 2012-2015
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research led him to suggest that within the city walls ‘the modern ground-plan can
be carried back into the twelfth century’ (1967, 185). on this basis we can therefore
suggest that this thoroughfare is medieval in origin.
Late medieval
the results of the excavation in Area 1 suggest that it is not until the mid fourteenth
to mid fifteenth century that activity within the area resumes in earnest. Cutting the
surface of the post-roman deposit described above, was a series of pits and postholes.
small quantities of cultural material including residual roman pottery and
pottery dated 1350-1450 were recovered from the pits, suggesting that they were
used for refuse. A row of four evenly spaced post-holes, on a north-west to southeast
alignment, produced pottery of a similar date (1325-1425) and may represent
the establishment of a boundary at this time.
these features were soon superseded by the construction of a highly compacted
metalled surface (measuring 0.2m thick), which was observed throughout Area 1.
this deposit appears to mark a regeneration of the area and was probably set-down
to act as a courtyard and a building platform. Within Area 1, a north-east to southwest
aligned wall was constructed directly upon this surface. the wall measured
4.1m in length and extended beyond the limits of the excavation (Fig. 9). it was
fig. 9 late medieval features.
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constructed of large dressed blocks of chalk bonded with a light buff-grey fine
mortar. A beam-slot survived on the upper surface of the wall suggesting that this
was a dwarf wall for a timber-framed building. to the west, and contemporary
with the wall, was a well-made surface of large stone and flint which produced
pottery dated 1325-1425. of slightly later date, patchy deposits of compacted
chalk recorded on both sides of the wall may represent floors or floor bedding
associated with the structure. unfortunately it was not possible to determine the
extent, plan or function of this building.
A structure situated to the north-west in Area 3 may also relate to this phase of
activity (fig. 9). of similar construction, this building comprised chalk block and
flint dwarf walls bonded with light yellow-grey mortar. Rectangular in plan, the
building measured 3.13 x 2.48m internally and was modified at a later date through
additions to the north, south and west. probably associated with this building, but
recovered from a demolition deposit, was an assemblage of medieval floor tiles.
the tiles were decorated with foliage four-part designs or were plain with clear
or green glazing and are thought to be fourteenth- or fifteenth-century in date. A
copper alloy quarter penny token of charles i dated 1625-1634 was recovered in
deposits within the later extension to the building. Also recorded within Area 3,
and probably contemporary, was a chalk block and flint-lined well with the partial
remains of an associated structure, and at least one peg-tile hearth.
based upon the method of construction of these structures and the dating, it
is tempting to suggest that these features are contemporary with the fourteenthcentury
building recorded at cobden place, which continued in use until the
sixteenth century. Whether the structures identified on the present site were also
demolished around this time is not known.
Post-medieval
the Kent hearth tax 1664 (harrington et al. 2000) shows that staplegate had
a total of thirty-six dwellings, housing a population of around 140-180. by the
nineteenth century, census returns suggest that the borough population had risen to
250 (terry lawson, pers. comm.).
At cobden place, excavated evidence suggested that by the eighteenth century
a series of three parallel tenement blocks had been constructed along staplegate
place, cobden place and goulden’s buildings. by this time the properties along the
King street and Knott’s lane frontages had no doubt also been constructed. Within
Area 3, walls and cellars relating to the King street properties were recorded. to
the rear, a number of brick-built outbuildings and wells were situated, some of
which were no doubt added during the nineteenth century (Fig. 10). in Area 1, the
fourteenth-century horizon was sealed by a sequence of deposits which suggested
that the area was built up, perhaps in preparation for the development of these later
buildings. these gravel-rich levelling deposits produced residual roman pottery,
peg-tile and animal bone, suggesting that they may have been derived from the
upcast of nearby cellar-digging.
Within Area 3 demolition deposits relating to the twentieth-century clearance of
the area completed the archaeological sequence. these deposits were also observed
in Area 1, along with a further sequence of gravel layers. these surfaces were
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN STAPLEGATE, CANTERBURY 2012-2015
151
probably associated with the present roadway leading from King street to cobden
place, which spans the period from the eighteenth century through to the present.
conclusions
this programme of archaeological works has shown that a masonry building was
constructed at the site during the early roman period. by the late third century ad, the
area appears to have gone into decline being used for low-level industrial activities
and agriculture/horticulture. similar activities may have continued throughout the
Anglo-Saxon period in this area. However, during the mid fourteenth to fifteenth
century major redevelopment of the area takes place, with the construction of a
number of timber-framed structures. by the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
the area had once again been redeveloped, with properties that endured into the
1930s and 1940s. over the centuries the southern area of the borough appears
to have been subject to a cyclical pattern of decline followed by regeneration, a
pattern that continues through to the present redevelopment of the area.
the present development has provided a small window into the varied history
of staplegate. the results of these archaeological investigations demonstrate that
a deep stratified sequence of deposits survive, with the potential to inform on prefig.
10 post-medieval features.
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roman canterbury through to the present day. this valuable resource suggests that
there is still much to be learnt about canterbury’s ancient borough.
acknowledgements
this report includes contributions by enid Allison, ian Anderson, luke barber,
rose broadley, John giorgi, tania Kausmally, Alison locker, Malcolm lyne,
simon pratt and Andrew richardson. the archaeological programme was initiated
by pettman homes ltd and completed on behalf of Waitt estates. canterbury
City Council Archaeological Officers, Richard Cross and Rosanne Cummings,
monitored the project.
The fieldwork was directed by Richard Helm and Tania Wilson with the assistance
of george carstairs, Adrian gollop, phil Mayne, hazel Mosley, Adrian Murphy,
Dale robertson and Jessica twyman. Augering was supervised by simon pratt.
Digital survey was conducted by ross lane. environmental archaeology was the
responsibility of enid Allison. bulk sample processing was undertaken by Alex
vokes. finds processing and recording was carried out by Michele Johnson and
Jacqui Matthews. the project was managed by richard helm.
this report incorporates information on the pottery supplied by luke barber,
Malcolm lyne and Andrew savage. Analysis of ceramic building material
and metallurgical remains was undertaken by Luke Barber. Registered finds,
numismatics and glass were reported on by Andrew richardson, ian Anderson
and rose broadley. enid Allison coordinated the bioarchaeological remains and
the radiocarbon dating, and supplied information on the bird assemblage. charred
plant remains, fish and animal bone were reported on by John Giorgi, Alison Locker
and tania Kausmally. pottery illustrations were produced by barbara Mcnee. the
figures in this report were prepared by Peter Atkinson. The photographs were
provided by paul crampton.
bibliography
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