Roman Discoveries

http://kentarchaeology.org.uk/research/archaeologia-cantiana/ Kent Archaeological Society is a registered charity number 223382 © 2017 Kent Archaeological Society riJtawttfjp Cantiana. • ROMAN DISCOVERIES. BY GEORGE PAYNE, F.L.S., E.S.A. L—OBSERVATIONS ON THE ROMAN WAV EROM CHATHAM HILL TO DARTFORD, AND OTHER ROADS. CHATHAM HILL TO ROCHESTER. THE recent identification of the Roman walls of Rochester, and the discovery below ground of the foundations of missing portions, recorded in our XXIst Volume, gave us the precise boundary of the walled station of Durobrivce. This has since led the writer to study more carefully the roads leading to and from the gates of the city. He had long held the opinion that the road from the foot of Chatham Hill to the base of Star Hill, Rochester, did not represent the Roman line, but nursed the idea until some evidence should be forthcoming to prove or disprove it. Throughout the present year (1897) an opportunity, such as only occurs once in a lifetime, has been afforded of examining several complete sections of the road from Chatham Hill to the end of Strood High Street. In Chatham, from Luton Arch to the Military Road, the entire thickness of the road was cut through to a depth of from 4 to 5 feet, exposing the natural substratum of brick-earth. Upon this small flints had been laid to a depth of a foot; then came a thin layer of what appeared to be mortar, VOL. XXIII. B 2 ROMAN DISCOVERIES. forming a kind of grout; above this was a 2-foot bed of gravel, grouted as before with mortar, then flints again to the present level, giving a total depth as already stated. If we compare this section with that seen of the Roman road in front of the Technical Schools at'Rochester* a few years before, the wide difference between the two will be at once apparent. From the Military Road, Chatham, to the foot of Star Hill, Rochester, we have a length of road the site of which must, in Roman times, have been inundated by the highest tides, if not by every tide. To make this statement still more forcible, it will be necessary to remove the successive layers of material used in the construction and repair of the road since the days when the river was embanked; we should then see clearly that no road (as we understand the term) existed between the points mentioned. If such were the case, it furnishes an explanation of the term " Rochester Banks," which applies to the scarp of the chalk, now covered with houses extending from Chatham intra to a point opposite the Rochester Station of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway. This elevated land was in reality the bank of the river, which, during the present century, once more flowed up to its base when a breach occurred in the river-wall.f We must now again revert to Chatham. The High Street of that town was originally " The Brook," and the Church of St. Mary, which is of Norman foundation, was at the north-west end of the street. The present High Street appears to have been formed when the Manor of Chatham, which occupied a portion of its site, was sold and cut up for building purposes soon after the year 3 621. The facts we have mentioned prove beyond doubt that the thoroughfare under consideration, as far as Star Hill, Rochester, formed no part of the great Roman Via. The writer had already supposed that the actual course of the latter, after leaving Chatham Hill, might have been upon the high ground along the street called "Old Road," which passes in rear of the terrace erected in 1794, named Gibraltar Place. This notion * Archaologia Cantiana, Vol. XXI., p. 10. t Ibid., p. 1. ROMAN DISCOVERIES. 3 was further supported by finding at the end of the street the channel of an ancient way clearly defined in the meadow beyond, but coming to an end by the mouth of the railway tunnel on the eastern side of the Chatham-Maidstone road. We inferred from this that it originally continued to the west in front of Fort Pitt Fields, entering Rochester by way of Star Hill. This view was fortunately confirmed on gaining access to an old plan of the locality, which illustrates our paper on the discoveries at " The Brook" in the present volume (vide p. 20). On referring to the plan it will be seen that the road shortly after leaving the foot of Chatham Hill branches off in two directions, both roads finally merging into Star Hill, Rochester. Mr. Sills, Assistant Surveyor to the Corporation of Rochester, having kindly transferred to scale the lines of the old map to the present lOfeetO.S. map, shews that the " Old Road" (A) behind Gibraltar Place, before mentioned, continued on in front of Fort Pitt, then in rear of Fort Pitt House, and entered Star Hill, where Messi-s. Patrick's Steam Saw Mills now stand. The lower road (B) followed upon the line of the existing new road as far as the summit of Hammond Hill; it then passed in rear of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and thence along what is now Nag's Head Lane, then on through land now occupied by gardens, passing in rear of Orange Terrace, and entering Star Hill, where Mr. William Haymen's house stands. We now have to decide by which road of the two figured upon the plan the Romans approached the East Gate of Rochester from Chatham Hill. In this matter, however, we are assisted by discoveries of several Jutish graves, made when Orange Terrace was built. These now fall into their proper place, by the side of a way whose antiquity they materially help to establish. Under these circumstances our decision must be in favour of the lower road (B), which was sufficiently high up the bank to be safe from all chances of inundation, by the tides of tho Medway, which, while we are writing, have once again devastated the whole of the low-lying lands in the district under consideration. B 2 4 ROMAN DISCOVERIES. FROM ROCHESTER TO STEOOD HILL. During the year 1897 the laying down of a storm-water drain through the High Street of Strood revealed a discovery of unusual interest connected with the formation of the road which passes through that town from Rochester Bridge. When the Romans made the great way from the Kentish coast to the north of England, a wooden bridge built upon piles was thrown across the river Medway. On reaching the Strood side of the river, their engineers were confronted with a marsh about 355 yards wide. This difficulty, as the sequel will shew, they boldly overcame by constructing upon the alluvial deposit a magnificent causeway. The workmen employed in laying the drain cut through the entire depth of the causeway to the mud at its base, thus enabling one to obtain a complete section of this remarkable work, as follows:— Depth. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Layers of post-Roman roads Paved surface of causeway . Small pebble gravel, mixed with black earth, rammed . . . . Flints, broken fine . . . . Rammed chalk Flints (whole, and rather large), rough 2 feet 8 inches. 6 to 8 inches. 9 inches. 7 inches. 5 inches. pieces of Kentish rag, fragments of Roman tile 3 feet 6 inches. 7. Marsh mud, containing numerous oak piles about 4 feet in length, with pieces of wood laid at intervals across them, or perhaps they were originally made fast with nails. All the layers were exceedingly hard, requiring much labour to cut through them. The writer desired to obtain two or three large pieces of tile from No. 6, which could not be extracted with the pick until the surrounding stones had been removed. The Kentish rag boulders forming the pavement of this formidable work were cut polygoually, the interstices having, been filled in with very fine pebble gravel. ROMAN DISCOVERIES. 5 At one place, opposite Railway Street, about 7 square feet of the paved way were quite perfect up to the line of the footpath on the south side of High Street. At a distance of 3 feet 4 inches from the modern kerb was a wheel-track, grooved by wear to a depth of from 2 to 3 inches and 4 inches in width. There were three of these tracks parallel to each other, and about three inches apart, When the other half of the road was opened to admit of the storm-water drain being laid across to Railway Street, it was found that the surface of the ancient way had been broken up to some extent by gas engineers, but a portion of the pavement of it remained in situ, with one wheel-track shewing, at a distance of 6 feet 3 inches from the outer track on the opposite side of the way. It is impossible to say to which of the three above mentioned this one related. In the description of a Roman paved road discovered at Blackstoue Edge the distance apart of the wheels of the waggons, as estimated by precisely similar wheel-tracks, is given as 4£ feet; hence we may perhaps conclude that the single groove at Strood paired with the innermost of the three we have described, which would then agree fairly well with the Blackstone measurement. The approximate width of the Strood causeway was about 14 feet, or a foot less than the Lancashire example. The latter had down the centre a chiselled trough 17 inches wide, which Mr. Watlrin considers* was for enabling wheels to be skidded. Such a provision was necessary at Blackstone Edge, but not at Strood. At the suggestion of Alderman Wm. Ball, who is keenly interested in all matters connected with archaeology, the Corporation of Rochester caused a 6-feet square section of the pavement to be taken out en bloc, which was successfully accomplished by means of a steam crane, after the mass had been grouted into a stout wooden frame. This interesting memorial will be finally preserved in the courtyard of Eastgate House, where the Rochester Museum is to be located. Hitherto it has not been quite clear why the Roman * Roman Lancashire, p. 60. 6 ROMAN DISCOVERIES. way from the Medway to Strood Hill should have taken what may be described as a zig-zag course. We venture to think that the discovery of the causeway in the position in which it is placed has solved the problem. I t seems to us reasonable to suppose that the Romans on finding they had a marsh to contend with, involving so great and costly a work as we have shewn the Strood causeway was, would, with their characteristic foresight, construct it across the narrowest part of the boggy soil. Having done this, and reached more stable land, a line was then struck on the higher ground, clear of the marsh, to Strood Hill. Had the causeway been made from the Roman bridge in a straight line to the road in front of the " Gun " Inn, which is at the extreme base of the hill, it would have necessitated a distance of 640 yards being covered, instead of 355 yards, as ah'eady stated. During the excavations the workmen found in No. 6 layer a lump of ore,* weighing about 60 lbs., a leaden weight, and the following coins :— NERVA. Brass (one).—Obv., IMP.NERVA.CAES.AVG. Bev., obliterated. AM-TOKINUS PIUS (two). Eirst brass.—Obv., ANTOKIKVS.AVG.PIVS.PP.TRP.COS.XXI. Bev., figure by an altar, with serpent, in right hand a plate, in left a rudder resting on a globe, LES.IIII.S.C in exergue. Second brass.—Nearly obliterated. GORDIAITUS. Third brass (one).—Obv., IMP . GORDIANVS . PIVS. FEL.AVU. Bev., IOVI.STATORI. MAXIMIANUS. Second brass (one).—Obv., MAXIMIANVS.H'OB.CAES. Bev., GENIO.POPVLI.ROMANI; a young man holding a cornucopia in left hand, and a patera in the right. Simultaneously with the excavations in Strood High Street, the strip of road between the western end of Rochester Bridge and Messrs. Aveling and Porter's Engineering Works was opened for the purpose of laying a large gas main. Here the workmen cut through a paved road, which gra- * Mr. C. Bird, P.G.S., has identified this as marcasile, a form of iron pyrites. ROMAN DISCOVERIES. 7 dually sloped diagonally from the Roman causeway to the river. It resembled the latter in. every respect so far as the operations permitted it being seen, and the writer was led to the conclusion that it might possibly have been a landingplace connected with the river, by means of which waggons could convey produce both to and from boats. At the western end of Strood High Street the Roman way turns to the left, and during the drainage works from North Street to the marshes in rear of this portion of the town, the paved road was again met with in front of Messrs. Smetham and Tutt's new business premises. A short distance beyond, as we are informed by Mr. West, a portion of the same road was discovered some few years ago under the front of Messrs. Biggs' Brewery, tending to shew that the original course of the road was slightly to the right of the present one, but how far it follows this line on its way to Strood Hill has not been ascertained. Throughout these researches, which extended over several weeks, the writer was greatly assisted by Mr. Smetham's prompt communications, also by the valuable co-operation of Mr. Banks, the Surveyor to the Corporation of Rochester, and Mr. Sills, the Assistant Surveyor. STROOD TO SINGLEWELL. Strood Hill may be regarded as the site of the ancient way. Upon its summit, a few yards from its northern edge, at the junction of Jersey Road with Castle View Road, when these streets were made, the grave of a Jute was met with, containing a skeleton, accompanied by a spear-head and knife. Some few years after Mr. J. L. Trueman kindly communicated the discovery, and presented the relics to the local Museum. Although the land on both sides of the hill has been nearly covered with buildings, no further discoveries have come to our knowledge. Unfortunately, when trenches are cut for the foundations of houses, they are not usually sufficiently deep to disclose interments of Anglo-Saxon date. When the upper part of the grave-spaces are met with the 8 ROMAN DISCOVERIES. workmen at once detect that the soil has been "shifted," but unless they have been educated by an archaeologist, no notice is taken of the sign—hence many valuable remains of ancient art are left a foot or two below, which, if disinterred by competent hands, would shed much light on the early history of the respective districts in which they occurred. From what has been said it will be inferred that it is not improbable that a Jutish cemetery was situate on Strood Hill, thus establishing the antiquity of the road by the side of it. After this digression, we must return to the Roman road, which goes in a direct line to the northern edge of Cobham Park, where within the fence its channel is distinctly visible, running parallel to the more modern road, into which here and there it merges. Just beyond what is known as St. Thomas's Well, and nearly opposite Thong Corner, the old road passes through a " shaw," its course being marked by a deeply worn channel, far below the level of the present highway. At the bottom of the hill the two roads again amalgamate, and pass on by Claylane Wood, which lies a little to the north. When a portion of this wood was grubbed up many years ago, the outlines of a camp were destroyed, and the numerous antiquities found in it became hopelessly scattered; hence all that would have thrown light upon the history of this spot is lost, but the camp may be regarded as in some way associated with the road. From here the latter preserves a tolerably straight line through Singlewell to Springhead, where, in the fields opposite the well-known tea gardens, foundations of Roman buildings extend over several acres down to the railway embankment. These, which have yet to be explored, are of the highest importance, as they are probably connected with the station Vagniacce, which was located in the immediate vicinity. After leaving Springhead the road ends abruptly at the turning to Swanscombe, but its original line went straight on along the hedge-row to Swanscombe Park, passing through the southern end of the wood, emerging by a very deep channel on the other side, whence it runs to Dartford, entering the town at East Hill. At the foot of the hill the paved road was discovered during the present year (1897). BOMAN DISCOVERIES. 9 Mr. E. C. Touens kindly took a photograph of what was exposed, and stated that it was met with 2 feet 6 inches below the surface of the present road, and that the stones were set in gravel. Mr. Youens further states that it was exactly like the Roman road he had seen in the Forest of Dean. The Dartford fragment and the Strood causeway were discovered at the same time, the photographs of both being identical in appearance. Quite recently a deep excavation has been made in the street leading from the High Street to the site of the North Gate of the City of Rochester, revealing, at a depth of 4 feet 6 inches from the present level, the Roman paved road. As we are writing upon Roman roads, it will be convenient here to record that in August, 1897, Mr. H. C. H. Oliver of West Malling reports the discovery of a paved road, about 14 feet in width, in the High Street of that town, 18 inches below the surface. He describes it as having a sort of water channel in the centre of it, which he says is similar to that in the Blackstone Edge Road (vide p. 5), of which I sent him a sketch. Mr. Oliver informs us that the paved way at Malling is continuous down the east side of High Street. These facts are important when taken in conjunction with the discovery of Roman interments a little beyond, by the side of the same road at St. Leonard's Street, in 1892. This road forms a connecting link between two great ways running from Maidstone : one going by Teston, Barming, and Mereworth; the other by Ditton, Wrotham, and Ightham— both of which we have endeavoured to prove are Roman,* and we have no hesitation in assigning St. Leonard's Street to the same period. * Collectanea Cantiana, pp. 184-191. 10 ROMAN DISCOVERIES. IL—FOUNDATIONS OF A ROMAN HOUSE DISCOVERED AT BURHAM, KENT. DURIKG the winter of 1896-7, when the land was being ploughed on Burham Court Farm, one of the horses narrowly escaped injury by its leg suddenly sinking into the soil. On the ploughman investigating the cause, it was ascertained that remains of masonry existed below ground. Mr. Brooker, the tenant of the farm, was communicated with, and he brought the matter under the notice of the Burham Brick and Cement Company, the owners of the land. Mr. Porter, the Managing Director, at once invited Mr. G. Patrick, A.R.I.B.A., Hon. Sec. of the British Archasological Association, to go down and inspect the discovery. The Council of the Society very courteously requested me to examine the place, in conjunction with Mr. Patrick, and report as to the nature of the discovery. It was arranged that I should commence excavations on December 8th, 1896, with the help of seven labourers, kindly placed at our disposal by the Burham Company. In the space of a few hours the entire ground plan of a small Roman house was laid bare, possessing at the north-west angle a remarkably interesting hypocaust of unusual type. During the progress of the work Mr. Patrick, with Mr. Staniland, one of the directors of the Company, arrived upon the scene, when the former at once set to work to measure and prepare a plan of the foundations. It will be seen that the dwelling consisted of six rooms on the ground floor. No trace of pavement was met with in either of the rooms, but one room was paved with large chips of red and buff tile set in mortar, the whole having been rammed to an even surface. The heated room had been paved with pebble-concrete four inches in thickness. On referring to the plan the peculiar construction of the hypocaust will be clearly understood. Around its margin is a channel cut in the chalk to a depth of 3 feet. Connected with it are three flues which radiate from the mouth of the furnace. The sides of the former were coated with a thick coarse brownish-coloured plaster, in which were recesses (as shewn in the plan) for the reception of flue tiles, set in pairs I if Cok. & /toLe. -°} W PP « w t- O W ft O s r» 1 I» S O U T H END O P C E N T R A L F L. u E. N O FIT H EN D OP C. ENTRA U Ft.UK. o r F~ e. 6= -T DETAILS OP HYPOCAUST. ROMAN DISCOVERIES. 13 of tufa which had fallen from a portion of the building constructed with that material. Altogether the debris could be traced for a distance of about 400 feet along the face of the pit, and over a much larger area upon the surface. During the investigations I entered into conversation with a labourer, who distinctly remembered seeing, when he was a youth (about 1850), some gentlemen* trenching the ground, when they found coins and foundations of walls. He also stated that the field in question had always been known as "Kiln Tile Field." It doubtless received this name from the numerous tiles found there. By the southern edge of the field is Bug-trap Meadow, in which is a willow-bed, where a spring exists which possibly formed the watersupply of the Roman dwelling. Nearly equi-distant (1 to 1^ miles) from Eccles are Kits Coty, the fallen cromlech called " The Countless Stones," and Mr. Silas Wagon's sand and gravel pits at Aylesford, which have yielded so many interesting remains of the highest importance, more especially those belonging to the Late Celtic Period.f The discoveries to which we have alluded are confined to a very limited area, and, when taken as a whole, shew how important this district was in ancient times. Every acre of land between Rochester and Maidstone seems to contain something of commercial value; hence we may look for extensive excavations still to go on, necessitating increased watchfulness on the part of archaeologists combined with a liberal education to the workmen, without which our efforts to save antiquities from destruction will be of little avail. The writer embraces this opportunity of recording his indebtedness to the Directors of the Burham Cement Company for the facilities granted to Mr. Patrick and himself during the excavations on Burham Court Farm, and likewise to the Council of the British Archaeological Association for kindly inviting him to participate in the work, and allowing him to make use of the accompanying plates, which are reproduced from Mr. Patrick's excellent sketches. * In all probability one of these was Mr. Beale Poste. f Archaologia, vol. Iii., p. 317. 14 ROMAN DISCOVERIES. III.—ROMAN INTERMENTS DISCOVERED AT "THE BROOK," CHATHAM. IN March 1897 I received a telegram from my friend and colleague, Mr. Humphrey Wood, F.S.A., that an important discovery of Roman remains had been made at Chatham. I proceeded thither without delay, and was sent on to " The Brook," where I found that workmen employed in levelling ground in the stone dep6t of the Corporation of Chatham had accidentally cut through two graves, each containing a skeleton, accompanied by several vases of pottery. The moment I arrived, I detected in the newly exposed chalk bank the presence of other graves. With the kindly help of Mr. Day, the Borough Surveyor, arrangements were forthwith made with the authorities that I should be allowed to clear out these, and any others that might be met with, during the excavations. Every facility was afforded me to prosecute the research, and so great was the excitement caused by the discovery, that it was found necessary for a police-constable to be on duty to keep the crowd of onlookers at a respectful distance from the scene of operations for the space of about a fortnight. During that time the writer cleared eleven graves of their contents with the following result:— GEAVE 1.—Cut through by the workmen. Skeleton almost entire. Between the lower leg bones a black urnvase, which had once possessed a handle; height 4f, diameter at mouth 2|, at bulge 4£, at base 2£. A black patera; height 1|, diameter 3§.* GKAVE 2.—Cut through by the workmen. Skeleton as before; about the legs, near the feet, a thick drab cup, well made, with nearly vertical sides rounding towards the base; height 3|, diameter at mouth 2§, at base If. A black patera; height If, diameter 4£. A red vase,t ornamented with a row of fourteen spots, each g in diameter (these spots are white, and were painted on before the vessel was fired). Above and beneath the line is a * The measurements of the vessels are given throughout in inohes. f All the vessels marked with a dagger (t) are of Durobrivian ware. ROMAN DISCOVERIES. 15 band of incised marks; height 5£, diameter at mouth If, at bulge 3£, at base 1|. A vase,t red brown, ornamented with seven white scrolls round the bulge; height 4, diameter at mouth §• expanding to If, at bulge 2| , at base 1. GRAVE 3.—The first opened by the writer. Skeleton fairly well preserved; length 5ft. 5|in.; the left hand was across the centre, the right slightly below. On the vertebral column lay a flat piece of iron, 6f in length, looped at one end, and turned up at a right angle at the other. An exactly similar article was found in the Roman villa at Darenth. A quantity of iron hobnails were lying by the feet, proving that the deceased was buried with his sandals on. At the foot of the grave was a red-brown vase,f ornamented with three bands of incised marks, an inch apart; height 5£, diameter at mouth f- expanding to l i , at bulge 3f, at base If. Four large iron nails were found at each end of the grave; these fastened the boards together which had been placed round the body. GRAVE 4.—Skeleton about 5 ft, 6 in. in length, lower jawbone, arm and leg bones only remaining; bones of the hands in the pelvis. Outside the lower bones of the right leg was a black urn-vase, rather roughly made; height 3§, diameter at mouth 2$, at bulge 4, at base 3. By the foot a black patera in fragments. On the left, outside the lower leg bones, was a blue-black urn-vase; height 3£, diameter at mouth and bulge 3£, at base 3. Next this was a brown cup, crushed to atoms. By the feet were numerous hobnails, and by the right arm a potsherd. Ten iron nails were met with around the skeleton. GRAVE 5.—Skeleton absorbed, a few fragments of bone only remaining. By the feet a good red vase,f ornamented with a band of fifteen white discs, a single disc appearing below the band; height 3§, diameter at mouth 1^-, at bulge 2f, at base l£. By the left lower leg bone was a pseudo Samian bowl, ornamented with double bands of incised marks; height 3J, diameter 5\. An iron nail was found on each side of the vertebral column, under the ribs; two nails occurred at the foot of the grave, and four at the head. 16 ROMAN DISCOVERIES. GRAVE 6.—Skeleton absorbed. At the head of the skull was a red-brown vase,f which had lost its original colour, and become drab; the rim of the vase was missing; it was ornamented with two rows of incised marks, and a double row of the same pattern; height 5, diameter at mouth f, at bulge 3f, at bar £. On the left side of the skull lay ten bronze bracelets; three were of wire, one ornamented with concentric rings, two with an S-like design, one with punched dots, one with incised marks, one was a twisted coil, and one had no decoration. The flat bracelets resemble the ribbon-wire of a clock-spring, each having a hole in one end for the reception of a hook in the other. They are all very small, averaging, when fastened, 1£ to l i in diameter. Lying upon the remainder of the lower jawbone was a pretty red vase,f ornamented with a band of white interlaced co-like scrolls; height 4i, diameter at mouth II, at bulge 2$, at base 1£. Next this lay a red-brown cup;t height 2f, diameter at mouth 2f, at bulge 3i, at base If, the sides of the vessel being slightly bowed. By this was an iron knife, with a ring for suspension from the girdle, and on either side of the blade are corroded portions of the sheath, upon which is clearly visible the pattern of the threads of a garment against which it rested, preserved by means of the oxidation of the iron. Near it was the small bronze hook of an ear-iing. By where the hands would have been lay fifty-eight glass beads, about the size of hemp-seed, chiefly blue, green, and amber in colour; when strung together, they formed a pretty bracelet. There were four iron nails at both ends of the grave, which was certainly that of a young female; the cist being 4ft. 8in. in length, and 18 in. in width. At two feet above the skeleton a potsherd was met with, also a black patera; height li, diameter 8&. These must have been placed there during the filling in of the grave. GRAVE 7.—'Skeleton absorbed. At the north end was a black patera; height If, diameter 3f. Next it a black urn-vase; height 3£, diameter at mouth 2, at bulge 2£, at base I?. Near these was a pair of bronze ribbon-wire bracelets, linked together and fastened; both were ornamented EOMAN. DISCOVERIES. 17 with punched dots. With them was a third bracelet of twisted wires. A foot to the south were three dark-blue beads, a green oblong bead with flat sides, and a dark green sexagonal bead—all of opaque glass. GRAVE 8.—Skeleton absorbed, with the exception of a portion of the skull, by which was a small shapeless mass of corroded iron. By the feet were a few hobnails, and a black vase; height 5§, diameter at mouth 1$, at bulge 3£, at base If. GRAVE 9.—Skeleton absorbed, a few potsherds and iron nails only found. This was evidently the grave of a child, the cist being 4 ft. 8 in. in length by 16 in. in width. GRAVE 10.—Skull only remaining. No relics. GRAVE 11.—Leg bones, right-arm bone, and a few teeth of the skeleton remaining. By the chest was a bronze penannular brooch, its ends having been rolled back with a double roll, by way of decoration. The circle is If diameter. By the right lower leg-bone was a pseudo-Samian bowl, ornamented with two double rows of incised marks ; height 3, diameter 4$. Opposite this, by the left leg, a fine brown vase,f ornamented at the shoulders with a delicate scroll pattern in yellow slip; height 8f, diameter at mouth 1 expanding to 2i, at bulge 5£, at base 2| . This vessel has acquired a beautiful bronzy sheen from having been overfired in the kiln when it was made. It is of superior manufacture, and exceedingly hard. By the left foot was a reddish patera; height If, diameter 4>i. Outside this was a red-brown vase,f ornamented with five bands of incised marks; height 5|, diameter at mouth 1|, at bulge 3f, at base If ; by the feet were a quantity of hobnails. Under the ribs and the lower leg-bones were large iron nails, with wood still adhering to them, lying in a horizontal position on either side of the skeleton. In the corners of the grave, by the head, the great nails remained in a vertical position, although the wood in which they had been driven had entirely decayed. From the waist to the knees fragments of charred wood were repeatedly met with, suggesting that fire had been kindled upon the corpse after it was laid in the grave. VOL. XXIII. o 18 ROMAN DISCOVERIES. In both this, and grave No. 6, it was apparent that more than ordinary care had been exercised in the burial of the bodies, as in each case finely-sifted earth covered the remains. All the interments lay in two lines, six being in the first line, and five in the second. The grave spaces were cut in the chalk from 4 to 6 feet apart, and from 6 to 8 feet below the surface. This unusual depth is due to the graves having been made on the slope of the hill, hence additional soil would have accumulated over them in the course of centuries, probably to a depth of 3 or 4 feet. The skeleton in grave No. 6 lay north and south, head to the south; the remainder north and south, head to the north. Before proceeding to treat of the site of these discoveries at Chatham, one or two features of interest connected with them must be referred to. The presence of so many examples of Castor or Durobrivian ware in sepulchral deposits in Kent is unusual, and not a little remarkable, as occurring in such close proximity to the most extensive Roman pottery in Britain with which we are at present acquainted, namely, that in the marshes of the Medway, below Upchurch. The circumstance shews how widely spread the trade in fictilia was in this country in Roman times. The attractive decorations upon the Castor ware would naturally excite the envy and admiration of those who had been accustomed to look upon the dull black productions of the Upchurch potteries, and we can well imagine that high prices would be paid for more ornamental ware. Costly as they may have been, they were evidently not considered too valuable to be placed in the graves of their possessors. The occurrence of hobnails in some of the graves is a novelty with us, and we cannot call to mind another instance of their having been met with in any of our Kentish cemeteries. The writer found them on the floor of one of the corridors in the Roman villa at Darenth. They have, however, been discovered in sarcophagi at Avisford (Sussex),* and York,f while more * Collectanea Antiqua, vol. i., p. 124. f Eburacum, p. 108. ROMAN DISCOVERIES. 19 recently Lieut.-Gen. Pitt-Rivers has figured examples found by him in graves opened at Bokerly Dyke.* The existence of charcoal in some quantity, already alluded to in grave No. 11, is not without its interest, as it undoubtedly refers to a rite of applying fire to the body, rendered necessary by whole burial having been resorted to in preference to cremation. Canon Greenwell, in writing upon interments of Celtic date, says :f There is an incident intimately connected with burials hy inhumation, which is rarely, if ever, wanting: the occurrence of charcoal, in greater or less quantities, in contact with the hody. This substance, which I have found to exist in every instance since my attention was directed to the fact, not only in Yorkshire, but in Northumberland and other places, I have little doubt would he discovered connected with every interment of an unburnt hody if it was looked for. After thirty years of extraordinary experience in connection with ancient sepulture, I can fully endorse the opinion of my learned friend. Each of the Chatham graves contained fragments of charcoal, with which the writer frequently blackened his fingers' for the edification of the workmen. This substance also occurs in Jutish graves in Kent, although of the most fragmentary nature, but enough to convince us that pieces of burning wood had been laid upon the body at the time of its interment. We quite agree with Canon Greenwell when he says J that " the whole question of fire, the purifier, in its connection with funeral rites, is of the deepest interest." We have now to consider the most important feature of the Chatham discoveries, namely, the site, and their relation to others which have been made in close proximity to them. The western end of the stone dep6t of the Borough, where the sepulchral remains were found, is bounded by a road which runs from "The Brook " to the southern slope of Chatham Lines. That portion of it which ascends the very steep * Excavations, vol. iii., pi. clxxxi. f British Barrotos, pp. 28-29. J Ibid., p. 30. C 2 20 ROMAN DISCOVERIES. slope of the Lines from " The Brook " is called Slickett's Hill, a name by which it was known a hundred years ago, as appears by Hasted's Map (a Map of the Hundreds of Hoo and of Chatham and Gillingham). Through the kindness of Lieut.-Colonel C. W. Sherrard, Sub.-Dist. C.R.E., Chatham, a copy was made for me of a plan, surveyed between 1696 and 1718, in possession of the School of Military Engineering at Chatham, and here reproduced by permission of the authoi'ities. From this it will be seen that Slickett's Hill formed part of a road formerly extending from the foot of Chatham Hill diagonally across the Lines to Old Brompton, and thence to the river Medway. At present Slickett's Hill ends abruptly at the Lines, but its old channel may still be clearly distinguished in the grass beyond. The finding of graves on the very edge of Slickett's Hill gives the way an importance which it had not hitherto possessed, as it is strong evidence in favour of its having been in existence in Roman times. If further proof is needed to support the antiquity of the road, Douglas supplied it in the last century, when the fortifications were being constructed for the defence of the Dockyard, by discovering numerous Jutish interments near the road.* He also recordsf that when the fosse was made in front of Amherst Redoubt, the foundations of a Roman villa were cut through by the sappers. It is not improbable that some of those whose graves we have described dwelt in this house. The western end of what is now called the Lines formed a part of the manor of Upbery, a very significant name, denoting that a " bury " existed on the high land, now covered with earthworks of more recent date. The suffix "bury" does not necessarily imply that an ancient camp existed there, as it may refer solely to the tumuli which for centuries occupied the site. We may presume that many more of the latter were scattered over the surface of the Lines, which were levelled when the place was converted into a drill-ground. The mounds are gone, but the green turf still covers the bones of the Chatti who gave to Chatham its name. * Nenia Britannica. f Ibid. 7f k -Note as under on bark of original Flan-.— Jn, tlus Flan the bounjJjArj- & arrangement, of the Dockyard are iticurtrcl being apparently copied* from Xasn-prwres JPlart, of 171,9. Chatham J3fcs.- are omitted. The original, survey irvm, wlUeJh this J'l-an- is copied (with, alterations) must be a little older-than^ Zamp?-ieres, as it shews a. paj-t, of the Old Dockyard Wall buM in. 1606 & removed- in, 7718. s\\ G?.' '**%! "»z -AIL ft °*< fS&adfc y f] S^n^FjmJw} fl'S3 a u^7 J n # # %f o) V jl '[ROCHESTER ii SX u* J^TL pr.1iM * C r X£U,LITHO.a.FURNIVALSr H01B0RJN.E C. ROMAN DISCOVERIES. 21 In closing my report on the discoveries at e< The Brook," it affords .me much pleasure to record my gratitude to the Mayor and Corporation of Chatham, for the valuable assistance they rendered to archaeology by kindly permitting me to prosecute a systematic research, which enabled me to add another interesting chapter to the history of the locality. To Mr. Humphrey Wood I tender cordial thanks for his prompt warning of the first discovery; also to Mr. Day, the Borough Surveyor, for his indefatigable efforts to ensure my labours being crowned with success. IV—ON A ROMAN GOLD COIN FOUND AT DODDINGTON. DURING the autumn of 1897 a labourer engaged in clearing away some dead stubs in Dully Wood, on the western side of the Doddington Valley, noticed on the margin of a shallow basin-shaped hollow some flints which he thought had been purposely inserted into a hole about eighteen inches in diameter. His curiosity being aroused, he pulled out the stones one by one, when, at two feet from the surface, he came upon a small portion of clay from which he extracted a fine solidus of Valentinian II., in the highest state of preservation. On my Mend the Rev. Philip Kingsford, Vicar of Newnham, kindly communicating with me, I promptly paid a visit to Doddington, when I saw the coin, which, in the meantime, had been purchased by Mr. Jarvis, postmaster of that place. The latter very courteously conducted me to the site of the discovery, and pointed out other spots where Roman bronze coins had been found about Dully Wood, which he had from time to time acquired and disposed of. The wood possesses many curious features, including a dangerous denehole and several shallow circular depressions, to be subjected to further scrutiny when the underwood is cleared. 22 ROMAN DISCOVERIES. The gold piece which Mr. Jarvis has kindly allowed me to retain for purposes of engraving, is represented in the accompanying cut, and reads thus:— • yx Obv., n.Br.VALENTra-iAKvs.p.E.AVG. Bev., VICTORIA AVOG. Valentinian I. and his son Valentinian II. seated facing, holding a globe, both nimbed, a Victory flying above crowns them; in exergue T.R. Between the feet of the figures is a palm branch, and below COM. V.—TRACES OF A ROMAN POTTERY AT HIGHAM. IN Archceologia Cantiana, Vol. XI., pp. 113-120, Mr. Roach Smith in writing upon the collection of Roman remains made by Mr. Teanby of Gravesend, furnishes evidence of a Roman pottery having existed at Higham. Recently some further discoveries of a like nature have been made along the ballast cutting of the North Kent Railway, opposite the signal-box, about a mile beyond Higham Station. Here the workmen came upon two layers of potsherds, from 12 to 18 inches thick, each layer spread over an area 10 feet by 6 feet. These layers of debris exactly resembled. those so frequently met with on the site of the great potters' fields in the Upchurch Marshes. On looking over the rubbish thrown out by the men, portions of all varieties of vessels were represented. The Higham- ware was well ROMAN DISCOVERIES. 23 made, blue-black in colour, but not so highly finished as that made at Upchurch. The signalman informed me that, during the past twelve years, similar layers had been met with, and that " a gentleman from London used to come down every Saturday afternoon, and gather up anything he thought worth taking away." As this ardent collector has not been seen for the last few years, we may conclude that he has passed over to the majority, and all the information he gained has gone with him. I am indebted to Mr. Eckhart of Strood, and my friend Mr. C. Bird, F.G.S., for communicating the above discovery to me.