EXCAVATION OF A BELGIC AND ROMAN SITE
AT 50-54 HIGH STREET, ROCHESTER
A.C. HARRISON, B.A., F.S.A.
This site was excavated in 1961-62 by Mr R.E. Chaplin, B.Sc.,
F.Z.S., who published a brief report on it in 1963, 1 while the group of
post-medieval pottery from the well in no. 50 has been described by
Mr P.J. Tester, F.S.A.2 For various reasons it has not been possible
to produce a complete report of the excavation, but in view of the
importance of the discoveries, particularly those of the pre-Roman
period, it has been decided to publish as full an account as possible in
the hope that details of the pottery, small finds, etc., may be added
later. The present writer took part in the excavation, though not in its
direction, and relies for this account on the plans and notes supplied
by Mr Chaplin who has given his approval to this course of action.
,THE SITE
Nos. 50, 52 and 54 High Street are in the heart of ancient Rochester,
between Northgate and the Medway bridges (N.G.R. TQ 74276864)
on the south side of the street. Their frontage extends for 50 ft. and at
the rear the property runs back about 90 ft., tapering somewhat
towards Epaul Lane, beyond which the land rises sharply to the
Castle grounds. Demolition of the houses on the site had exposed
three cellars close to the frontage (Fig. 1).
EXCAVATION
After a preliminary reconnaisance, Mr Chaplin obtained permission
to excavate from Manning and Co., Ltd., agents for the owners,
1 Arch. Cant., Ixxvii (1962), pp. I-Ii.
2 Arch. Cant., xcix (1983), 262-6.
41
54
- - - - -
A.C. HARRISON
l. t01 .. l:o11o. 1·;:
!.,.)
A STREET LEVEL
CELLAR FLOOR
0 SCALE OF FEET 5
NATUR AL CLAY
REC I. ACH
Fig. 2. Section A-B. I. Grayel Metalling. 2. Burnt wattle and daub. 3. Sandy silt. 4. Sandy silt and rubbish.
B
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C)
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z
rJl
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A.C. HARRISON
Floor levels in nos. 50 and 54 were 6 ft. 9 in. below the pavement but
that of no. 52 went somewhat deeper, causing the destruction of
stratified levels over most of its area. Early in January 1962 the
excavation was extended into the area south of nos. 52 and 54.
Back-filling was completed on 27 May, 1962, with a final entry in the
Field Noteboook "Rain really sluicing down. Site like a quick-sand".
MEASUREMENTS
All linear measurements were made in feet and decimals of a foot
(1 ft. == 0.3048 m.) or in inches (1 in. = 25.4 mm.) and that system
has been retained. It was calculated that cellar-floor level was at 22 ft.
A.O.D. As previously noted,4 the venerable convention that the City
has its long axis due east-west has been observed and the terms
'north', 'south', 'east' and 'west' are to be interpreted accordingly.
RESULTS
Belgic: Immediately above the brick-earth subsoil, which lies 10-12
ft. below pavement level, is a layer of dark soil containing a
considerable quantity of domestic rubbish, including bones and
pottery of early first-century Belgic types, including pedestal urns. At
the base of this layer 10 fragments of coin pellet moulds were found
(Plate I) associated stratigraphically with a hearth, fragments of slag
and small pieces of chalk (see Appendix).
In addition, from this same Belgic horizon were recovered some
copper alloy objects, mainly coins and one iron object. 5 It had been
thought that the iron object (AM Lab. No. 620859) was a hoard of
Belgic coins as the surface was coloured green with copper corrosion
products, but X-ray examination showed that this was not the case; it
was a deeply corroded piece of iron sheet. All the copper alloy
objects are coins except for the following: (1) possible coins nos.
620875, 620877; (2) Fragments of copper alloy nos. 6208866--7,
620870 and 620879; (3) Possible coin blank no. 620862. This is a
copper alloy disc 3.5 mm. thick and with a diameter of just over
9 mm. The coins comprised eleven potin coins and three struck
4 Arch. Cant., lxxxiii (1968), 55, note 2.
5 For the information concerning these finds I am indebted to Miss Justine Bayley of
the Ancient Monuments Laboratory; cf. also A. Detsicas, The Cantiaci, Gloucester,
1983 and 1987, 4 and Fig. 2.
44
A BELGIC AND ROMAN SITE, ROCHESTER
PLATE I
- ,.,., ....
\ ( ·\f l
,
.
1
.,, •
r r ..... _-
e .. '
,,.,.,
t'
0 50mm
•
(Photo.: A.M. Laboratory. Crown copyrighr.)
Coin pellet moulds (Reproduced with permission of the Controller, H.M.S.O.)
bronze coins. It seems unlikely that any of these were produced from
the coin moulds which would appear to have been used for melting
silver (see Appendix).
In view of statements published in the press and elsewhere it must
be stated that no definite evidence of Belgic structures was found.
Roman: In the cellar of no. 54 the northern edge of the Belgic layer
was sealed by two remaining layers of the gravel metalling belonging
to the earliest Watling Street (Fig. 2, layer I) bounded by a small
side-ditch which had apparently been originally stone-lined. Fortunately,
it was possible by removing a coal-chute in the cellar of
no. 50 to expose a complete vertical section of the road showing
seven superimposed re-makes of the carriage-way (Fig. 4). Two of
these were of chalk and, presumably, were simply to raise the level as
they can hardly have formed the road surface.
To the south of the side-ditch was a layer of burnt wattle-and-daub
(Fig. 2, layer 2) on top of which were two layers of gravel metalling
11 ft. in width. This was interpreted by Mr Chaplin as indicating that
the original road had been turned into a dual carriageway. To the
present writer this seems improbable as no indication of it was found
45
A.C. HARRISON
STREET LEVEL C
0 5 FT
PIT . 4
NATURA L CLAY
REC & A CH
Fig. 3. Section D-C. I. Clay. 2. Clay, stones and tiles. 3. Robber trench. 4. Sand.
5. Sandy clay. 6. Clay. 7. Burnt material.
46
A BELGIC AND ROMAN SITE, ROCHESTER
0 1 2
Scale in Feet
Fig. 4. 1. Modern top-soil. 2. Fine gravel. 3. Chalk. 4. Sandy gravel. 5. Gravel with
flints. 6. Gravel. 7. Chalk. 8. Fine gravel. 9. Original top-soil.
47
A.C. HARRISON
in the East Gate excavation6 nor in the recent excavation 7 of the
cellar of no. 38 nearby where a lane was traced running at right angles
to the line of the original road and there were no signs of a second
carriageway. Perhaps this metalling can be explained as a courtyard
in front of the building further to the south which seems to have had
floors of coloured opus signinum and walls covered with red and
green plaster and which was tentatively identified as a bath-building.
The fragments of walls surviving in the cellar of no. 50 were of
three different periods suggesting at least two re-buildings.
Conclusion
While the details of the line and stratification of Roman Watling
Street are valuable, the really important discovery is the clear
evidence for the first time of pre-Roman, Belgic occupation in
Rochester. Furthermore, the discovery of the coin moulds makes it
virtually certain that this settlement was sufficiently important to
have been the site of a mint. Mr Chaplin suggests that this maybe
belonged to Eppillus, the son or grandson of Commius of the
Atrebates, who is known to have held territory in north and east Kent
during the early years of the first century A.D.8 Alternatively, it
could have been an out-lying mint of Cunobelinus, whose currency
circulated in north Kent a little later. 9
Acknowledgements
I am grateful to L. Biek, Justine Bayley and Paul Wilthew of the
Ancient Monuments Laboratory for information on the finds, and to
Mr D. Bacchus, Miss M.E. Crowhurst and Mr P.J. Tester, F.S.A. for
much help with the figures.
6 Arch. Cant. lxxxvi (1972), Fig. 1, Trench 6.
7 Arch. Cant., cvii (1989), 214 ff.
8 Graham Webster, The Roman Invasion of Britain, London, 1981, 66. Distribution
Map.
9 Ibid., 62. Distribution Map.
48
A BELGIC AND ROMAN SITE, ROCHESTER
EXAMINATION AND ANALYSIS OF COIN PELLET MOULDS FROM
ROCHESTER
Paul Wilthew
Ten fragments of Iron Age coin pellet moulds were examined (AM620881-87 and 3
unnumbered samples). A X-radiograph of each fragment was obtained (X-ray A5261)
and suitable surfaces of each piece were analysed qualitatively using energy dispersive
X-ray fluorescence (X.R.F.); where possible the diameters and depths of the individual
impressions were measured. The results are summarised in the appendix.
All the mould fragments had a similar fabric which was porous, unrefractory and
contained only a few, fairly small, inclusions. They had all been reduced fired. No
evidence for the presence of residual metal on the moulds was found by visual
examination or x-radiography. However, significant levels of elements, which may
have been contained in the metal melted in the moulds, were detected on some
fragments by X.R.F.
Silver was detected on three fragments (AM620887 and 11), lead was present on
(AM620883) and copper was found on fragments (97) and (98) ( excavator's numbers).
Apart from (98), all the impressions on the moulds were similar, although a wide
variation in depth was observed, but this was even found between impressions on the
same fragments. The impressions had a diameter at the mouth of about 9 mm. and
their sides sloped to a flat bottom of slightly smaller diameter. Fragment (98) included
part of one shallow impression, which had a much larger diameter at the mouth than
the impressions on other moulds. The bottom of the impression was rounded and it is
possible that this fragment was not intended for the same purpose as the others. Pellets
produced from mould (98) would certainly have been considerably larger (in diameter
at least) than those produced from other moulds.
Although coin pellet moulds have been found on several sites of this period, their
original use is not entirely clear, and it is possible that pellets from similar moulds were
used in producing a variety of objects using various metals (Tournaire et al. 1982).
However, the most probable use for the moulds examined, with the possible exception
of (98), would seem to be to produce silver pellets for striking into coins as traces of
silver were present on three of the fragments. The presence of traces of copper or lead
on some fragments does not rule out the possibility that silver was the major
component of the alloy being cast, as both copper and lead could have been minor
elements in the silver alloy and the X.R.F. method used is relatively insensitive to
silver. The variation in depth of the impressions would not have been important as
control of the weight of the pellet was presumably achieved by placing a known
amount of metal in each impression. When melted the silver would have formed a
spheroid shape suitable for striking (Tournaire et al. 1982), unlike copper alloys which
would take the shape of the impression (Sellwood 1976).
Like moulds from other sites, some of the fragments examined were vitrified on their
upper surfaces, although several showed no signs of vitrification at all, and they were
probably heated from above. The details of how coin moulds were used are, however,
largely still a matter of conjecture. A discussion of the current position is given in
Tournaire et al., 1982.
References
J. Tournaire, 0. Buchsenschutz et al., 'Iron Age Coin Moulds from France'. PPS,
lxviii (1982), 417-35.
D. Sellwood, 'Minting', in (Eds.) D. Strong and D. Brown, Roman Crafts, London,
1976.
49
A.C. HARRISON
Appendix
> = greater than
n.m. = not measurable
n.d. = nothing significant detected
No. Elements No. of Diameter Depth of Comment
detected impressions of mouth of impressby
X.R.F. impressions ions
- all of trace (mm.) (mm.)
leads
partial complete
AM620881 n.d. 2 0 >8 6-7 Edge
fragment
AM620882 n.d. 3 0 >9 4-8 Flattened
towards
one side
AM620883 Pb 4 1 9 8-9 -
AM620884 n.d. 4 0 9 7-9 -
AM620885 Ag 4 0 9 7-8 -
AM620886 n.d. 2 0 >7 6 -
AM620887 Ag 1 0 n.m. n.m. -
(11) ag 6 1 9 9 -
(97) Cu 4 0 >8 9 -
(98) Cu 2 0 >12 5 Edged
fragment
50
