EXCAVATIONS AT GRAVEL WALK, CANTERBURY, 1967*
By J. H. WILLIA.MS, M.A.
With
A REPORT ON THE SA.MIAN BY MR. A. P. DETSICAS, M.A., F.S.A.
and
APPENDICES BY MR. R. A. G. O.ARSON, M.A., F.S.A., MISS D. CHARLESWORTH,
M.A., F.S.A., MR. R. HARCOURT, M.SC., B.V.M.S., M.R.C.V.S., AND MR. D.
M.ACKRETH, B.A.
INTRODUCTION
ExcAVATIONS commenced on 4th September, 1967, and continued for
five weeks on a, temporary car park on the south corner of Rose Lane and
Gravel Walk, Canterbury. The site (Fig. l}, measuring approximately
80 m. by 40 m., was to be developed as a multi-storey car park and
any archaeological deposits would be damaged by piling. During the
excavation the temporary car park remained in use and only a limited
area was available at any one time for examination. It was, therefore,
decided to trench as much of the site as. possible by machine, backfilling
one trench before opening up another, in order to establish the
character of the site. This in itself, however, was a slow process-with
3 ·5 m. of unstable archaeological deposits each trench had to be shored
before investigation could proceed and removal of any spoil was
difficult and time-consuming. Accordingly, only two long trenches, A
and B (and small areas C and D), were excavated. This method of
excavation is not recommended, for interpretation based solely on
sections is unsatisfactory and results must be treated with caution.
Little was known of the archaeological· potential of the site. Frere
had postulated a Roman street running north-west to south-east
across the site and forming part of a regular street grid,1 and sunken
floor dwellings of probable fifth-century date had been found to the
north-east of Gravel Walk in 1960 by Wacher.2 During the Angevin
period the site appears to have been used as gardens.3 The excavations
* The Department of the Environment has contributed to the cost of the
publication of this report.
1 S.S. Frere, Rooian Canterbury, the City of Durovernum (1965), 8; reproduced
in S. S. Frere, B1-itannia, i (1070), 84.
S. S. Frere, The lih1d of Towns in Roman Britain, in J. S. Wa.cher (Ed.),
The Oivitas Capitals of Roman Britain, (1966), 91.
8 W. Urry, Cante1·bury under the Angevin l(ings, (1967), 275; also map 26.
Larger soele sheet 2.
119
J. H. WILLIAMS ET AL
CANTERBURY 1967
A
GRAVEL WALK
- - - - -. - - - - - - -
Scalo Metres o 10
'
F10. I. Location of Site
8
\
\
20 30 •• 50
showed occupation on the site from soon after the Roman conquest.
Although there was much pottery of 'Belgic' character, no group could
be definitely assigned to the pre-conquest period, and it would seem that
'Belgic' wares continued into the second ha.If of the first century.
Timber and stone buildings of first- and second-century date were
revealed at both ends of the site but, although third- and fourth-century
material was recovered, no structures could be assigned to that period.
Furthermore, it is clear that no Roman street ran across the site along
the projected line. No medieval structures were found, although several
rubbish pits, predominantly of eleventh-century date, were recorded.
The work was undertaken for the Canter.bury Excavation Committee
and the Department of the Environment, and by courtesy of Canterbury
City Council. Many persons from these bodies were most helpful,
in particular, Mr. J. Boyle and Miss S. Butcher. I would like also to
120
TRENCHES A and C
P25 P24 TRENCH A
PI2 1 I.
PI2 3
P2I 2 Collapsed Trench
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P20 -
'-(
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A
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l P4 P 3 P 2 : L ____________________________________ ---------------· ----------------
AREA 4 PIT 5
TRENCH C
AREA 3
Traces of pre-stone
timber buildings
Scale
Metres o
FIG. 2.
2 3 4 5 10
[tau p. 120
TRENCH A
East
TRENCH B
East
KEY
LtEa rBtrho wn
TRENCH C
West East
SURFACE
MODERN DISTURBANCE
Dk Brown -Clay
MODERN DISTURBANCE
2 3 4 s
West
SURFACE
West
10 Eartf-\ Scale Metres o
Charcoal & ,i:,rs;....--:.:=:'........!;;;;;;;;;;;::;;l!!!!!!!!!!-:;:;;;;:;;;!!!!!!!!!!'!!!'!;-;;-;;;;;;;,a!!!'!!.11!!111!11;;::==;::;;;;;:::;:::;:::====::L-l Burnt Daub -
Flo. 3. Sections,
EXCAVATIONS AT GRAVEL WALK, CANTERBURY, 1967
thank all the supervisors and volunteers ·who assisted in the excavation.
Many also have given advice on the preparation of the report and
ruisisted myself and Mr. Detsicas with the pottery; in particular,
Professor S. S. Frere, l\fiss M. Wilson, l\fr. B. R. Hartley, Dr. and Mrs.
J. P. Wild, Mrs. J. Bird and Miss V. Rigby. Mrs. J. Brayne, Mr. M.
Card and Mr. K. Connor a.F.· cit., no. 24.
67. Grey-fawn; grey; fawn. Smooth surface.
68. Grey; grey; grey. Very smooth surface.
69. Grey; grey; grey. Coarsish fabric. Smooth surface round neck.
Cross-hatching on. shoulder and roughish body. Of. Frere, 1970,
01p. cit., fig. 9, no. 17.
Dating: no. 60 perhaps appears somewhat later than the rest of the
group being typically Flavian, but reeded-rim bowls are known at
Verulamium from c. A.D. 60--see 99 below. The rest of the group
dates to c. A.D. 60.
Layer 36: Samian: S.G. Form 18, Claudian?
Coarse wares: 70. Grey; grey; grey. Smooth but uneven surface.
71. Grey; grey; grey. Fairly fine fabric and smooth surface. Native
imitation of Gallo-Belgic butt beaker.
72. Grey; grey; grey. Smooth but poor finish giving irregular
profile.
73. Dark grey; grey; grey. Burnished neck with rough body.
Of. Bushe-Fox, 1926, o:P· cit., no. 21; Frere, 1970, op. cit., fig. 9,
no. 7.
74. Grey; grey; grey. Shell-filled. Smooth neck but rough body.
Cf. Frere, 1954, op. cit., fig, 5, no. 24.
75. Grey; grey; grey. Smooth surface. Of. Frere, 1970, op. cit.,
fig. 9, nos. 4 and 16.
76. Grey; grey; grey. Smooth surface.
77. Grey; white; grey. Very fine terra nigra. Hawkes and Hull,
1947, o:P• cit., terra nigra Form 5A; cf. Frere, 1972, op. cit., no. 25.
78. Grey/fawn; grey; grey/fawn. Smooth surface.
79. Grey; grey; grey. Coarsish fabric but smooth surface. Of. Frere,
1970, o:P· cit., fig. 9, no. 10. Some fragments of painted wall-plaster
were present.
· ·
Dating: This group appears similar in date to Layer 38, c. A.D. 60.
Some of the pieces are somewhat earlier.
Layer 35: Coarse wares: 80. Grey; grey; ey. Smooth.
81. Grey; grey; grey. Smooth.
82. Grey; grey; grey. Coarsish fabric but smooth, rather uneven
surface.
Dating: First century, A.D.
132
EXCAVATIONS AT GRAVEL WALK, CANTERBURY, 1967
-·
60 I ")
2 6
1
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2
1
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69
Fro. 8. Coarse Ware, Trench B (Seo.le:¼).
133
J. H. WILLIAMS ET AL
Layers 32-4: Coarse wares: 83. Fawn; grey; fawn. Smooth.
84. Grey; grey; grey. Smooth surface.
85. Grey; grey; grey.
Dating: First century, A.D.
Layer 3: Samian: S.G. Form 27, Neronian-Flavian.
Layer 29: Coarse wares: 86. Grey-brown; grey; grey-brown. Smooth.
Also part of a tegu"la.
Layer 19: Samian: S.G. Form 36, Flavia.n.
Dating: Late first-century, A.D.
Well-Layer 40: Samian: (a) from bottom: Fig. 4, 3. S.G. Form 29.
Three conjoining fragments, with brilliant glaze but poor relief
owing to careless moulding. The upper zone consists of a scroll
with a leaf used by LICINVS (R. Knorr, Topfer und Fabriken
verzierter Terra-Sigillata dea ersten Jahrhunderts, (1919), Taf. 45,
no. 28) who also used the squashed decorative detail at the upper
left and lower right edges of this sherd (ibid., Taf. 45, no. 26;
of. ibid., Taf. 56, no. 11, by MELVS, and Ta£. 58, no. 11 by
MODESTVS). Elements of what remains of the lower zone's
decorative scheme can be paralleled in the work of several contemporary
potters, e.g. the inverted arcades, with rosettes at their
junctions, were used by ACVTVS (R. Knorr,. Terra-SigillataGefasse
des ersten Jahrhunderts mit Topfernamen, (1952), Taf. 1/E),
CADMVS {ibid., Ta.f. 13/F) and SENICIO (ibid., Ta£. 56/M, N and
Taf. 58/R); the serrated leaf to left was used by AQVITANVS
(ibid., Taf. 4/D) and MVRR.ANVS (ibid., Ta.£. 44/B); the a.corn
by DARIBITVS (ibid., Taf. 81/B). Sherds with similar decoration
in their lower zones occur at Colchester in Claudian levels (Hawkes
and Hull, 1947, op. cit., pl. XXIII, 10-13 and pl. XXIV, 1) and,
though definite attribution to the style of an individual potter is
impracticable, Mr. B. R. Hartley suggests a date of c. A.D. 40-55,
on the basis of the rouletted central moulding.
Fig. 4, 4. S.G. Form 29. In good condition, with remnants of a
leafy winding-scroll, and a leaf used by PASSENVS (Knorr, 1919,
op. cit., Taf. 62, no. 58) and GALICANVS (ibid., Taf. 33, no. 13).
The triple bud on the left {ibid., Textbild 7, p. 15) was used by
several S.G. potters as was the tendril binding (ibid., Textbild 6,
p. 13). A pre-Flavian date for this sherd is very likely.
Also: S.G. Form 27, Glaudian; S.G. Form 29, Claudian-pre-Flavian;
S.G. Form 18 or 18/31, Flavian-Trajanic.
(b) From remainder of well: S.G. Form 36, Flavian-Trajanic;
O.G. Form Curle 15, first half of second century; S.G. Form 27,
Flavian; S.G. Form 29, Flavian.
Coarse wares: 87. Red; grey; red.
134
EXCAVATIONS AT GRAVEL WALK, CANTERBURY, 1967
78
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96
F10. 9. Conrae Ware, Trench B (Sonle: ¼).
135
J. H. WIUJAMS ET AL
Traces of cream colour coating on exterior. Smooth. Cf. Jenkins,
1952, op. cit., fig. 4, 15.
88. Grey; grey; grey. Very fine fabric and smooth surface.
89. Purple-brown; grey; purple-brown. Fairly smooth with stabmarks
on shoulder.
90. Grey; grey; grey. Very fine fabric with hard metallic finish.
Cf. Williams, 1947, op. cit., fig. 7, no. 3; Frere, 1972, op. cit., no. 424;
Frere, 1970, op. cit., fig. 10, nos. 12, 19 and 20.
91. Grey; grey; grey. Cf. Frere, 1972, op. cit., 447.
92. Grey-fawn; pink; grey. Very fine and hard fabric. Cf. Bushe-Fox,
1926, op. cit., nos. 76, 77; Frere, 1954, op. cit., fig. 8, no. 77.
93. Cream; cream; cream. Very fine. Top of butt beaker.
94. Grey; pink; grey. Very fine fabric highly burnished on top
interior of rim. Hawkes and Hull, 1947, op. cit., Form 120. Miss V.
Rigby comments-A fairly common post-conquest type, which
occurs in a number of black fabrics of which this is the least fine
and most commonly found in Britain. Claudian to early Flavian
contexts with examples from Richborough, Wroxeter, Cirencester,
Verulamium, Baldock, Camulodunum, etc. Frequently described
a.a terra nigra, but it was not made by the potters who manufactured
terra nigra and terra rubra cups and platters. Some of the thinner
well-polished examples are stamped under the base, e.g. Gloucester,
Fishbourne, Richborough, Wroxeter.
95. Grey; grey; grey. Slightly pimpled surface. Of. Hawkes and Hull,
1947, op. cit., Form 257 (p. 268, no. 8); Williams, 1947, op. cit.,
fig. 15, no. 9.
96. Grey-fawn; grey; grey. Coarsish fabric. Smooth but uneven
surface.
97. Grey; grey; fawn-grey. Possibly burnished on neck but rougher
below. Coarsish fabric. Scratch marks.
98. Grey/red; grey; grey. Rough surface and coarsish fabric.
99. Light grey; light grey; light grey. Sandy.
Reeded bowls occur at Verulamium from c. A.D. 60 to the middle
of the second century A.D. though apparently commonest c. A.D. 100.
Cf. Frere, 1972, op. cit., no. 211, etc., also no. 659.
100. Grey; grey; grey. Coarsish fabric but smooth surface. Cf. BusheFox,
1932, op. cit., no. 276.
101. Grey; grey; grey. Sandy. Cf. Frere, 1954, op. cit., fig. 7,
nos. 60, 61 and fig. 8, nos. 71, 72; also Frere, 1972, op. cit., no. 660.
102. Grey; grey; grey. Sandy. Cf. Frere, 1972, op. cit., no. 682.
103. Grey; grey; grey. Coarsish fabric. Smoothed on neck but
combing on body.
104. White; white; white. Smooth fabric with 'knife-trimmed'
surface.
136
EXCAVATIONS AT GRAVEL WALK, CANTERBURY, 1967
100
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109
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'-1101 7'
\:: 112 j 7 \. 113
)
141
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Flo. 10. Coarse Ware, Trench B (Scale:¼).
137
J. H. WILLIAMS ET AL
105. Pink; pink; pink. Sandy.
106. Grey; grey; grey. Sandy.
107. Dark blue-grey; pale blue-grey; dark blue-grey. Highly
polished surfaces with hard fine grained dense paste. Hawkes and
Hull, 1947, op. cit., Cup, Form 560.
108. Dark blue-grey; pale blue-grey; dark blue-grey. Of. 107 above.
109. Grey; grey; grey. Sandy.
llO. Grey; grey; grey.
Ill. Grey; grey; grey. Hawkes and Hull, 1947, op. cit., 222, nos. 26
and 27; Frere, 1970, op. cit., fig. 9, no. 19.
ll2. Grey; grey; grey. Ha.rd burnished surface. Of. Bushe-Fox,
1932, op. cit., no. 235.
113. Grey; grey; grey. Hard burnished surface with cross-hatching.
Of. Jenkins, 1950, op. cit., fig. ll, no. 28; M. R. Hull, Roman
Colchester (1958), 29.
114. Pink; grey; pink. Smoothish but soft surface. Miss V. Rigby
comments: Probably a fairly local product from kilns not necessarily
imitating samian or Gallo-Belgic imports, but influenced by
the demand for fairly shallow bowls, dishes or platters. Of. a range
of decorated red and orange bowls with flat broad rims from north
Lincolnshire and Yorkshire-Roxby, Brough, Malton, Rudston.
Flavian-Antonine.
115. Grey; grey; grey. Sandy.
Dating: Severa.I pieces of samia.n found at the well bottom suggest
the well was dug, c. A.D. 60. Most of the rest of the material dates
from the end of the first century to the middle of the second century
and there is nothing necessarily later than c. A.D. 150. The well
infilling probably dates to the first half of the second century.
TRENCH B-SUMMARY
The trench therefore showed: I. The earliest occupation o n the
site was soon after the conquest. 2. There was probably a series of
timber buildings in the late-first and early-second century. 3. A well
out in the first century was probably filled by the middle of the second
century. 4. There was little evidence for the later Romano-British and
subsequent periods before pits covering the site in the medieval period.
TRENOR D-TR:m EXOAV.A.TION (Fig. 11)
Area D was opened at the end of the excavation to test the hypothesis
of timber buildings in Trench B. Because of the time factor, the
work was unsatisfactory and a detailed description of the results would
be misleading; no pottery is illustrated as it was limited in quantity
and not securely stratified. At least five phases of occupation were,
138
,
I
I
I
TRENCH
t-- - - -
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
' Unexcavated
l
I
I
f
D
PERIOD 2
CHALK FLOOR
I
I
I
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I
I
I
I
I
Unexcavated
PERIOD 1 SLOT
L _____L Jd._ ___ ; _____
N
N,
Scale a■M■e11:t=r=e=s=o-•••-=====2•••••3=====4•••••s
Fm.ll.
J. H. WILLIAMS ET AL
however, recognized and these are summarized below in their excavation
sequence.
1. Phase V. On removal of the overburden there was a series of clay
deposits into which was cut a group of five post-holes arranged in
no clear structural pattern. Among the clay deposits was a sestertius
of Trajan (Coin list no. 8).
2. Phase IV. On removal of the clay levels two walls at right angles to
each other (Layers 13 and 23) were defined by narrow gullies
containing dark earth and packed with stones presumably to hold
uprights rigid. To the north of 13 an orange clay level (14) underlay
a grey occupation level (12b) which, in turn, was below a layer of
burnt daub (12a), presumably the occupation and destruction levels
associated with 13 and 23.
3. Phase ID. On removal of Layers 13, 14 and 23, a chalk floor (1) level
covered with burnt daub was revealed. The south edge of the chalk
formed a straight line parallel to the line of 13 and beyond its
edge were possible post-holes of a wall. Additionally, twenty tiles
c. 0 · 20 m. square were laid flat at the edge of and parallel with
this line, possibly forming a doorway. The tiles could not have been
original to this phase since they lay on top of the daub.
4. Phase II. At the north west end of the trench, there seemed to be
evidence for a.n earlier beam slot. A trial hole revealed a slot (Layer
30) running a.t c. 30° to the later buildings.
5. Earlier occupation. Although there was earlier building, it was not
possible to investigate it further.
All the timber phases would appear to be of first- or early secondcentury
date.
THE Corns
By R. A. G. Carson, M.A., F.S.A.
l. Layer A 18. Constantine II. Rev. Gloria exercitu.s. Mint of Lugdunum.
P. V. Hill and J.P. C. Kent, Late Roman Bronze Coinage,
(1960), i, 187; .A..D. 330-335.
2. Unstratified, Trench B. Carausius. Rev. uncertain . .A..D. 286-293.
3. Unstratified, Trench B. Uncertain radiate ± .A..D. 270.
4. Unstratified, Trench B. Nuremberg token of Hans Schultes; sixteenth
century.
5. Unstratified, Trench C. Hadrian. Rev. 008 III, Salu.s. H. Mattingly,
E. A. Sydenham and C. H. V. Sutherland, The Roman Imperial
Coinage, (1923), Hadrian, 975; .A..D. 134-8.
6. Trench C, Area 4, top clay level. Constantine period. Rev. Beata
tranquillitas; c . .A..D. 320.
140
EXCAVATIONS AT GRAVEL WALK, CANTERBURY, 1967
7. Trench C, .Area 2, top clay level. Local imitation as of Claudius.
Prototype, ibid., Claudius 66; c. A.D. 50.
8. Trench D, clay layer overlying Layer 12. Trajan. Rev. Bridge,
ibid., Trajan 569; A.D. 103-111.
THE GLASS
By D. Charlesworth, 1\1.A., F.S.A.
1. Rim and part of neck of flask or bottle in blue-green glass. First to
second century, A.D. Trench A, Layer 20.
2. Part of the side of a square bottle. c. A.D. 70-130. Trench C, Layer 6.
3. Three small fragments of blue glass with cut line. Probably first
century, A.D. Trench 0, area 5.
4. Fragment of square bottle, blue-green, c . .A.D. 70-130. Trench D,
Layer 13.
THE SM.ALL FINDS (Fig. 12)
J\,
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5 @
0
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rsz ,4
Fro. 12. Small Finds (Scale: ½),
Tm: BROOOHES
By D. F. l\1ackreth, B.A.
1. Colchester type. The spring is an integral part of the body of the
brooch. The wings are plain and the bow appears to be plain and
somewhat wide for its length. The details are obscured by considerable
corrosion. The catch-plate is complete and seems to be
unpierced. The spring starts immediately behind the head and coils
out to the left. Four coils survive with the chord, which passes across
the head of the bow. Only the stalk of the hook, which once held the
chord down, is present.
141
J. H. WILLIAMS ET AL
The Colchester type begins its life before the Roman conquest, but
the present specimen belongs to the period after that event, and is
probably late in the sequence, when it had begun to display features
which belong to the succeeding derivative types. In the present case,
little can be detected of any such characteristics, except the wide
bow. The date range is possibly .A.D. 50-60. Trench D, unstratified.
2. Continental import. The spring arrangement is the same as in the
preceding specimen, but survives complete. The wings are very short
and on each is a small boss. The bow is divided into two parts of
which the upper has a pronounced curve and a D section, while
the lower part has a marked recurve. At the junction of the two parts
is a small cross-moulding. The foot of the bow comes to a blunted
point. Like so many of the brooches from the Continent in this
period, the catch-plate is almost parallel with the bow.
This type of brooch is to be found in the Rhineland forts belonging
to the period before the conquest. However, it is clear that, by
c . .A.D. 40, it was at the end of its life; the number coming into
Britain is low and, although brooches of the general type reached
Wroxeter (unpublished), the fioruit is effectively over by c . .A.D. 50.
Trench B, well, Layer 40.
0TJIER SMALL FINDS
3. Bronze candlestick base, distorted. Trench C, Layer 6.
4. Possible part of bar of folding stool. Metal has high lead content
and there are traces of bronze plating-such stools often had bronze
decoration. Cf. J. Curle, Newstead, (1911), pl. LXIV; also J. Liversidge,
Furniture in Roman Britain), (1953), 33. Trench B, well,
Layer 40.
5. Grey, polished bone dice. Double ring-and-dot marking, fairly
regularly spaced on sub-cube. Trench B, well, Layer 40.
6. Worked and smoothed bone, pointed at one end and with criss-cross
decoration worn smooth in places. Grooves a.cross pointed end.
Trench C, Pit 4.
Tm: AmwL BONES
By R. Harcourt, M.Sc., B.V.M.S., M.R.C.V.S.
lNTRODUOTION
Chronologically the material falls into two groups, Roma.noBritish
and medieval, and has been so treated for study. The small size
of the collection allows little more than an enumeration of the- species
present.
142
EXCAVATIONS AT GRAVEL WALK, CANTERBURY, 1967
Description of the material
I. Romano-British. The species prnseut were cattle (4), sheep (1),
pig (2) and domestic fowl (2) represented by a total of fifty-eight
fragmentary bones. (Bracketed numbers represent minimum
numbers of individuals.)
2. Medieval. This group contained 109 specimens.
Cattle: Five animals, indicated by this number of right metacarpals,
were present and their measurements, as shown in the table, point
to their being the typical small animals of the period.
Sheep: Four animals were represented by skulls. Three of these were
horned and one polled, a feature first seen in the Romano-British
period, which was quite common by the medieval.
Pig: A total of fifteen bones included three mandibles of different
ages.
Horse: This species provided only twelve bones from two animals,
one adult and one half-grown.
Dog: There was evidence of two animals, one adult but very small,
c. 0 · 21 m., and the other immature but already standing some
0·66 m. at the shoulder.
Birds: The four bones found were those of domestic fowl and goose.
Measurements of Long Bones-medieval cattle:
tl tlh pw msd
Humerus 270 239 37
Radius 250 64 33
67 (2)
Metacarpal 180 47 26
Tibia 305 88 37
Metatarsal 224 42 24
229 45 25
dw
69
64
55
49
52
58
58
Ht.
108 cm. 42"
120 cm. 47"
122 cm. 48"
tl: total length. tlh: total length to head. pw: proximal width. msd: midshaft
diameter. dw: distal width. Both extremities are measured
across articular surfaces. Ht: height at shoulder. All dimensions a.re in
millimetres unless stated otherwise.
143
