Excavations carried out in advance of the construction of a new car-park in 2001 discovered limited Roman activity, an early Anglo-Saxon cemetery and middle Saxon occupation (as well as post-medieval features).

A trial trenching evaluation had previously been carried out across the site following which the southern part of the site was excavated. The area was significant because of the number of Roman cemeteries that ran alongside the road in this part of Canterbury. Only the south and east of the site was excavated in detail as any features to the north and west were obscured by ground raising in that area.

The earliest phase (phase 1) of deposits comprised an undated curving ditch that ran into the northern edge of the excavation. Only part was visible in plan but it seems to have been a hollow or depression.

Phase 2, to the west of the hollow, was an irregular trench-like feature. Two sherds of Roman tegula were found.

Phase 3 consisted of a number of Anglo-Saxon burials in the centre, east and south-east of the site. 9 sub-rectangular features were found, aligned roughly north-west - south-east in a row running north-south. Fragments of human bone and teeth were found as well as a single early- or mid-Saxon sherd and a corroded Anglo-Saxon knife tang.

Phase 4 consisted of a scatter of sixteen pits divided into two groups, a northern and southern group. The southern group was varied and complex with a range of fills that included occupation and industrial material. One contained animal bone and charcoal. The northern pits were shallower and smaller with fewer finds though these included oyster shell and animal bone. Pottery from all the pits was mostly of late 8th to 9th century and incuded cooking pots and jars. There was also a middle-Saxon composite comb, a knife, nails, burnt clay, slag and industrial debris. The animal bone was mostly sheep, cattle, pig, horse, dog and deer. Some of the bone suggested local butchery. Bird and fish bone was also common.

There were no structural features except four post holes, possibly suggesting a fence.

Phase 5 consisted of post-medieval activity. (1)

An earlier excavation at the site in 1999 had revealed two possible Anglo-Saxon/medieval beam slots, the fill of one containing a sherd of 875-1050 AD pottery. However, the dating of these features was uncertain, and they may have represented beam slots for a post-medieval greenhouse, with the sherd of pottery representing an intrusion. An associated possible post-hole was also undated and may have been contemporary with these features. The beam slots measured between 0.05-0/10m in dpeth, and 0.20-0.28m in width.

In another area of the site, a trench was identified which is thought to have been cut in order to remove the stone from an earlier wall. The wall is speculated to have dated from the Roman or Anglo-Saxon period, and the robber trench to the late Roman/Anglo-Saxon/medieval periods. The trench measured 0.56m in depth and 0.72-0.76m in width.
A single fragment of Roman tegula was identified within the fill of the trench, however, due to a lack of other dating evidence, it is possible that the trench may represent the removal of a post-medieval wall at the site. A pit/post-hole (0.61 x 0.42 x 0.28m) and a sub-rectangular pit (0.18m in depth) also identified in this area of the site were undated.

Finds associated with these features include tile, Roman tegula, bone, charcoal, and oyster shell. (2)

<1> Christopher Sparey-Green, 2016, Excavations at St Martin's House: archaeological investigations in the vicinity of St Martin's Church, Canterbury (Article in serial). SKE51680.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2000, Archaeological assessment and evaluation in the Grounds of St Martin's Priory, Canterbury. (Unpublished document). SKE54758.