Monument record TR 15 NW 2431 - Roman cemetery, former Hallet's Garage, St Dunstans Street

An archaeological evaluation carried out in 2009 found evidence of a Roman cemetery in an area known to contain other burials. Two definite, and two probable, inhumation burials were discovered and a number of stray human bones. The burials are interpreted as being part of a roadside cemetery. No direct dating evidence was found but roadside inhumation cememteries generally date from the late Roman period and a 3rd/4th century date is assumed.

A refuse pit was also found in trench 2 (1).

Later excavation at the site during 2010/2011 revealed 137 burials, confirming the previous hypothesis that this was a cemetery site. The burials are described as being "arranged in groups and rows, with a group of sub-adult burials to the north of the early Roman ditch which may have acted as a boundary within the cemetery" (from report (2)). The report is not currently held by the HER, therefore only the earlier burials have been updated on the GIS depiction. (2)

The cemetery comprised 137 graves, 125 of these contained skeletal remains. The cemetery is likely to have been bounded by a Roman road to the SW and by a possible watercourse to the NE. Disturbance by medieval-modern activity at the site may have resulted in many of the graves being lost, it is estimated that only half of the original number of burials may remain at the site. At least 3 potential phases of activity have been identified at the burial site, with some sporadic burial distribution and some more organised rows of interments. Around 80% of burials at the site were aligned parallel/perpendicular to St Dunstan's Street.
An assessment of 42 skeletons suggests that around 30% are sub-adults, an above average demographic. The majority of juvenile burials (under 12yrs) appear to have been placed in a specific area of the site - north of the mid 1st-2nd century drainage ditch (TR 15 NW 2608). The overall demographics of thesample reflected a relatively young population, with only one skeleton estimated to be over the age of 45yrs.
Palaeopathological assessment of the burials suggests that the overall sample had relatively low instances of spinal disease and osteoarthritis. However, this may be due to the relatively young age of the population buried within the cemetery.
No dateable grave goods were recovered from the site; many of the graves contained packing material of flat stone and tile, and some contained evidence for coffins in the form of nails and soil staining. One particularly interesting artefact recovered from the site was a small bronze figurine depicting Jupiter holding his 'fulmen'/thunderbolt in his right hand. It is thought to have been associated with one of the child burials at the site from the later Roman period.
Earlier work adjacent to the site in 1951 uncovered two Roman inhumation burials and further skeletal remains, suggesting that more burials from the cemetery may have been disturbed during these earlier works (this information was recovered from the original report which is not currently held by Kent County Council's HER).

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd, 2009, Former Hallett’s Garage, 21-24 Dunstan’s Street, Canterbury, Kent, Archaeological evaluation report (Unpublished document). SKE53409.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd, 2016, Station Road West Car Park, Canterbury, Kent Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Report (Unpublished document). SKE52686.