The site sits adjacent to the Roman city wall of Canterbury. This was flanked on its outer face by this wide ditch for defensive purposes. Previous excavations have indicated that the width of the ditch would have been c.19-20m. During the early medieval period the ditch was recut and perhaps revetted along its south-west face. As well as being defensive it would now have acted as a sewer too. From the late 12th century Broad Street became lined with dwellings along its north-east side. During this period the ditch was becoming infilled from natural silting, erosion, continued dumping of rubbish and drainage of sewage and deliberate backfilling to create plots of open ground. There have been examples from previous excavations that post medieval activity did occur in this area, sequences of gullies and drains were cut into the earlier ditch. Within the infill of the ditch mottled green staining suggests the inclusion of cess. Cutting through the 19th century deposits were the remains of three brick walls, including that of a cellar. A variety of finds were found from the excavation, as well as those recorded here, there were also fragments of wood, marble, bronze, medieval glass and a clay pipe fragment.