[TQ 77655220] Roman Walled Cemetery [R] (Site of) (NAT) (1) The remains of a Roman cemetery excavated in 1842 consisted of a rectangular wall 77 by 88 feet enclosing the foundations of two towers, one square and the other round, together with seven cremations burials, two of them in cists. Pottery, glass and bronze vessels, iron lamps and two amphorae were found and are now in the Charles Museum at Maidstone [Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery]. (2,3 and 10) The site falls within an orchard. Nothing of significance was seen. (4) Checked and correct. (5)

A 1996 evaluation by SEAS, now ASE, found two trenches of Roman date thought to be part of a field system, later identified as part of the walled cemetery. (8)

Excavation prior to development in October-November 1998 allowed the whole site of the walled cemetery to be excavated. The site of the cemetery measured 23m (ne-sw) by 26m (nw-se) Sections of the robber cut were excavated and confirmed that the outer walls and internal funerary monuments, with the exception of the circular tomb, had been thoroughly robbed following the 1842 investigations by Taylor Smythe. The robber cut fill consisted of small fragments of ragstone with some fragments of painted wall plaster. The remains of the circular tower comprised a semi-circular structure of mortared ragstone fragments. Some fragements of painted wall plaster, red and white, found in association with this and the robbed out remains of other features.

Lying outside the cemetery and to the NW were four cremation burials, one of which had a base lined with three flat fragments of greensand.

No evidence of Taylor Smythe's "site of fires" was found.

Several other pits were found within the cemetery and although they do not corresponde to any features known from 1842 they probably relate to some form of activity taking place within the cemetery. (9)

<1> OS 6" 1933-37 (OS Card Reference). SKE48336.

<2> Arch Cantiana 15 1883 76-80 (OS Card Reference). SKE36485.

<2> Arch Cantiana 15 1883 81-88 (C T Smythe) (OS Card Reference). SKE36486.

<3> JBAA 22 1959 26 27 plan (R F Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE44914.

<4> F1 ASP 24-Nov-61 (OS Card Reference). SKE42267.

<5> F2 ASP 23-JAN-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43155.

<6> Field report for monument TQ 75 SE 2 - November, 1961 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3948.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 75 SE 2 - January, 1964, 1996 Evaluation by SEAS (now ASE) (Bibliographic reference). SKE3949.

<8> South-Eastern Archaeological Services, 1996, Evaluation of land adjacent to Pested Bars Road, Boughton Monchelsea (Unpublished document). SKE7513.

<9> Museum of London Archaeology Service, 1998, Land adjacent to Pested Bars Road, Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone, Kent: A Post-Excavation and Update Project Design, 1998 Excavation by MoLAS (Unpublished document). SKE7521.

<10> British Archaeological Association, 1847, Proceedings of the Association, January 7, 1846, 86 (Article in serial). SKE24801.