Monument record TQ 76 NW 26 - Roman pavement, near Bridge Reach, Frindsbury, Rochester

[TQ74226952] Roman Foundations found A.D.1828 [T.I.] (1) Excavations in 1819 for the Thames and Medway Canal at Frindsbury uncovered "traces of a road several feet below the present surface of the ground." Some trees were also discovered buried several feet deep and one, an oak, was in perfect state of preservation (2) A "roman High-way" formed of flints, embedded in chalk and leading to Frindsbury Church, is an obvious reference to the above discovery. It is noted in 1828 as "a few years back" (3) A sketch plan shows, about 100 yards from the Medway, "at this spot in digging the Thames and Medway Canal nearly 20 years ago portions of pavements were found supposed to be in the line of a road from Strood to Upnor, several skeletons were also found here" (4) [The plan, by H. Wickham before 1840, was used by C.R. Smith mainly to illustrate some discoveries of 1838] No further information. (5)

<1> OS 25" 1938 (OS Card Reference). SKE48265.

<2> Gents Mat I 1819 646 (OS Card Reference). SKE43609.

<3> Arch 22 1829 436-7 (OS Card Reference). SKE34379.

<4> Arch 29 1842 plan pl xxll (0H Wickham) (OS Card Reference). SKE34384.

<5> F1 CFW 19.12.64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42642.

<6> Field report for monument TQ 76 NW 26 - December, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4095.