Monument record TR 15 NE 269 - Church of St Peter and St Paul

(TR 15455775) Church of St Peter and St Paul. Ground plan survives (see illustration card). Built by King Ethelbert C7. Later joined with the chapel of St Mary (TR 15 NE 267) into a single enlarged abbey church by Abbot Wulfric. (1) Plan. (2) The foundations of the E apse were uncovered beneath Wulfric's octagon (TR 15 NE 266) during excavations c1915. (3-4) The church was begun in 598 but not completed until 613. It consisted of a nave with a porticus or chapel on either side - that on the N forthe tombs of the Archbishops and that on the S for the royal burial place. There may have been an apse at the E end and possibly another at the W end. In 978 the church was enlarged and dedicated to SS Peter and Paul. The whole of the N porticus or aisle was revealed during excavations in 1913 by RU Potts. (5) Additional reference. (6) A large part of the floor of the original Saxon church was exposed during excavations in the nave of the Abbey Church by RU Potts, 1922. (7) Additional references. (8-11) An E. cross wall of the church was revealed during excavations in 1957 and 1958 by A Saunders (see illustration card for plan). (12) Additional references. (13-14) Demolished c1073 - c1091 for construction of the Romanesque Church (TR 15 NE 350). (15) Additional reference. (16) Historic England archive material (17)

Excavations carried out at the site of the North Porticus in 2023 identified several previously unrecorded structures including evidence for a possible Roman mausoleum and the remains of a structure such as a tomb, interpreted as potentially representing the a tomb outside the church.

The excavation initially identified a series of floor layers, including an undated cobble floor, two mortar floor layers associated with the church, alongside a charcoal rich layer. The latter of the layers contained a fragment of white tesserae dating from the Roman period, alongside a glazed medieval floor tile. This deposit probably dated to the 13th century, with a disturbance in the 20th century resulting in the mixing of finds from lower layers.

Tombs identified in the previous 1913 excavations were re-examined, and another stone grave surround described as "poorly constructed" (18) was identified. Excavators also noted that the western end of the north porticus was set lower than the eastern end, potentially identifying this area as having the appearance of a crypt.

Other features identified during the 2023 excavations included a series of brick walls, alongside stone built walls, some of which appear to form a rectilinear structure. The stone walls have been interpreted by the author of the report (18) as potentially representing a Roman mausoleum, built at the site prior to the construction of the Abbey.

The brick built structure did not align with the wall of the 7th century church, suggesting that it was constructed prior to or during the time the church was built. This feature has been interpreted as a possible tomb by the author of the report. (18)

<1> AS Archit I 1965 135 139 148 plan (HM Taylor J Taylor) (OS Card Reference). SKE37374.

<2> Md Arch II 1958 187 (OS Card Reference). SKE46648.

<3> Arch 66 1915 386-390 plan (W St John Hope) (OS Card Reference). SKE34445.

<4> Arch Cant 32 1917 3 10 (W St John Hope) (OS Card Reference). SKE35014.

<5> Arch Cant 35 1921 117-118 122 (RU Potts) (OS Card Reference). SKE35029.

<6> Arch Cant 31 1915 295-6 (W St John Hope) (OS Card Reference). SKE35007.

<7> JBAA 28 NS 1922 130 (OS Card Reference). SKE44926.

<8> Arch J 84 1927 462-3 (RU Potts) (OS Card Reference). SKE36696.

<9> Arch 77 1927 203-205 208 210-211 plan (C Peers A Clapham) (OS Card Reference). SKE34450.

<10> Arch Cant 46 1934 181 (RU Potts) (OS Card Reference). SKE35172.

<11> Arch AS Eng 1976 163 165 plan (D Wilson) (OS Card Reference). SKE34477.

<12> Md Arch 22 1978 25-27 44-49 plans (A Saunders) (OS Card Reference). SKE46615.

<13> St Augustine's Abbey DOE Handbook 1955 8-9 (A Clapham) (OS Card Reference). SKE49561.

<14> Arch Cant 100 340 343 (M Sparks) (OS Card Reference). SKE34550.

<15> St Augustine's Abbey: Rpt on Excavs 1960-78: KAS Mon IV 1988 3-4 (D Sherlock H Woods) (OS Card Reference). SKE49594.

<16> St Augustine's Abbey Eng Heritage Handbook 1988 6 18-20 (M Sparks) (OS Card Reference). SKE49580.

<17> Historic England, Archive material associated with The Church of SS Peter and Paul at St Augustine's Abbey (Archive). SKE54638.

<18> King's College London, 2023, Interim report on the excavation of the North Porticus (the Porticus of St Gregory) of the seventh-century church of Sts Peter and Paul, St Augustine’s Abbey, Canterbury (Unpublished document). SKE57911.