In 2010 Canterbury Archaeological Trust carried out an evaluation. Deposits were found relating to dumped material overlying beach shingle, dating from the 17th or 18th century when the area was first developed as part of the expansion of Dover town. Remains of buildings were found, again of 17th or 18th century date, though truncated by later 19th century structures, one of which was probably the Invicta public house. (1)

Further test trenching was carried out by Canterbury Archaeological Trust at the site in 2014, this work uncovered cellars associated with no. 149, 150, 152, 153, 154 and 155 Snargate Street. These cellars were between 1.5m and 2m deep and had been infilled. A number of post medieval walls were also located. Geotechnical boreholes excavated in March 2014 during a watching brief by Canterbury Archaeological Trust revealed the 19th century cellars at the site in greater detail. (2)

A third and final stage of archaeological investigation was undertaken at the site between January and March in 2016 by PCA. This work revealed further information about the properties which formerly fronted onto Snargate Street in this location in the post medieval period, including information about the basement of 149-150. Two walls which were located at the southern end of Trench 1 represent the west and north walls of the basement. The western wall lay on a northeast-southwest orientation with a high point of 4.92m OD and a low of 4.3m OD. The wall consisted of Ashlar blocks of chalk with occasional red bricks set within a light grey chalky mortar. The northern wall extended 0.8m in a north-westerly direction from the eastern limits of excavation then returned on a 90-degree angle and extended for a further 1m to the southwest before finally running a further 1m to the north-west. This wall appeared to form some kind of alcove extending beyond the limits of excavation to the east. This wall was at the same height as the western wall and was of the same construction. Both walls (particularly the northern) had been heavily truncated by later, 19th and 20th century activity at the site. (3)

The GIS polygon associated with this monument represents the known extent of this cellar, it is likely to have extended beyond the limits of the 2016 excavation to the south and the east.

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2010, Report on evaluation trenching at Nos 149−156 Snargate Street, Dover (Unpublished document). SKE18229.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2014, Report on a watching brief at Nos 149-156 Snargate Street, Dover, March 2014 (Unpublished document). SKE29383.

<3> PCA - Shane Maher, 2016, 149-156 Snargate Street, Dover, Kent - An Archaeological Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE32330.