In 2009 Canterbury Archaeological Trust excavated the Marlowe Theatre site. Foundations of post medieval buildings dating from the 16th and 17th century onwards were found along the street frontage of The Friars. (1)

The earliest discoveries was an accumulation of agricultural and dumped soils (about 1m thick in total) that suggested that during the later medieval period, the entire area probably open ground.
Apart from a fragment of possible precinct boundary wall along the frontage, the earliest building was undoubtedly a rectangular masonry and brick built structure, probably of late or early post medieval date, relating to the Friary and shown on a map of 1595. Later structures were of eighteen- or nineteenth-century date. (2)

<1> Weekes, J., 2012, Canterbury Archaeological Trust Interim Reports, Archaeologia Cantiana CXXXII 2012: 291-293 (Article in serial). SKE25119.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd, 2009, Former Friars Motor Company, 4-5 The Friars, Canterbury, Kent, Archaeological evaluation report (Unpublished document). SKE53417.