Monument record TR 15 NE 1434 - Saxon pits, Christ Church College, Nursing Studies Building

A watching brief was carried out, in January 1991, whilst the foundations were being laid for the Nursing Studies Building, Canterbury Christ Church College. The site code was CCC91.

The watching brief followed on from an earlier evaluation and commenced after the preparation of the ground by the contractors. A series of pits gave evidence of Anglo-Saxon activity confined to the southern and western portion of the site. There was further evidence of industrial activity in the middle to late Anglo-Saxon period.

Consistent with other excavations in the area, no evidence of structures or occupation, other that the industrial and rubbish pits, was encountered, but the ceramic material recovered from these features provided evidence of non-local English wares and continental wares asserting the trading links of the area in the Anglo-Saxon period.

41 sherds of pottery, mainly Ipswich ware found (4). 5 sherds of early medieval pottery (AD 1050-1250). No further information available. (3)

""Anglo - Saxon occupation in the area appears to have had its origins in the early seventh century, though it may predate the arrival of Augustine and his mission. Material dating to the seventh century has been produced, but it is not until the period A.D. 750 to 850 that substantial, and wide spread, occupation is revealed… The settlement appears similar to those at Barking (Webster and Bakehouse 1991:88-94), Brandon (Suffolk) (Carr et al. 1988), and Jarrow (Cramp 1969), where monastic involvement in production and trade has been identified. At St Augustine’s this involvement is reinforced by evidence from one of the early charters associated with the Abbey (Kelly 1995, no. 8). Trading links are demonstrated by the large quantities of Ipswich Ware recovered from the site, though no substantial evidence for trade with other English or continental centres was recovered." (3)

"The evidence suggests that the settlement expanded throughout the eighth century to reach its zenith in ninth century. The college campus may lie on the perimeter of a large Anglo-Saxon settlement site called Nordholm, first referred to in 1283 and still represented by the modern North Holmes Road which forms the northern boundary to the college complex." (4)

Hicks, M. & Houliston, M., 1993, Christ Church College Archive Excavations between 1983 and 1992 (Unpublished document). SKE30337.

<3> Hicks, Martin and Houliston, Mark, 1999, Archaeological Excavations at Canterbury Christ Church College. Assessment report on excavations conducted between 1983-1996 (Unpublished document). SKE31574.

<4> Hicks, Martin, 1996, Archaeological Excavations at Canterbury Christ Church College. Assessment Report on Excavations conducted between 1983-1995 (Unpublished document). SKE31570.