Prior to the construction of Lullingstone House an excavation was undertaken in St John's Lane. The work was carried out in Autumn 1986 and the site code was SJ86

Late Roman/Anglo-Saxon oven bases survived and sat directly over the destruction deposits of a large Roman timber-framed building, only part of which was uncovered during this excavation. It is thought to have been constructed in the early 2nd century AD and extensively altered during the span in which it stood. Two infant burials were also uncovered from beneath the floor of the building.

The Roman structure overlay early Roman/Belgic rubbish pits and stake-hole scatters. (1-3)

A desk-based assessment of a nearby property suggested that three buildings were successively constructed and demolished on this site during the Roman period.
The second structure contained four rooms with plastered walls and clay floors. One of the rooms is thought to have functioned as a kitchen due to the presence of oven bases (TR 15 NW 1806) within it, one of which appears to have been sealed by the uppermost floor layer. The second structure was demolished and a third structure constructed in its place during the late 3rd century, followed by its abandonment in the 4th century. (4)

<1> Tatton-Brown, T., 1979, Other Sites, Interim Report on Excavations in 1978 by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust (Serial). SKE30705.

<2> Blockley, P., 1988, St John's Lane (Article in serial). SKE30492.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1873, 1st edition map of Canterbury 1873 (Map). SKE30447.

<4> Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd., ST JOHN’S LANE CANTERBURY KENT Provisional desk-based assessment (Unpublished document). SKE55784.