An evaluation was commissioned by Land Securities Plc in advance of the proposed development within the area of Whitefriars. The evaluation commenced in 1995 and extended into 1996, the site code was WFE95.

17 trenches and 4 boreholes were dug, trenches 9-14 were abandoned prior to full excavation. All the trenches were cut by hand after mechanical removal of modern hardstanding, excavation reached depths of below 1.20m. All the excavation trenches, except trench I, yielded interesting archaeological remains. This indicates that the redevelopment of the 1950-60s has left 'islands' of relatively undisturbed stratigraphy.

The earliest deposits and features exposed at or above the level of the brickearth were deposits of pre- and early Roman agricultural topsoil, mainly found in trenches cut to the east of Watling Street (trenches I, VII, XIVA, XIVB, XIVD, XV, XVIIA, XVIIB). A small group of Late Iron Age pits was examined in trench X.
Grey loam thought to represent a clearance and levelling deposit formed prior to the laying out of the Roman town in the last quarter of the 1st century AD was also encountered in a number of these trenches.

A hitherto unknown Roman timber building was located in trenches VII/IX, and the metallings of a Roman street were exposed in Trench XIVD. Late Roman levels, including part of a timber-framed building were located in trench XV and late Roman pits were recorded in Trenches X and XVB.

'Dark Earths' were found in many of the trenches (XV, VIII/IX, X and XIVD). Part of an early Anglo-Saxon building was found in trench XV. Medieval garden loams and traces of early to late Medieval buildings were observed in trenches XV, VIII/IX, XVB and XIVA. A cellared building, possibly forming part of a monastic service range wasfound in trench XVIIA. Two of the four boreholes cut in Whitefriars yard (iii and iv) encountered a substantial masonry wall, possibly part of Whitefriars church.

Pettifer, R. E., 1970, Kent Archaeological Review 18 (Article in serial). SKE30695.

Williams, J. H. et al, 1975, Excavations at Gravel Walk, Canterbury, 196 (Article in serial). SKE30696.

Bennett, P. & Shand, G., 1997, Whitefriars and Watling Street Car Park (Article in serial). SKE30152.

Houliston, M., 1997, Whitefriars Evaluation Watling Street Car Park (Unpublished document). SKE30153.

Houliston, M., 1997, Whitefriars Interim Report (Unpublished document). SKE30154.

Houliston, M., 2002, Pers Comm Mark Houliston (Unpublished document). SKE30156.