A watching brief was carried out at no 8 Vernon Place during building underpinning in January-March 1995. The site code was 8VP95.

The burnt vertical sides of a very large feature were observed in a number of places during the watching brief, as well as many areas of its fill. The feature measured at least 5.5m by 5.5m and cut into the natural brickearth and had been truncated by the propertys cellar floor. The feature was cut by one of three Roman inhumation burials found and must therefore be contemporary or earlier. An interpretation of the function of the feature was not possible as it was not fully explored, however the non vitrification of its sides would appear to rule out many industrially based functions.

A total of three articulated adult human skeletons were discovered no artefacts were found but the proximity of the site to Roman Watling street has led to tentative date of Roman. An age and sex diagnosis was possible for each skeleton. SK 1 was a young adult female, SK 2 was a male of between 40-50 years and SK 3 was a male aged between 35-45 years old. Observations were also made on the condition of the bones and teeth. (1)

Description from record TR 15 NE 431:
The remains of three inhumations, each surviving to varying degrees.There were two males and one female, assessed by cranial morphology. The female skeleton was suggested to be an adult age c.25-30 years old, due to the lack of dental attrition and sharpness of the available cranial sutures. According to the dental attrition of the first male he was under 30 years old, however the closure of the vault sutures argues for an age over 40-50 years. The second male's age was assessed as being about 35-45 years. The claim that they are Roman due to the proximity their proximity to the Roman Watling Street.(1)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1995, Archaeological Watching Brief, 8 Vernon Place, Canterbury (Unpublished document). SKE8333.