During a basement extension in the front of 12 Station Road East in November 1950 workmen uncovered three Roman inhumations with heads to the south-west. The surrounding stratification showed a build-up of 4ft, of domestic occupation material overlying the natural brickearth. From unspecified levels in this came two coins, Vespasian and Faustina, a mid-1st-century type brooch, and pottery ranging from Belgic to 2nd century in date, including a whole cup.

The graves were originally dug from a gravelly layer overlying this build-up. From the side of the third grave came a bone-pin. The succeeding deposit consisted of a further 1.22m of Roman build-up to within 0.6m of the surface.

The bones were examined by a pathologist at the Kent and Canterbury hospital, I. B. Morris, who reported to the coroner on 16th November '...for the most part there are only fragments, and they were of great age. I cannot be certain that they were all for the same person, but they were all human. There is one intact femur, which appears to be from a female. The remainder, however, suggested male origin. Only a small percentage of a complete skeleton was present...' J. L. Ovenden reported in a police satment 'There is not a full skeleton but the skull, thigh bones and other pieces are present'.

Description from record TR 15 NW 144:
(TR 148574 sited to the front of 12 Station Road East from OS 1:1250 1972). During November 1950 the Royal Museum watched excavations to deepen the front basement area of a house opposite Canterbury East station on the site of the Dane John Roman cemetery. The earliest stratified levels consisted of four feet of domestic occupation dating within the period from the Belgae (terra nigra) to about the 2nd century (coin of Vespasian and Faustina II). Three graves were dug into the above with skeletons oriented with heads to the south- west; two were relatively dated, the later probably accompanied by a complete small colour-coded and stamp-decorated New Forest type cup and a coin of Gratian. From the third grave possibly came a bone shroud (?) pin. The later levels consisted of four feet of homogenous Roman make-up. (1) The disturbed remains of at least three Roman inhumation burials were noted during the extension of the basement at the front of 12 Station Road East. (2) Finds from the site that are illustrated (see illustration card) include a New Forest Ware Cup, almost certainly from a grave and 4th century AD in date and a Colchester type VII brown brooch of Claudian date. (3)

Jenkins, F., Jenkins Archive Material (Unpublished document). SKE30008.

Jenkins, F., 1951, Archaeological Notebook, Canterbury 1949-1951 (Serial). SKE29983.

<1> Archaeol Newsletter 3 1950-1 124 (MR Maitland Muller) (OS Card Reference). SKE37292.

<2> The Arch of Cant; An Assessment 1985 59 (G Andrews) (OS Card Reference). SKE50022.

<3> Arch Cant 64 1951 66 (F Jenkins) (OS Card Reference). SKE35384.