An excavation was undertaken in July 1979 following the discovery of several inhumation burials within the area of a foundation trench excavated in a yard to the rear of nos 85 to 88, Northgate (premises of Kennard and Sons Ltd) for a workshop extension to the premises.

The foundation trench measured between 60cm and 80cm in width and was excavated for three sides of the workshop
extension. The trench reached a total depth of 1.40m. With the consent of Kennard and Sons, the inhumation burials were recorded and then recovered from within the foundation trench. The watching brief was maintained while the foundation trench was completed. Five graves and their accompanying inhumations were recorded and revealed to be part of the graveyard of St Gregory's Priory. The graves and inhumations were aligned on a north-west/south-east axis, with the heads of the inhumations aligned to the north-west. No datable archaeological material was located from either the graves or the underlying deposits, so the dating of the burials was calculated by the available documentary evidence, which indicated that they could have been deposited between the initial founding of St Gregory's Priory in AD 1084 and the death of Sir John Boys in 1612 (a lessee of the See of Canterbury who inclosed the Priory and presumably its burial ground from probably c. 1573 onwards).

Bennett, P., MacPherson-Grant, N. & Blockley, P., 1981, Four Minor Sites Excavated by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1978-1979 (Serial). SKE30471.