A watching brief and salvage excavation was undertaken during the construction of a new building at nos 16-21 North Lane, a large structure set on deep foundation piles. The building work was undertaken by Denne Builders Limited for the East Kent Bus Company in April, 1978.

Early in April, 1978 the building contractors demolished the existing houses on the site and reduced the ground level in advance of the excavation of foundation holes for the building raft. During an underpinning operation on the wall of no 15 North Lane, a small, late 13th anthropomorphic jug was found in a small pit by the contractors. This discovery was reported to the Canterbury Archaeological Trust, and archaeological investigation by salvage excavation as well as the watching brief commenced.

A complete archaeological record could not be made on site due to constraints of time and pressure of work, and the stratified archaeological levels that did exist were almost totally removed by mechanical excavation, with only the deeply-cut archaeological features examined in any detail. Even these features were located only after they had been partly removed during the excavation of building foundations. A location plan of archaeological features found on site was created.

The earliest archaeological feature observed, excavated and then recorded was a Roman kiln. A scatter of late 1st or early 2nd-century AD pottery may have been associated with it, contained within a thick deposit of Roman top soil. A number of inhumation burials were also found on the site, with five skeletons excavated. Two other skeletons were observed by building contractors during the excavation of building foundations.

Elements of a number of probable timber-framed buildings, dating from the late 13th or 14th centuries AD, were found and recorded during clearance operations in advance of the construction of the foundations for the new building, but being badly disturbed, their plans and exact numbers could not be ascertained. In one small area, at least seven medieval chimney pots and some domestic pots were recovered and a well-preserved 14th-century water-pipe (or sewer pipe) was found parallel to and up against the side wall of no 15, North Lane. A number of large and small rubbish pits were also examined during building construction.

In April 1978 The Canterbury Archaeological Trust began a salvage excavation on the site of 16-21 North Lane where a new building was being constructed. The sitecode was NL78.
Time and pressure of work did not allow for a complete record to be made and the stratified archaeological levels were mostly removed by machine. Only the deeply cut features were examined in detail, usually after having been partially truncated by the cutting of the proposed buildings foundations.
The earliest find recorded was a Roman kiln. Posibly associated with it, and contained within a thick deposit of Roman top soil, was a scatter of late first or early second-century AD pottery.
A number of inhumation burials were found on the site, probably Medieval in date. Five skeletons were actually excavated and a further two were observed by the contractors during the digging of the buildings foundations. The nature of interment seems to be hurried and, together with the extra-mural location, may indicate a plague cemetery. Elements of a number of buildings, dating from the late 13th/14th centuries were recorded, together with several rubbish pits. (1)

Through comparison with burial found in the nearby area, the graves were later interpreted as being late Roman/sub-Roman in date.
The graves were aligned NE-SW. Double burials were identified in two of the excavated graves. The first contained an adult female aged around 25, and a young adult make aged around 18. The second grave contained the remains of an adult male aged around 23 and a child aged 12-15. The third grave excavated contained the remains of an adult male aged around 25. The two other graves at the site which were not excavated were thought to be single burials. (2)

<1> Bennett, P., Garrard, P. & McPherson-Grant, N. C., 1979, Excavations at 16-21 North Lane, Canterbury (Serial). SKE30002.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1998, North Lane/Station Road West, Canterbury, proposed residential development: archaeological study and impact mitigation assessment/Report No 1998/12. (Unpublished document). SKE54702.