During work to the main drainage system the city engineer, James Pilbrow, observed the foundations of the Blackfriars Gate. These were situated at the junction of The Friars and King Street and consisted of chalk blocks in mortar.

A watching brief was undertaken during the laying of a water-pipe east of no 11 St Peter's Street (close to the intersection of St Peter's Street and The Friars) in February 1984. The site code was BG84.

The mortared chalk-block foundations of the Medieval Blackfriars Gate was exposed and the foundation measured 1.32m wide. The structure was faced, front and back with a mixture of small greensand blocks and knapped flint. The foundations cut a sequence of earlier street metallings and was sealed by construction debris of spent mortar and chalk rubble. The foundation has been interpreted as that spanning the gate jambs and would have been set below contemporary ground level. The gate, possibly built in the 14th century, was demolished in 1787.

In January 1987 The Canterbury Archaeological Trust excavated on the site of the Blackfriars gate at the junction of The Friars with St Peter's Street. The work was undertaken in advance of repaving and as funded by the City Council, the sitecode was BG87.
The gate piers of the gate (c. 1356) were located c. 20cm below the present sreet surface. They were made of mortared chalk blockwork. Despite extensive damage to the gate fuondations by modern service trenches, a carriageway of c. 2.6m was indicated. Rammed gravel and mortar deposits spanned the piers and merged with contemporary street metallings either side of the gate. The surface of a 40cm thick construction deposit of abraded mortar and chalk rubble was encountered 0.70m below the present street level. This in turn overlay a sequence of beaten earth and clay floors, associated with a structure which immediately pre-dated gate construction.
The gate was demolished in 1787.

Pilbrow, J., 1871, Discoveries made during excavations at Canterbury in 1868 (Serial). SKE30226.

Bennett, P., 1984, Blackfriar's Gate, Canterbury 1983-4 (Article in serial). SKE30379.

Andrews, G., 1985, An Assessment. Gazetteer of Excavations. Prehistoric, Belgic and Roman Excavations (Monograph). SKE30006.

Bennett, P., 1987, Blackfriars' Gate (Article in serial). SKE30378.

Frere, S., Bennett, P., Rady, J., Stow, S., 1987, Excavations Intra- and Extra-mural Sites 1949-55 and 1980-84 (Monograph). SKE29800.