In April 1953 two trenches were cut to a depth of 1.22m by a mechanical excavator at right angles to th River Stour on a site lying SW of the Tannery and NE of St Mildred's School. The site code was CXXIIIK. It was hoped to find a NS Roman street, but waterlogged and muddy conditions impeded the excavations and the results were inconclusive.
Trench II was waterlogged and produced nothing of note.
The lowest level reached in Trench I was a layer of gravel, thought to be natural. Overlying this was a thin layer of occupation material and bones, possibly part of a Roman Street.
Above the gravel was a deposit of black pebbly mud 1.37m thick. This was probably a result of flooding. This deposit was sealed by a layer of fairly hard gravel, probably part of a 12th century EW oriented street, seen at a depth of c. 2.13m.

Above the road surface was a sandy layer overlain by a layer of black mud containing late 13th century pottery. Wooden stakes were driven into this and the following layers, possibly representing a revetting along the bank of the River Stour. These were sealed by a peaty deposit overlain by a dark mud on top of which was a dark earth mixed with mortar and building debris. Hard yellow clay and gravel overlaid by black mud covered this.

Andrews, G., 1985, The Archaeology of Canterbury: An Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE30429.

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