In April 2014, Keevil Heritage Consultancy undertook an archaeological watching brief during the construction of a new retaining wall and fence in the garden of 'The Deanery' (1).

A possibly medieval rubble layer and various modern features were uncovered and various Roman up to Post-Medieval artefacts were recovered. (1)

The report summarises the work as follows:
"An archaeological watching brief was carried out in the rear garden of the Deanery at Rochester Cathedral in April 2014. The work was necessary because a new foundation trench had to be dug for a retaining wall alongside the existing wall between the Deanery garden and the neighbouring College Green’s rear access passageway. The excavation was mostly within thick layers of garden soil, but a wall or footing that may relate to the 14th-century precinct/Bishop’s Palace wall was found at the south-west end of the trench. The top of a rubble layer was also encountered toward the Deanery end of the trench. Finds from this layer included several fragments of glazed floor tile, substantially larger than the typical size of medieval encaustic decorated tiles. The examples found in the rubble layer are of late medieval or Tudor date and most probably derive from the Bishop’s Palace, which occupied this site. The rubble is therefore interpreted as demolition debris from one of the Palace buildings."

<1> Graham Keevill, 2014, The Deanery garden wall, Rochester Cathedral, Medway, Kent: Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief (Unpublished document). SKE31139.