An archaeological evaluation was carried out south of 59 St Margaret's Street in Rochester, Kent. The site lies in an area with considerable archaeological potential due to previous finds of Anglo-Saxon burials to the north east and to the south of the site. These burials were inhumations and were all situated in an earlier, shallow cutting the date of which is unknown.
Three trenches were excavated totalling 35.5m. Evidence for post medieval activity was recorded in the form of a foundation base, a well and a large ditch. A fragment of 15th-16th century pot was found in trench two; fragments of 16th to 18th century Ceramic Building Material in trench two. An undated ditch was found in trench two.
The report states: "Archaeological features were identified in trenches one, two and three. The well was dry at the time of the evaluation. No further investigation of the well was undertaken for safety reasons. The brick feature in trench two is considered to represent part of a foundation or a plinth for a post built windmill that is thought to have existed on the site. The ditch had no observable contemporary associations with any other features in trench two or elsewhere. The large 19th century ditch in trench one did not continue into trench two bit its was aligned on the break of slope of the terrace. It had been back filled and then sealed by a levelling deposit…That there was continued activity within the development area in the late 19th early 20th centuries was evidenced by the large cut feature within trench one and in trench two. There was also evidence of earlier activity on the site represented by a ditch."
The report summary states:" The evaluation revealed a moderate amount of archaeological remains in the south of the proposed development. There are remains of 19th century structures and evidence for the alteration of the landscape. The expected inhumations did not occur. However, there is a possibility that a partially exposed concentration of large flint pebbles in the south east corner of trench one which had been thought to be a naturally occurring phenomenon as elsewhere on the site may in fact have been the top of an inhumation. A more extensive excavation that includes the complete exposure of this deposit would be required to determine if there flints are the 'several large flints…overlying the body' (DE Williams and PR Payne 1979, 286) discovered during the previous work on the site. If there are inhumations within the development's footprint then it is likely they survive intact and undisturbed. Details of the proposed development are not available but it is understood that the development will involve an element of bulk ground reduction within the footprint of the proposed building. Such groundworks will have a significant impact upon those features discovered in trenches one and two." (1)

Planning permission for a single detached dwelling has been granted and so archaeological evaluation was required. The site is located to the east side of St Margaret's Street in an overgrown garden to the south of number 59. Three trenches were excavated and various archaeological features and finds were recovered. The features included two ditches, a well, building foundations and a possible cut. The finds that were recovered included ceramic building material (CBM), a base pottery sherd and peg tile fragments. (2)

<1> Archaeology South-East, 2008, An Archaeological Evaluation at 59, St Margaret's Street, Rochester, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE31437.