During excavations undertaken by Canterbury Archaeological Trust, ahead of the rebuilding of the Townwall Street filling Station, Dover, a complex series of stratified archaeological deposits were revealed representing activity at the site between the early Medieval period and later post medieval periods. Period 1; 1175-1300 is the first time intensive colonisation of the site began (before had been only superficial activity within the area; Period 0). A series of building plots was established, each occupies by a succession of timber or stone structures, in all 8 individual building plots were identified and five of these were examined in detail. Buildings 1 and 41 were located in plot E at the southern end of the site these are the first two in a series of nine buildings located at this part of the site.

Building one was not fully exposed but consisted of a single rammed chalk floor cut by nine stake holes and a single post hole. There was no occupation deposit associated with this structure and no associated datable material. Building 41 was built upon dumps of sandy beach shingle which partially sealed building one at the south-west end. It is cut by the edge of the East Brook and a large post medieval pit. The building consisted of a succession of rammed chalk floors sealed by thin occupation layers. It abutted building 40 to the east both of which were eventually destroyed by a fire. A flat, heavily burnt, greensand hearth slab was located towards the western end of the building with two possibly associated pits (maybe for fuel storage).

The buildings were associated with a wide variety of small finds including; pottery, animal and fish bone, quern stone, iron nails and an iron knife. (1)

<1> Keith Parfitt, Barry Corke and John Cotter, 2006, Townwall Street, Dover: Excavations 1996 (Monograph). SKE31840.