Monument record TR 34 SW 1506 - Medieval building (building 43) off Townwall Street, Dover (Period 2)

Summary

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. In period 2, following the densely packed timber and stone buildings of the period 1 occupation of the site, there appears to have been a marked hiatus at the end of the 13th century, when the structures on most of the plots were abandoned. Building 43, which was situated at the north-western end of Clarence Street, to the north-east of building 42 but still within plot B, was not fully investigated, but consisted of two contemporary, substantial walls constructed from mortared greensand and flint with some chalk rubble. A date of between c. 1500 - 1675 has been attributed to this building. (Location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Location

Grid reference Centred TR 3222 4145 (5m by 6m) (2 map features)
Map sheet TR34SW
County KENT
District DOVER, KENT
Civil Parish DOVER, DOVER, KENT

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

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. In period 2, following the densely packed timber and stone buildings of the period 1 occupation of the site, there appears to have been a marked hiatus at the end of the 13th century, when the structures on most of the plots were abandoned. Building 43, which was situated at the north-western end of Clarence Street, to the north-east of building 42 but still within plot B, was not fully investigated, but consisted of two contemporary, substantial walls constructed from mortared greensand and flint with some chalk rubble, bonded in a cream-white mortar on the north-east side. A date of between c. 1300-1600 has been attributed to this building.

An added wall of greensand and flint, in cream-white mortar on the north east side may represent a garderobe shaft of stair base on the outside of the building. The main south-east wall was traced for almost 6m and could never have been much longer. It is possibly the gable end of a structure at right angles to the street front. No associated floor levels were recognised and there were no datable finds. The east corner had been subsequently cut by a large rubbish pit. The south east wall has been partially robbed and replaced by narrow chalk, flint and greensand rubble boundary wall bonded in a brown clay loam, of which only a short length survived. The robbing seems to have taken place sometime before building 51 was erected (c. 1675)


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

Sources/Archives (1)

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

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • Event Boundary: Excavations off Townwall Street, Dover. (EKE5693)
  • Intrusive Event: Excavations off Townwall Street, Dover. (EKE15649)

Record last edited

Apr 27 2017 4:16PM