Prehistoric worked flint and flint cores alongside Prehistoric and Roman pottery sherds were recovered from within a series of silty loam layers uncovered during a watching brief at 17 Biggin Street, Dover.

In detail: in test pit 1 below the chalk block cellar an undisturbed deposit of brown silty clay loam with occasional flints and tufa grits was revealed. This was at least 0.5m thick and very wet, probably indicating the close proximity of the natural water table. The layer produced several oyster shell, animal bone fragments, some calcined flints and two pot sherds of the late Roman period. The base of this layer was not revealed. In test pit 2, below the base of a cellar a sequence of four undisturbed soil deposits was revealed one of which produced a single sherd of prehistoric flint tempered ware (early Iron Age), together with a possible prehistoric flint core. More silty clay loam was identified in this test pit below a burnt clay deposit. This contained occasional large tufa lumps, flint and chalk lumps and occasional carbon specks. It yielded three sherds of second century Roman pottery, together with a probable middle Bronze Age sherd. This layer rested upon a deposit of yellow orange clay containing frequent chalk lumps and a few calcined flint fragments. This was at least 0.2m thick. (summarised from source)(1-2)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1997-1998, Canterbury’s Archaeology 1997–1998; Fieldwork Kent Sites (Article in serial). SKE32048.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1998, Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief at No.17 Biggin Street, Dover (Unpublished document). SKE7329.