During a series of extensive rescue excavations, ahead of development in Dover’s town centre undertaken by Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit a number of small, early Roman ditches were recorded running beneath the walls of the ‘Painted House’. They were the earliest features recorded at the site and none could be examined in any great detail due to the presence of overlying Roman masonry. A 2m length of ditch was traced running northwest – southeast at the northern end of the site.

The ditch cut the natural brick earth and a prehistoric top-soil which contained pottery and flints of a Neolithic date. It was 1.7m wide by 1.3m deep with a V shaped profile, the fill consisted of a brown clay loam and had no datable finds. It is possible that it is contemporary with another ditch which was located running beneath the Roman features at the Battle of Britain Homes site which was located over the footprint of the York Street bypass. (1)

<1> Philp, B, 1989, The Roman House with Bacchic Murals at Dover (Monograph). SKE24004.