|
ditch,’ and pits containing Roman pottery
and glass were found about the middle of the north wall of the
north nave aisle.48 In 1876, during the
underpinning of the outer wall of the south aisle of the nave,
a foundation, thought to be that of an apse and a second wall
to the west of it, were discovered, while both to the west and
the east of the apse was a floor of opus signinum. That
to the west, i.e. within the apse, was covered with a thick
layer of wood— ashes.48 Sir William Hope
suggested that the building might be of Saxon date; it is
perhaps worth noting, however, that its orientation
corresponds with that of the nearest stretch of Roman
town-wall and differs from that of the foundations of the
adjacent Saxon church.
To the south-west of the Cathedral, in Boley Hill
Street, ‘opposite the office of Messrs. Knight and Arnold .
. . at about the depth of from 2 to 3 ft., a strong Roman wall
was laid open for a short distance,’ but no details are
given.47
In 1897 the foundations of a Roman building were
partially uncovered on the southern edge of the yard of the
police station at a depth of upwards of 14 ft. from the level
of High Street. ‘A wall was met with running north and
south, 5 ft. of its length being composed of flints set in a
brownish coloured mortar of the finest quality ; the
remaining 2 ft. of the wall was constructed with layers of
broken tile bedded in mortar mixed with pounded tile, joints
as wide as the tiles. The whole mass of masonry visible was
from 3 ft. 4 in. to 3 ft.10 in. in width, but how much wider
could not be ascertained. On its western side was a wall, 22
in. in width, running in a westerly direction, half its width
being built with flints, the other half with tiles laid in
courses. This wall turned to the north, thus forming the angle
of a compartment.’ There were also evidences of
reconstruction, but since the whole excavation only measured 7
ft. by 6 ft. nothing could be ascertained as to the purpose of
the building.48
In 1905, during the laying of cables along
the High Street, Roman foundations consisting ‘of tiles and
flints buried in exceedingly hard mortar’ were found ‘in
front of the King’s Head Hotel and Commin’s shop
adjoining.’ Roofing and flue tiles were also turned up.
A wall over 10 ft. deep and 2 ft. thick, built of
irregular blocks of Kentish rag, with a double bonding-course
of tiles, and a return-wall, were found in a garden behind
Barclays Bank in High Street, 63 ft. south of the Roman
north-east wall.
‘Foundations of buildings with indications
apparently of a watergate . . . Sarmian ware and other Roman
relics’ were found in 1863 in building an inn near the
‘Crown,’ apparently on the south-west side of High Street
and Close to the bridge.
Only two cemeteries have been found near
Rochester on the eastern bank of the Medway; but two others on
the western bank, at Strood, may perhaps be connected with
Rochester, since no houses have yet been discovered near them,
though numerous rubbish pits suggested habitation (see Top.
Index s.v. Strood).
(1) There appears to have been a large
cemetery at Boley Hill, just outside the south-west wall of
the town. With the exception of a fragment of leaden coffin,
decorated with astragalus and cockleshell pattern, found in
45 Arch. Cant.
xxi, 13.
46 Ibid. xxiii, 214, and p1. ii, plan.
47 Ibid. xxi, 6.
48 Ibid. xxii, lxi. |