Current Excavations

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Sarre, Isle of Thanet

Unfortunately due to the awful spring weather this year, the tenant farmer has asked us to postpone the start of our Sarre excavations. These were due to have started in August this year, but will now start in 1984.

Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Work will start at the beginning of October on the first stage of the Watling Street Carpark excavations and continue in stages for at least two years. These Rescue Excavations which will be funded by Canterbury City Council and the D. of E., are taking place on the last of the very large areas available within the City walls. The excavations will be open to the public, and the first stage should find the remains of the church and graveyard of St. John 'the Poor', a parish church which was amalgamated with the neighbouring St. Mary de Castro church after the Black Death. Volunteer excavators are welcome at any time, as are volunteer finds helpers. Please apply to Tim Tatton-Brown.

A Unique 5th Century Gold Coin from Canterbury

During the latter part of the Marlowe Theatre excavations in Canterbury a unique late 5th century gold tremiss was found in the latest Roman levels. This coin which is a Visigothic copy of a tremiss of Severus or Zero of c A.D.480 was probably minted in South Gaul at Narborre, and brought to Kent some time afterwards as part of a goldsmith's bullion. (Another gold fragment was found on the site nearby). Three other late 5th century imperial gold coins have been found in East Kent in the past, but the only similar coin to the present one is the find from Sittingbourne of a Visigothic gold solidus of Libius Severns.

Tim Tatton-Brown

[fg]jpg|Photograph by courtesy of the Cambridge University Collection|Image[/fg]

Aerial view of cropmarks at Sarre from the North East. In the background can be seen the many graves of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery while the cropmarks in the foreground are perhaps of a Roman settlement. The site of the parish church of St. Giles is probably just this side of the quarry, beyond which runs the main Ramsgate to Canterbury road.

[fg]jpg|A - the A-S grave marks
B - St Giles church
C - A possible Roman site|Image[/fg]