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Publication Date: Spring 2008

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Summary:

The archaeological excavations at the site of the Salvation Army International Headquarters in the City of London gave an opportunity to revisit the scene of a previous investigation by Peter Marsden whose work at this site for the Guildhall Museum in 1961–62 was very much limited by the circumstances of the day and consisted of a number of watching brief observations made over an extended period of time. Despite these limitations he was able to produce a coherent story for the site which was represented by two periods of massive Roman monumental masonry (‘Period I’ and ‘Period II’), the earlier of which was effectively sealed by a substantial chalk raft foundation for the latter. However, dating the structures was problematical (Marsden 1967a).

In the 1980’s two excavations by the Museum of London’s Department of Urban Archaeology (DUA) to the west and south of the site at Peter’s Hill and Sunlight Wharf furthered our understanding of this area of the City, in particular of the extensive ‘Period II’ building complex. Tim Williams produced an excellent synthesis of the available evidence from these two sites, incorporating Marsden’s work and previous observations dating to the early days of Queen Victoria’s reign (Williams 1993).  The ‘Period II’ structures, dated by dendrochronological analysis of piles supporting the chalk platform to AD 294,  were interpreted as parts of a palatial administrative complex housing the ‘primary functions of the late Roman state: armoury, treasury, mint, supply base, administrative offices, residential quarters, temples and public amenities’. It was suggested that the ‘Period I’ structures formed part of a massive programme of public works in the southwest area of Londinium along the waterfront, which included the Huggin Hill bathhouse to the east and probably a temple and at least one monumental arch or entrance. Although apparently constructed in the late 1^st or early 2^nd century and subsequently refurbished or rebuilt on more than one occasion prior to construction of the Riverside Wall c. AD 270, there was still little evidence to precisely date the ‘Period I’ structure found by Marsden.

The recent investigations, in 2001–03, although limited in scope revealed that Roman masonry remains survived 1960’s construction along the southern part of the Salvation Army Headquarters building with even more substantial Roman, medieval and post-medieval remains present to the south, beneath Booth Lane.

Tentative evidence of 1^st century waterfront activity, associated with the timber threshold of a possible warehouse, were observed, suggesting that the port of Roman London may have extended further to the west and at an earlier date than previously supposed. Masonry from the ‘Period I’ structure previously observed by Marsden was revealed with more detailed recording allowing better understanding of construction techniques and more accurate dating, whilst the major discovery of a western apse fronting the Thames, reflecting the previously known eastern apse allows with more certainty the layout of the buildings and their functions to be proposed.

The ‘Period II’ masonry revealed beneath Booth Lane advances the knowledge and understanding of the eastern of the two temples that were proposed by Williams to occupy the area (1993, 13–32) and shows the enormity of its masonry construction. The findings from the site together with those from Sunlight Wharf to the south would suggest that they are part of a massive podium for a temple, measuring c. 21m by 8m.

Covering the ‘Period II’ remains were a series of metalled surfaces, roadside ditches, structural and other occupation activity dating from the 11^th to the 17^th centuries on the line of Thames Street and Lambeth Hill. The latest surface showed evidence of extreme heat caused by the Great Fire of 1666, which destroyed a building on the northwest side of the junction of the two roads, which had been associated, at least later in its life, with brewing. Reconstruction after the Great Fire was provided by the foundations of a late 17^th century structure, built further to the north than previous edifices, to allow for a widened Thames Street. The latest phase of activity recorded on the site was the early Victorian sewer, originally beneath Thames Street, the construction of which first brought to light the massive Roman masonry remains surviving in the area.