A Roman Drainage Culvert, Great Fire Destruction Debris and Other Evidence from Hillside Sites North-East of London Bridge: Excavations at Monument House and 13-21 Eastcheap, City of London

Two 1998 excavations provide important new evidence of Roman and later development on the terraced ground north of the Thames and south of Cornhill. The Monument House site lay just north-east of the Roman bridgehead, immediately behind river quays and warehouses. First-century landscaping and gravel quarries were followed by timber buildings. Early 3rd-century redevelopment included a substantial masonry building and a subterranean drainage culvert which carried dirty water south from Cornhill to the Thames. It remained in use until the mid 4th century AD and has been preserved in situ beneath the new development. At 13-21 Eastcheap early buildings were sealed by Hadrianic fire debris. Rebuilding included timber drains and fragmentary masonry buildings. Later reoccupation at Monument House included a 10th-century AD sunken-floored building and medieval properties. A large 15th-century tenement east of Botolph Lane and north of Cat Lane was remodelled before destruction in the Great Fire. The finds assemblage includes rare ironwork, an ornate fireplace and decorated tiles. At 13-21 Eastcheap isolated medieval pits contained animal bone possibly related to Eastcheap's role as a centre of butchery.