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Reculver is a Romano-British coastal fort of the Saxon Shore system, constructed in the third century AD to defend against Saxon raids, located on the Kent coast near Herne Bay. Following the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the early fifth century, the site was reoccupied and a substantial Anglo-Saxon monastery was established there, which became an important religious centre in Kent during the seventh century. The fort's remaining structures include parts of the defensive ditches and the foundations of the fortification system, whilst the monastery left archaeological traces including burials and architectural fragments. The site was largely destroyed by coastal erosion during the nineteenth century, though the medieval twin towers of the later church of St Mary the Virgin stood prominently until their demolition in 1809, having served as a navigational landmark for shipping.
Reculver Saxon Shore fort, Anglo-Saxon monastery and associated remains is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1018784. View the official record →
Reculver is a Romano-British coastal fort of the Saxon Shore system, constructed in the third century AD to defend against Saxon raids, located on the Kent coast near Herne Bay. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1018784.
Reculver Saxon Shore fort, Anglo-Saxon monastery and associated remains is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1018784.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Gateway to Brook Farm, Hillborough (1.4 km), Anglo-Saxon cemetery, parish church of St Giles and associated remains immediately east of Sarre Mill (5.5 km), Group of ring ditches 400yds (360m) NW of Great Brooks End Farm (6.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Reculver Saxon Shore fort, Anglo-Saxon monastery and associated remains's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Reculver Saxon Shore fort, Anglo-Saxon monastery and associated remains stands on Thanet Sand Formation, bedrock that formed in the Thanetian. The rock here is sand, silt and clay.