Sorry, this video asset has been removed.

Video: the dig at
Rochester Cathedral

by Keyan Milanian

A Kent cathedral's archaeologist has stumbled on a 600-year-old
window - and expects it to lead to an even bigger medieval
find.

Graham Keevil, the in-house archaeologist at Rochester
Cathedral, said his find means there may be a building
lying beneath about six feet of soil close to King’s Orchard.

The 14th or 15th century window was discovered beneath a
Roman wall near the historic building.

Mr Keevil - who has worked as an expert for 30 years - lists the
discovery as one of his three most exciting finds.

He and his team, including fellow archaeologists Alan Ward and
Melinda Henderson, started exploratory work on the wall last
Monday, May 24.

Three days later they found the stone window frame
"punched through" the older Roman wall.

Mr Keevil said: “My most exciting finds have been an
unknown Roman villa in Northamptonshire which was fantastically
preserved, and my best one was at the Tower of London when we were
digging in the moat and we found a completely unexpected tower.

“That will probably go on to be the highlight of my career but
this is not far behind.

"It is a quite tremendous find because we were not expecting
it.

“Every now and then things like this happen, you have times when
you are sitting in a field and it is raining and you think 'why am
I doing this?’.

"But then you find something of this quality and you know this
is what you do the work for.”

The window frame is believed to be made of Reigate stone and may
need to be protected as studies have shown it can corrode easily if
left exposed.

However, Mr Keevil said he hoped to be able to have the
building on display in one form or another.

He said he believed the building was used to house the warden of
the medieval infirmary.

The dig, involving three small holes at the moment, has been
funded by English Heritage and through landfill tax.

The team will now apply to carry out further digs in the
area.