STONE (near FAVERSHAM).—For the ruined chapel, see Faversham, p. 93. Roman coins have been found in the adjoining field. [Arch. Cant. ix, proc. lxxii.]
   STONE-IN-OXNEY.—An uninscribed altar with an ox carved on each of its four faces, and an iron ring on the bottom, stood in the church of Stone for many years, until it was turned out as a pagan relic and used as a horse block. In 1751, the then Vicar—Mr. Gostling—had it repaired, and placed it in the Vicarage garden; at the present day it once again stands in the church. [Soc. of Antiq. MS. Minutes, viii, 6b, where there is a drawing of it; hence Hasted, Hist. of Kent, viii, 478, and Gough in Camden Brit. (1806), i, 368, Plate XVI, fig. II; Arch. Journ. xv, 165; Arch. Cant. xiv, 101.] Whether the altar was found locally or not must remain unknown, but as it is made of Kentish ragstone from the Hythe Beds we may surmise that it came from Lympne.
   STOWTING.—A hoard of coins in a square wooden box was ploughed up in Ten Acres Field on the Dunders land about 1790, but more probably 13 years earlier. It consisted apparently of some ‘hixndreds of first brass’ coins, dating from Vespasian to Postumus. Two small brass coins of Carausius and Licinius were found at a place called the ‘Pean,’ supposed to be the ancient market place, about 1836. Coins of Pius, Plautilla, Constantine, Diocletian and Valens have been also turned up in the Anglo-Saxon cemetery with others of much later date. Soc. of Antiq. MS. Minutes, xv, 260—2; [Gale, Leland’s Itinerary, p. 86; hence Hasted, Hist. Kent, viii, 46; and Gough in Camden Brit. (1806), i, 351; F. Wrench, A Brief Account of the Parish of Stowting (1845), pp. 6, i 2; Arch. Journ. i, 69; Arch. xxxi, 399; xli, 412.] Several bronze brooches from here are in the British Museum; one is of the Hod Hill type (early 1st century A.D.), two of late Znd-early-3rd-century types, and four are crossbow brooches with heavy knobs (4th century types).
   STROOD.—An extensive cemetery was uncovered in Church Field between Strood and Temple Farm in 1838—9. The burial urns seemed to contain burnt bones and were arranged in groups of 3 or 4 between 2 and 4 ft. below the surface. In and near them were many relics, including jet ornaments, bracelets, bone pins, a bronze brooch, 4 Samian saucers and a dish, several beakers, both of ‘Upchurch,’ and light, brown ware, and 5 handled jugs. Over 600 coins were found: the earliest were unworn, and Antonine coins were most abundant. [Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc. ix, 359; Arch. xxix, 217; Coll. Ant. i, 17.] Much of the pottery is in Rochester and Maidstone Museums. In Maidstone Museum is a series of small crucibles of various shapes. For the coins, see Num. Chron. ii (1839), 112. A jet cameo in the form of a Medusa’ head, pierced for suspension, of Gaulish or British fabric, now in the Ashmolean Museum Arch. lxvi, 572, fig. 5], was probably one of the jet ornaments. In 1853 a second cemetery was found on the north-east side of the London Road in Cage Lane; the site was not fully examined, as the ground was being built over. A number of skeletons were found in trenches running E.—W., together with potsherds, coins, oyster shells, and a quern of pudding stone. [Journ. Brit, Arch. Assoc. ix, 359—60.] Roman burials were often found in the upper part of Strood [Coll. Ant. v, 130]; two burials, with a Samian cup and other pottery, were found behind Strood Union. [Arch. Cant. xxi, lii; P.S.A.L. Ser. ii, xv, 41.] About 700 yds. east of the ‘Coach and Horses’ Inn, on Watling Street (Strood Extra), were found fragments of a large grey urn, a beaker of black ware, and a narrow-necked vase of soft pink pottery, all of which were probably of local manufacture. [Rochester Museum. Rochester Naturalist, No. 130, vi, 50.] During the reconstruction of Watling Street, near the top or Strood Hill, a strap-handled Samian dish, and coins of Licinius, Crispus and Constantine II, were found, but not together. [Maidstone Museum. Rochester Naturalist, No. 131, vi. 106.] Roman pottery was found in 1895 at Wickham Cement Works (now Martin Earle’s), about a mile south-west of Strood; traces of a former land surface some 25 ft. below the level of the marsh have been noted recently. [Ordnance Survey Name Books.] Opposite Wickham Farm and close to the road, three kinds of Roman urns, together with a large iron nail, bones of fish and domestic animals and oyster shells, were found in a grave or cist. [Payne, Coll. Cant. (1893), p. 132.] In Strood Intra, a Roman road, 5 ft. below present level was found about 30 years ago in digging a cellar at No. 97 High Street, opposite the ‘Angel’ Inn.; it was again met with in rebuilding Nos. 107 and 109 a little higher up on the south side. [Smetham, Hist. Strood, p. 2.] The Roman causeway which carried Wading Street across Strood Marsh yielded, among the flints of the foundation, a ‘first brass of Nerva, a ‘first and. second brass’ of Pius, a ‘third brass of Gordian,’ a ‘second brass’ of Maximian, and a lump of iron pyrites; from this it would appear that the causeway was built, or more probably, repaired, during the second quarter of the 3rd century. [Arch. Cant. xxiii, 6; Proc. Soc. Antiq. xviii, 37; the former has an account of the causeway, and there is a small section of the paved surface in the garden of Rochester Museum; above p. 136.] What appeared to be a landing place or wharf connected with the river was cut through in 1897 in the road between the western end of Rochester Bridge and Aveling and Porter’s Engineering Works.