Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1971 ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1971 Council presents its One Hundred and Thirteenth Report and the Statement of Accounts for 1970. OBITUARY Council records with great regret the deaths of Mrs. V. M. F. Desborough, Honorary Member, for many years Local Secretary for Tunbridge Wells, and of Major H. M. Rand, T,D,, M.A., Member of Council from 1962 to 1969. Fuller obituary notices appear elsewhere in this volume . .AN'NuAL GENERAL MEETING The .Annual General Meeting was held at the Corpus Christi Fraternity Hall, Maidstone, on 15th May, 1971, when Council's .Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for 1970 were received and adopted, Mr. IC A. Pollock, F.C.A., was elected Honorary Auditor of the Society. A resolution, proposed by Council, to set up a Working Party, consisting offour members nominated by the A.G.M. and four nominated by Council, to examine and report upon the existing Rules of the Society was adopted. A resolution proposed by Mr. Michael D. Nightingale, O.B.E., F.S.A., urging that the work and publications of the Society should pay attention to (I) the preservation of the ancient towns, villages, churches and buildings of Kent, now increasingly threatened; (2) the recording of the more recent folk traditions, customs, dialect and family histories of the people of Kent; ( 3) the study of the post-Conquest History of Kent was also adopted. On the proposal of Dr. P. H. G. Draper, B.Sc., Ph.D., seconded by Major H. R. Pratt-Boorman, C.B.E., M.A., Lt.-Col. G. W. Meates, F.S.A., was elected a Vice-President of the Society in recognition of his great services to archreology in Kent. After the luncheon interval over one hundred members and their friends heard a most interesting and well-illustrated lecture on 'The Conservation of Ancient Objects', by Mr. Harold Barker, B.Sc., F.S.A., of the Research Laboratory of the British Museum. The lecture was received with much pleasure and the President expressed the thanks of the Meeting to the lecturer. CoUNOIL At the Annual General Meeting the following were elected to Council: Mr. J. E. L. Caiger; Dr. P. H. G. Draper, B.Sc., Ph.D.; Dr. F. Hull, B.A., Ph.D.; Mr. F. Jenkins, M.A., F.S.A.; Mrs. M. C. Lebon, M.A.; and Mr. E.W. Parkin. Mr. C. R. Councer, F.S.A., continues as Chairman. Mr, P. E. Oldham, B.A., was elected to Council in the place of Brigadier E. V. Bowra, O.B.E., resigned. LooAL ORGANIZATION This has been very much the concern of Council during the year as it wrui felt more must be done both to involve members in the Society's activities and to offer them a wider range of functions in which they could participate. To this end, Local Secretaries have been asked to try to organize :xlvi REPORT, 1070 lectures, exhibitions or similar functions in thefr areas and to try to make and keep contact with their members. It is hoped that in suitable places local branches will be formed, organized and run by the members themselves, and all possible help will be given to these. A branch of this sort has been in existence for some time at Tunbridge Wells and a new one has recently been formed in the Maidstone area. CALENDAR OF EVENTS To improve communication between the Society and its members and particularly to facilitate the kind of local activities envisaged above, it has been decided to publish a quarterly Calendar of Events, which will be distributed to all members. Local Secretaries, Historical or Archteological Societies, whether members or affiliated, directors of excavations and organizers of any archieological activity in the county are urged to make the fullest possible use of this channel of communication. Material for inclusion in each issue should reach the Honorary General Secretary by 1st March, 1st June, 1st September, and 1st December, respectively. REVISION OF RULES In accordance with the resolution passed at the Annual General Meeting, the Working Party has carried out a most careful scrutiny of the Society's Rules. Their recommendations, which were unanimous, were submitted to Council and, with a few minor amendments, accepted. They are now embodied in the amendments which will be placed before the General Meeting of the Society. MEMBERSHIP Members are reminded that subscriptions, unless paid by Bankers' Order, should now be sent NOT to the Honorary General Secretary as previously, but to the Honorary Membership Secretary (Mr. P. E. Oldham, B.A., 15 Hermitage Lane, Barming, Maidstone). Subscriptions are due on the 1st of January and much inconvenience is avoided if they are paid promptly. Over one hundred new members joined the Society during 1971 and, allowing for resignations and deaths and the removal from membership wider Rule I0(a) of forty-one members, the total membership now stands at 1,143. Council appeals to all members to do their best to bring in new members. The Society's Information Leaflet is available to all members upon application to the Honorary General Secretary, the Honorary Membership Secretary, or to Local Secretaries. FIN.A.NOE The Accowits for 1970, adopted at the Annual General Meeting, are published with this report. Mr. L. D. Lyle, M.A., has assumed the office of Honorary Treasurer and Mr. P. E. Oldham, B.A., that of Honorary Membership Secretary. To enable the Society to maintain and expand its activities and to cushion the effects of rising costs, new members are urgently needed. Application forms are obtainable from the Hon. General Secretary. It would assist in the smooth running of the Society if members would pa.y their subscriptions by Banker's Order and, if possible, enter into Sevenxlvii REPORT, 1970 Year Covenants, to enable the Society to recover Income Tax on their subscriptions at no cost to themselves. Forms for both these purposes a􀂚e obtainable from the Hon. General Secretary, the Hon. Membership Secretary, or the Hon. Treasurer. EXCURSIONS It was only possible to arrange two excursions this year, owing to the postal dispute and the illness of the Hon. Excursions Secretary. The sites visited are listed below. Saturday 22nd May Saturday, 19th June Farnham Farnham Castle The Bishop's Palace Compton Church Waverley Abbey Wilmer House, Farnham Museum Bromley Bromley College Keston Wickham Court Mr. K. W. E. Gravett, M.Sc.(Eng.), F.S.A. MissS. Ware The Rector Mr. K. W. E. Gravett, M.Sc.(Eng.), F.S.A. Rev. F. J. McBride, M.A. Mr. Brian Philp Sister Mary Bapt.ist The Society is grateful to the ladies and gentlemen mentioned above who acted as guides and did so much to make the visits more interesting. Our thanks are also due to Mr. H. G. A. Booth, Curator of Farnham Museum, for his help, and to Miss S. M. Bell of the Department of the Environment, and to Mr. S. Marples, Superintendent of Works, for their help in connection with the visit to Waverley Abbey. The Hon. Excursions Secretary would be grateful to hear from members about places of interest that could be included in future programmes . .AltCH.lEOLOGIA CANTIA.NA Volume lxxxv was published early in 1971. The volume maintains its unbroken high standard, under the editorship of Mr. A. P. Detsicas, M.A. , F.S.A., and the papers it contains cover a wide field of Archreology and History, designed for the interest of every member of the Society. LIBRARY A.ND COLLECTIONS The following books and booklets have been added to the library: Purchased: Canterbury Marriage Licences, 1810-1837; Canterbury Licences (General), 1586-1646, both edit. A. J. Willis; Beaker Pottery of Great Britain and Irel,and, 2 vols. , by D. L. Clarke; Pagan Celtic Britain: Studies in Iconography and Tradition, by Anne Ross; Gifts: The Dutch in the Medway, by P. G. Rogers, given by A. B. Webster; Education in Bexley, by L. A. and L. M. Levy, given by Bexley Borough Libraries; F. J.C. Spurrell, Kentish Antiquary and Arclu:eologist, by Nesta D. Caiger, given by the author. Exchanges of publications have been arranged with the University of London Institute of Archmology (Bul'letin of the Institute of Arclu:eology) and the Stadt Heilbronn Hiatorisches Museum (Jalwbuch fur schwiibischfriinld, sche Geschichte). xlviii REPORT, 1971 REOORDS PUBLIOATION COMMITTEE The publication at the end of 1971 of Volume xx of the Kent Records series, Timber and Brick Building in Kent, prepared by Mr. K. W. E. Gravett, puts a welcome end to a long period of delay and uncertainty. It also presents a new departure for the Society both in format and content, and it is hoped that the new volume will attract wide interest. Plans are well advanced for additional volwnes, and it is hoped that the first of a series relating to the Rochester Cathedral archives, prepared by the Revd. Canon B. J. Wigan, will be submitted to the publishers shortly. The Committee would welcome suggestions of suitable material for publication, especially if likely editors can also be indicated. PLAOE-NAMES COMMITTEE The Council agreed during the year to approach the County Local History Committee of the K.C.S.S. in order to reform the Place-Names Committee on a wider basis. Nevertheless, it remains difficult to see just how a Committee can provide more than a co-ordinating service since the onus clearly falls on the English Place-Names Society. That Society has indicated that it would welcome assistance in collecting field names from Tithe Awards and l\fr. A. Cross, M.A., of the County Archives Office, has agreed to act as co-ordinator for this project. Interested persons should therefore contact him at County Hall, Maidstone. REPORT OF THE C.P.R.K./K.A.S. PRESERVATION OF ANOIENT BUILDINGS COMMITTEE, 1970-1971 (1) The interesting ancient building at Otham, known as Madam Taylor's Cottages, is in process of being modernized and converted to one dwelling. ·we were particularly gratified in that one of our architect committee members was consulted by the agents on the alterations which they proposed to carry out. He made several suggested amendments, and what we hope will turn out to be a most satisfactory restoration will eventuate. (2) The restoration of the most attractive half-timbered building in Well Street, East Malling, known as The Barracks, is now nearing completion, and the owner is to be congratulated on what he has done. He and his wife, by travelling over much of England, were able to obtain materials of similar character and date to utilize in the work of restoration, and thanks to their enterprise and the enthusiasm of the builder concerned a most pleasing result has been obtained. (3) Concern is expressed at the condition of the remains of the Archbishop's Manor House at Cha.ring. The fine barns are deteriorating and the cottage on the left of the gateway has been empty for some while. The whole group of buildings has interesting historical connections. There has recently been a change of ownership, and the R.D.C. has been negotiating with the owner and his agents, and has obtained another report from S.P.A.B. on the group of buildings. They are described as importan t, dating from the thirteenth century, though the old Hall (or refectory) and the Gatehouse range were probably built in the fourteenth century. The whole group is scheduled as an Ancient Monument. (4) With the consent of the owner, who was present, several members of the Committee made a detailed inspection of Lower Newlands Farmhouse, Teynha.m, the future of which seemed to be in danger. Members were able to point out to the owner many extremely interesting features in xlix 4 REPORT, 1971 the building, and we are glad to hear that the house has been sold to someone who, we understand, wishes to spend a considerable sum of money on its restoration. (5) It may not be generally known that the beautiful Moyle and Finch monuments and tombs in the ruined church at Eastwell which, after the roof had collapsed in 1951, were enclosed in an extremely stark and absolutely utilitarian brick structure on the site of part of the chancel, have been removed and re-erected at the Victoria. and Albert Museum. The decision to do this was only taken after the Committee had explored every possibility of either getting the brick structure improved and opened up, so that members of the public could enjoy seeing the tombs, or of getting them re-erected in a nearby church, e.g. Challock. As was to be expected, their removal and re-erection have been carried out with great care and good taste, and anyone who knew Eastwell Church up to immediately after the war should visit the Museum. The monument to Emily, Countess of Winchilsea and Nottingham by Lawrence Macdonald, 1850, has also been taken from the ruined church to the Museum. Meanwhile, the condition of Lake House, adjacent to the churchyard, continues to deteriorate, and the Committee is pressing the R.D.C. to take action before it is too late, which may not be long. (6) During the twelve-month period many applications for listed building consent to demolish buildings included in the Statutory List have been referred to the Committee for its observations. Among the cases where consent has been refused are No. 88 High Street, Rochester; Bu11 Hotel, High Street, Sittingbourne; Priest's House at rear of No. 67 High Street, West Malling; The Rookery, St. Mary Cray; Lady Boswell's School, Sevenoaks; and Nos. 20-22 High Street, Queenborough. Some oases went to appeal, and the Minister dismissed the appeal. (7) Anxiety is felt about the future of Finchcooks, near Goudhurst, and Bourne Park, Bishopsbourne, both of which are up for sale. On being vacated by the Legat School of Ballet, Finchcooks was purchased, and the Committee was able to assist the purchaser's architect in some research on the building. After not much more than six months this fine eighteenthcentury house is, however, again on the market. Bearing in mind the long struggle during the '50s to save the fine Queen Anne mansion Bourne Park from demolition, in which the late Cyril Chettoe, Chairman of C.P .R.K., played such a prominent pa.rt, and then of preventing the owner from removing some of the interior fittings, it is alarming that the property is again up for sale. It had been bought for use as a. Roman Catholic monastery or school, but the proposal was not proceeded with. The large parkland had been acquired separately, and is in different ownership. (8) The problem of the maintenance of historic buildings owned by local authorities has been ea.using the Committee much concern, and it has taken the question up with the Civic Trust. It came to a head with the apparent unwillingness of the London Borough of Bromley to maintain or restore the Priory Outbuildings, Orpington, even after the Minister, on appeal, had refused their application for listed building consent to demolish them. The case was also taken up by the Committee with the Chairman of the G.L.C. Historic Buildings Board, who was very concerned about Bromley Borough's inaction. Though we believe that, as a result of considerable pressure from the Department of the Environment, the G.L.C., and many voluntary organizations, the London Borough of Bromley 1 REPORT, 1971 are now spending some money on emergency repairs, the underlying situation is still very unsatisfactory, and the Civic Trust is building up a dossier of the more flagrant cases of local authority neglect. EXCAVATIONS 001\'IMITTElll On the recommendation of the Committee, grants have been made during the year to the following excavations or researches. £ Boxley Abbey (Kent Archroological Society) 20 Canterbury Castle (Canterbury Archreological Society) 50 Dover (New Dover Group) 250 Eccles Roman Villa and Training School (Eccles Excavation Committee) 100 Maidstone Area Survey (Maidstone Area Archooological Group) 40 Springhead Roman Town (Gravesend Historical Society) 25 Tonbridge, Castle Hill (Tonbridge Historical Society) 60 £545 Interim reports on the excavations at Boxley Abbey, undertaken by the Society in 1971, Canterbury, Castle Hill, Tonbridge, Eccles and Springhead, appear in another part of the volume. Research Grants. Applications for financial aid should be made to the Honorary General Secretary by 31st October in the year preceding that for which the grant is required. Application forms may be obtained from the Hon. General Secretary and information upon how the grant is to be spent and what other financial resources, if any, are available, Rhould bo included. Report on the Eighth Conference of Building Recorders, held in the Museum, Maidstone, on Saturday, 16th October, 1971. This conference, held on behalf of the C.P.R.K./K.A.S. Study-group on recording historic buildings, attracted an audience of over forty people. It commenced with a talk by Mr. C. R. Councer on the Colleges of Kent. These groups of secular priests have left consi