Education Committee
Canterbury Archaeological Trust
The KAS grant for 2017 contributed principally to funding activities for Kent teachers and pupils but also a number of public events. The Trust is fortunate to receive the Society’s support and hopes its members feel it is well spent.
The new Ian Coulson Annual Bursary (see fig 1) for Local History and Archaeology in Kent Schools is the result of an initiative from Andy Harmsworth, Education Committee member and a subsequent proposal to Council. The bursary was launched at the AGM in May and has financial support for the next two years from Ian’s wife, Liz, and the Society. Publicity went out extensively to Kent schools in various digital forms (including Maidstone Museum’s newsletter) and via various social media.
In its first year, schools had little time to respond but applications came in from Canterbury (The Archbishop’s School and Canterbury Academy), Tonbridge (The Hayesbrook School), Maidstone (Maidstone Grammar School for Girls), Gravesend (St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School), and Sevenoaks (Weald Primary School). All were secondaries apart from one. The successful applicant was St John’s, whose resources will be World War I themed. The Education Committee gives a big thank you to Liz Coulson and the Society for supporting this initiative.
A new CAT course for teachers was held in the Spring and Autumn (see fig 2). ‘Supporting History in the Primary School’ went down well, and teachers came from schools in Dover, Pluckley, Southfleet, Maidstone, Broadstairs, Gravesend, and Sevenoaks.
Apart from the usual engagement, there have been additional outreach activities for Kent children, and the programme is expected to continue expanding. The aim of these activities is to enhance the understanding and appreciation of archaeology and history among Kent’s younger population, ensuring that future generations remain connected to their heritage.
New opportunities to spread the word at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) arose. A ‘Teach Meet’ event was a revelation as a dozen or so educators each gave a micro presentation to an audience of 50 Kent primary and secondary teachers. We each had 4 minutes to enthuse them with something—think of speed dating. CAT promoted the use of artefacts as a motivational tool. With ice creams and a raffle, it was all very energizing.
A ‘Teach First’ History workshop for secondary students was another interesting development. ‘Teach First’ trains top graduates to teach in schools in low-income communities across the UK.
The CAT loans collections went out to schools in Folkestone, Tenterden, Pluckley, Sittingbourne, Canterbury, Ramsgate, Dover, Bridge, Herne, Maidstone, Ashford, Bredgar, Deal, Sheerness, Brabourne, and Aylesham (see fig 3). Teachers collect the loans from the Trust, giving an opportunity for exchange and feedback. The Lees Court Estate project also had a CAT KIT and an ARK for use throughout the project duration.
We joined Andy Harmsworth for the Historical Association Primary History conference, which also had presenters from Historic England and a local author of historical fiction. CAT’s contribution was an Anglo-Saxon workshop featuring resources about The Meads Sittingbourne, Buckland Dover, and Lyminge. Teachers came from schools in Blean, Sittingbourne, Littlebourne, Guston, Whitstable, and Canterbury.
Public events in 2017 included:
A family day, ‘Fuddled by a Find’, at the Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone, as part of the final fling for the Trust’s ‘40 Years’ celebrations.
Partnering CCCU’s Centre for Kent History and Heritage for Canterbury’s annual ‘Medieval Pageant’, enjoyed by some 600 people.
Joining Newington History Group at the impressive Newington Summer Festival, attended by 100s enjoying the good weather and beer.
Showing Canterbury Cathedral visitors the results of the Trust’s investigations in the Precincts associated with The Canterbury Journey as part of the CBA Festival of Archaeology (see figs 4 & 5).
CAT is a partner of Canterbury City Council’s five-year Parks for People project and has provided material and guidance for an on-site Discovery Trail and taken part in several events, including the Parks’ Open Day.
Themed workshops were delivered at St Nicholas-at-Wade CEP, Beaver Green Primary Ashford, Preston Primary, The Slade Primary Tonbridge, Hornbeam Primary Deal, and Sturry Primary.
Fairs are the way-in at the secondary level where 100s of students (and their teachers) can learn something of their local archaeology; stalls at St Anselm’s RC School Canterbury, Dane Court Grammar School Broadstairs, and Herne Bay High School were all well received (see fig 6). Dutch secondary schools are keen to hear about Canterbury’s archaeology and ‘Meet the Archaeologist’ at the Beaney was delivered to our regular Bladel school and a new one from Zwin, also on the Belgian-Dutch border.
Marion Green, Education Officer, Canterbury Archaeological Trust
Trust for Thanet Archaeology
In 2017, the Trust’s emphasis on its Education remit was strengthened. The usual programme of lectures and talks to local groups took place over the year, with a highlight being a well-attended talk on the Archaeology of Ramsgate.
Work was completed to open The Antoinette Centre as an Education space which can be opened for public events. The Centre has been our home at Quex Park since 2007. A dedicated website for the Antoinette Centre was also launched, which gives details of the activities and courses over the year and allows online enquiries and booking.
The Education space at the Antoinette Centre is open for the use of all groups with interest in History and Heritage, as well as for the Trust’s Education activities. The first event hosted in the new space was a training course from CITiZAN, on recording the archaeology of the coast and intertidal zone. A range of courses was offered in the Autumn and Winter from Mobile Archaeology, a new historical education provider. The Trust itself also provided a hands-on workshop on ceramics in Thanet’s archaeology. The centre houses a curated Education collection of ceramics and other artefacts, as well as a wide range of teaching resources and equipment which will be available to the groups using the space. There is also open space available outside for a broader range of activities.
Last summer, the Trust for Thanet Archaeology was commissioned to organise a Community Investigation of the Archaeology and History of Ellington Park in Ramsgate, which had been awarded a development grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project began with a lecture to interested local people on the potential of the park for archaeological and historical research by Ges Moody, followed by a workshop on archaeological and historical research methods that could be applied.
Also in Ramsgate:
In September, we returned with our Time Tunnel to Bradstow School in Broadstairs, where we engaged over 250 children from local schools in the story of Friendships and Fallouts from Waterloo to World War One. The Time Tunnel is a gentle introduction to the history of European conflict told through a series of scenes, punctuated with iconic hats, from Napoleon’s distinctive admiral’s hat, through a balaclava helmet, a Khaki pith helmet, and ending with a tin hat of First World War vintage.
Ges Moody
Director, Trust for Thanet Archaeology
Canterbury YAC
The club continued to see an increase in members in 2017 from across East Kent, and for the first time in quite a few years, we had more than we could comfortably accommodate at some events. Most of the new members were in the 8–10 years age group, and increased numbers here balance out the drop-off we continue to see in the 13–14-year-olds, due to the demands of studying.
We have had a couple of Archaeology students from the University of Kent at Canterbury helping out at meetings to gain experience in Community Archaeology, adding another source of archaeological knowledge and tales from student excavation work, which all help to relate the YAC sessions to actual archaeological practice.
The early meetings of the year looked at the use of measurement in Archaeology, Egyptian burial practices, and the mummification of oranges as part of an experiment in why different artefacts are preserved better in different environments.
In March, members were given a tour of the Canterbury Cathedral Archives and a fascinating talk about how its items are conserved. Regretfully for all concerned, we ran out of time to complete the second part of the tour into the archaeology of the site due to the enthusiasm of the staff to engage with the children.
At the April meeting, members pawed over maps and records from different time periods to discuss the information that can be learnt from these and why they are useful for archaeologists. Members also resurrected most of the mummified oranges; two could not be found and are still somewhere in the parents’ houses. A fascinating discussion was had to compare the rate of decay against where they had been stored.
In May, Marion Green hosted a very lively interactive session at Canterbury Archaeological Trust on Burials and Bones. The members thoroughly enjoyed themselves, seeking to interpret photographs and reports of various graves and handle some bones.
May also saw myself and one of my assistant leaders, Isobel Curwen, getting up early on a Saturday to get to London to catch the 8 am train from Euston to attend the YAC leaders training conference, on the coast near Liverpool. We had a great but tiring weekend mingling with over 70 other YAC leaders from across the country and came back with a wealth of material and ideas for future sessions.
June saw us getting ready for visits to archaeological digs, introducing the members to the sites, what happens on an excavation, and the Health and Safety rules. We also introduced the members to stratigraphy (worksheets as to how to make a stratigraphy cake available on request).
July and August saw the club take up invites to dig at the Canterbury Archaeological Trust dig at Folkestone and the Kent Archaeological Field School dig at Faversham. As usual, the chance to get involved in doing actual archaeology remains the session the members enjoy most.
The final sessions of the year focused on Maritime Archaeology, Environmental Archaeology, and Piracy.
We are always interested in hearing from anyone inviting the club to visit their event, or giving a talk or running a session for the club. Also, during 2018, due to their moving out of the area, I will be losing both of my main assistant leaders with archaeological experience, so am very interested to hear from anyone willing to consider helping out one Saturday a month.
Peter Walker
Canterbury YAC Leader