KAS Newsletter, Issue 63, Winter 2004/5
Written By KAS
Issue number 63 Winter 2004/5
www.kentarchaeology.org.uk
rain did us no harm!). The award
comprised a large certificate and
a splendid hand-made plate,
suitably inscribed. These two
items were shown to
Members at the annual
Christmas lunch and
will shortly be put on
permanent display in
the Society library at
Maidstone Museum.
The Award also carried
an invitation to
apply for a grant from
the Robert Kiln Trust.
We are hoping that this
will allow us to engage an
expert to assist in the recording
and reporting of some of
the beautiful pieces of painted
wall plaster discovered during
n the last newsletter, we
reported on the final season of
excavation at the Minster-in
–Thanet site of the Abbey
Farm Roman villa complex.
Earlier in 2004, it had been
decided to enter the Abbey
Farm project for one of the annual
British Archaeological Aw a r d s
open to archaeological investigations
carried out by amateurs.
For this Pitt Rivers Award, an
entry was prepared back in May
2004 and we were pleased to learn,
in mid summer, that we had, at
least, won through to the finals.
As a result we were asked to
receive a visit from the award
judges to the Minster site during
the final excavation. As (bad) luck
would have it the visit took place
on the worst day of the whole two
week season – the judges were
greeted by a very muddy field and
pouring rain.
A month or so later, the Society
was invited to send a representative
to the annual Awards ceremon
y, to take place in Belfast.
The Chairman of the Fieldwork
Committee accepted the invitation,
not expecting any success in
the Awards (but taking the opportunity
to visit some of the archaeology
of southern Ireland, thanks
to the new flight service to Dublin
from Manston, which is less than
a mile from the Abbey Farm site).
At the awards ceremony it
therefore came as a great surprise
when the KAS were announced
as the runners-up (out of
18 entries). The judges were
apparently impressed by the dedication
of the Society to the sponsorship
and organisation of the
digs, and of the Members who
took part (perhaps the pouring
Winter 2004/5
1
the excavation.
This is a great result for the
Society, for the two hundred or so
amateurs who have participated
over the years and for the
dedicated band of professionals
who have
put so much effort
into the training
and supervision
of the diggers.
E n c o u r a g e d
by this success,
but with the
Abbey Farm excavation
concluded, the
Fieldwork Committee
are now looking for a suitable
site for a future training excavation
and would very much welcome
suggestions from Members.
Inside
2-3
Stone Castle Pits
Historical Atlas
4-5
Library Notes
Allen Grove Local
History Fund
6-7
Lectures, Courses,
Conferences & Events
8-9
Notice Board
10-11
Oil Paintings
New Books
12-13
Maps, Websites,
Study Circle, Kent
History Fund &
Letters to the Editor
14-15
YACactivities
Holborough Quarry
16
Iron Age comes to
school
nneewwss ll ee tt ee rr K E N T A RC H A E O LO G I C A L S O C I E T Y
The hand-made plate (above) was part of the award accepted by Chris Pout, Chairman of
the Fieldwork Committee.
K A SD I GW I N SAWA R D
Winter 2004/5
2
‘OFFERING’
POTS IN
STONE
CASTLE PITS
‘OFFERING’
POTS IN
STONE
CASTLE PITS
‘OFFERING’
POTS IN
STONE
CASTLE PITS
‘OFFERING’
POTS IN
STONE
CASTLE PITS
‘OFFERING’
POTS IN
STONE
CASTLE PITS
‘OFFERING’
POTS IN
STONE
CASTLE PITS
‘OFFERING’
POTS IN
STONE
CASTLE PITS
‘OFFERING’
POTS IN
STONE
CASTLE PITS
“OFFERING’
POTS IN
STONE
CASTLE PITS
re – Construct Archaeology Ltd
undertook archaeological work
at Stone Castle, located
c. 1.5km to the south of
Greenhithe Village. The work
was commissioned by CgMs
Consulting Ltd on behalf of Land
Securities in advance of a proposed
redevelopment of the site.
The site is situated on Boyn Hill
gravels to the west and undivided,
mainly Seaford Chalk to the east, sloping
down from west to east from a
highest level of 36m OD to 25m OD. To
the east of the site, the Seaford Chalk
had been cryoturbated, with crevices
being silted in with natural brickearth.
This resulted in a rather interesting
‘zebra’ striped effect across the open
area of investigation. The site lies c.
2km south of the River Thames with a
vista across to the West Thurrock
Marshes into Essex. The land has been
under plough during the last 150 years.
This followed its earlier use as a park or
hunting estate. The route from London
to Rochester passes to the north, and
excavations at a Stone Castle chalk pit
to the north-east found evidence of a
Above: The ‘offering’ pots, both complete
and ritually ‘killed’. Right: the Bronze Age
ring ditch.
idea of a comprehensive historical
atlas devoted to Kent and was delighted
to discover that another member of
the KAS Publications
Committee, Professor
David Killingray, was
very much of the
same mind. They
were appointed as joint editors and
with the help of contacts in the academic
world were able to enlist the
expertise of over 50
contributors. A particular
stroke of
luck for the editors
was being put in contact with the
Geography Department at Canterbury
Christ Church University College
whose cartographic technician, John
Hills, subsequently played such an
important role in the successful completion
of the project.
Drs Elizabeth
Edwards and Sheila
Sweetinburgh, both
of the University of
Kent, greatly helped the editors by
taking over responsibility for the coordination
of the Early Modern and
Medieval sections of the Atlas.
The Kent Atlas is twenty per cent
longer than the Sussex example as it
necessarily covers a wider range of
topics, not only because of the various
unique aspects of Kentish history but
also because David Killingray was
embers and Af f i l i a t e d
Societies will have received
their free copy of A n
Historical Atlas of Kent*, the
production of which was
sponsored by the KAS. The
Society funded a substantial
part of the cartographic costs of
the project. Work began in late 2000
spurred by the appearance of A n
Historical Atlas of Sussex a year earlier,
also published
by Phillimore
and accepted as
the model for
the Kent Atlas.
Terry Lawson, Honorary Editor of
the Society, had long supported the
H I S T O R I C A L A T L A S
‘OFFERING’ POTS I N
S T O N EC A S T L EP I T S
“ ...a very important addition to the
printed collections here.”
Stuart Bligh, Manager CKS
“ ... a lasting benefit to Kent historians.”
Mrs Margaret Sparks
Winter 2004/5
3
HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
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HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
ATLAS
HISTORICAL
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HISTORICAL
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HISTORICAL
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HISTORICAL
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ATLAS
Romano British settlement, including a
c e m e t e r y. Other artefacts of Ro m a n
date have been found in the vicinity,
including a number of burials.
Area A (above), immediately to the
north of Stone Castle covered c. 6000
square metres. The machine stripping
revealed a Late Iron Age to Early
Roman site, with initial pottery dating
suggesting activity from c. 100 BC to
AD 80 with a possible earlier Bronze
beyond the limit of excavation. The
Late Iron Age period was represented
by a series of rectangular and rounded
pits which proved to be incredibly rich
in finds material and included several
ritually ‘killed’ pottery vessels and one
complete pot. These features are likely
to represent deliberately backfilled
grain storage pits, with the ceramics
being interred as ‘offerings’ for both
the successful storage and germination
of seed corn. One burial was also discovered
relating to this same period.
The skeleton was in a crouched position
with the head to the north in a
west facing direction and was accompanied
by a polished grinding stone.
Between the Late Iron Age and
Early Roman period the site appears to
have become more developed, with a
series of separate field enclosures
being established in the form of linear
ditches. These contained both pottery
and animal bone, and in one instance,
several deliberately ‘killed’ vessels
were also unearthed. A continuation in
land usage is present in the form of
further storage pits containing large
amounts of pottery and further deliberately
placed ‘goods’ including a horse
skull at the base of one of the features.
The early Roman period is represented
by the introduction of a
drainage ditch and a gully, which also
contained a large amount of broken
pottery at its terminus. Further pits of
an ovoid definition were also identified
which again proved to be rich in finds.
Recoveries included a Hod Hill type
brooch of first century date and a large
amount of wall plaster, suggestive of
inhabitation in the immediate vicinity.
Alexis Haslam
Age ringditch. Area B, to the northwest
of Stone Castle covered an area of
625 square metres, with just three features
of an as yet undetermined prehistoric
date.
The Bronze Age ringditch enclosure
located in the east of Area A constitutes
the earliest evidence of occupation,
measuring approximately 20m
across. Unfortunately only half of this
feature was revealed as it extended
Area A
determined to deal adequately with
important developments in the
Modern period, e.g. the growth of
utilities, leisure pursuits, newspapers,
etc., generally neglected in most
county atlases and other histories.
The launch of the Atlas, hosted by
the KAS, took place on the evening of
November 18 at Darwin College,
University of Kent, presided over by
its Master, Dr Anthony Ward – who
also took the accompanying photograph.
He introduced speeches from
John Whyman (Vice President of the
Society, deputising for the President),
Peter Vu j a kovic (Head of
Geographical and Life Sciences Dept,
CCCUC) and David Killingray. Noel
Osborne, Managing Director of
Phillimore, spoke of the series of
county historical atlases which his
company is planning to produce.
* This does not include Institutional
Subscribers and Corresponding
Societies.
Below, left to right: Peter Vujakovic, Elizabeth Edwards, John Hills, Terry Lawson, John
Whyman, Sheila Sweetinburgh and David Killingray.
“ ... excellently designed and full of
fascinating information ... “
Christopher & Katharine Draper
Winter 2004/5
4
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sequence. A band of hardy volunteers was recruited
for this purpose, and over many months, they
carefully collated each file, and made a manual list
of every item that was present. This was detailed,
painstaking work. After this, the task of entering
the whole collection onto the database could begin.
In order that members could have immediate benefit,
it was decided that the web site would show
the catalogue as it progressed, and now after some
months of careful work, we are currently entering
places with names beginning in the latter part of
the alphabetical sequence. A special attempt has
been made to create a standard style throughout,
although owing to the widely differing format of
virtually every item contained in the archive, one
could not for instance, easily provide a standard
library entry as is the case for books. However, the
guiding principle has been to enter any item in such
a way that its content and significance are clear,
and in such a way that the system will produce the
information if a reasonably phrased enquiry is
made. It is possible to enquire under PLACE
NAME, and under a SUBJECT or a KEY WORD e.g.
BROADSTAIRS, CASTLE, ROMAN, MOTOR CAR
etc. etc. Names of individuals, or their occupations,
are also keyworded if they seem to be significant
e.g. BLACKSMITH, HARDIMAN. The system is
very easy to use, and an enquiry under a place name
will instantly produce the whole contents of the
archive as relevant to that place.
It is expected that the complete Gordon Ward
archive will have been entered onto the database by
the end of 2004. However, the next task will be to
ensure that the complete collection is removed from
the temporary, and totally unsuitable foolscap folders,
and into proper archival storage. There will be
more work for keen volunteers to assist with this
process during this year.
What does the collection tell us about Kent?
The answer is a great amount. Gordon Ward was
obviously an avid collector/ cutter up of journals,
newspapers and other matter. He appears never to
have knowingly thrown away any items which had
a Kentish connection and came into his possession.
Because he was so well known, he was invited to
many local occasions and events, and he had connections
over the whole of the County. He was
never unwilling to help any person who had a genuine
historical or archaeological question to ask,
and he was totally generous with his knowledge
and information, the results of which are amply
illustrated in the files. The collection also contains
letters and notes from many other famous Kent
antiquarians, and the subjects that they avidly
debated cover a bewildering variety of ground.
Gordon Ward’s enthusiasm was ignited by virtually
any Kent topic – ancient horseshoes, nails, tokens,
lost roads, tracks, ancient customs, buildings
ancient and modern. He clipped information from
numerous sources, and however trivial in their origins,
many of the cuttings, leaflets, handbills and
letters give an insight into village life during his
lifetime. There is a sense of poignancy in observing
how, by the end of WWII, the arcadia that had been
an antiquarian’s lot in Britain, was totally swept
away by the urge to modernise. Maps, especially
tithe maps and parish boundaries, were an abiding
source of interest to him, and he collected and
annotated 19th century sale maps from all over the
County. Some of his own maps, delicately traced
and colour coded, are works of art in their own
IN THE STEPS OF DOCTOR WARD
– CATALOGUING AN UNUSUAL ARCHIVE.
Dr. Reginald Gordon Ward, M.D., F.S.A., died in
1962, at the age of 77. A GP, practising at
Sevenoaks, he was also a member of the KAS from
1927 until his death. He was a member of the KAS
Council, and was made an Honorary member in
1954 in recognition of his services to the Society.
His range of interests was very wide, covering Saxon
charters, manorial records, Wealden dens, the
Yokes, Hengist and Horsa, topography and place
names. He was always in demand as a lecturer at
venues throughout Kent and was also revered as a
well known philatelist. He accumulated a vast collection
of papers, a large proportion of which is
lodged at the Centre for Kentish Studies, however a
s m a l l e r, but none the less intriguing one, was
deposited in the Society’s Library. To describe it as
eclectic would be an understatement, since the collection
comprises a vast variety of notes, printed
ephemera, post cards, prints, handbills, letters,
maps, tickets, advertisements, cuttings, essays,
opinions, speculations, sale catalogues and much
more. Gordon Ward did not confine his interests to
his own locality, and virtually the whole of the
County is represented in the files, although naturally,
the areas nearest to Sevenoaks received his greatest
attention.
Since the Society first acquired the archive, it
has been housed in the Library Room at Maidstone
Museum where it has been available for use by
members. At an early stage, it was roughly sorted
into foolscap folders, following Gordon Ward’s own
method, which was to file his items by place. This
enabled members to make a rough search of the
archive in order to back up information that they
had obtained from other sources, but this was obviously
an unsatisfactory and haphazard way of doing
research. The task of cataloguing, sorting, indexing
and conservation always seemed to be daunting,
and the need to physically sort through the vast collection
when a particular item was needed, meant
that damage to fragile items was unavoidable.
However, the encouraging results of the information
technology that has now been brought into the
Library have meant that, at last, the development of
this overdue project can begin. It was agreed that
the contents of the Gordon Ward Archive should be
catalogued directly onto the Society’s web site, so
that members, or any interested person, could know
exactly what was present and available, thus making
actual visits to the Library itself more constructive
and profitable in terms of time and expertise. A
second benefit would be to minimise physical handling
of the items. Lastly, it was considered important
for the Society to know exactly what it owned
in this unique collection.
Initially, it was necessary to make a survey of the
collection and to sort each place file into a useable
L I B R A RY NOTES
THE GORDON WARD
CATALOGUE
OTHER GRANTS
The Society has other grant
programmes. Applications for these
will be considered at any time.
Fieldwork grants may be
obtained from the Fieldwork
Committee and applications should
be sent to its Hon. Secretary David
Bacchus at Telford Lodge, Roebuck
Road, Rochester, ME1 1UD. mail to:
d_bacchus@talk21.com.
he late Allen Grove left a
legacy to the Ke n t
Archaeological Society to
establish this fund to be
used for the purposes of
research, preservation
and enjoyment of local
history. The trustees will consider
applications for grants for any
project with one or more of these
purposes. Projects may be practical
ones such as presentation,
publication and education as well
as research.
Grants may be made to societies
and groups as well as to individuals
and are not restricted
to members of the Ke n t
Archaeological Society. They are
usually around £200 to £400 each
but the trustees would consider a
larger grant for a particularly
imaginative or innovative project
which might not be able to proceed
without the grant. Awards
may not be announced until the
summer of 2005.
Applications must be submitted,
on the official application
form, by the 31st March 2005.
Application forms and further
information may be obtained
from the Hon Secretary:
Mr A. I. Moffat, Three Elms,
Woodlands Lane, Shorne,
Gravesend, DA12 3HH, or by
email to secretary@kentarchaeology.
org.uk.
The Society’s Kent Local
History Fund makes grants to assist
with serious research leading to
publication. They are only made to
societies affiliated to the KAS or
the Kent History Federation and
members of those societies or the
KA S. Professional historians and
post graduate students are not
eligible to apply. Application forms
can be obtained from Dr James
Gibson, 27 Pine Grove, Maidstone,
ME14 2AJ.
Winter 2004/5
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right. He had some bad habits, often neglecting to
date cuttings and notes, and rarely noting sources,
although property advertisements, obviously from
The Field, and Country Life, illustrate many houses
and estates that are likely to have vanished from
the Kentish scene during later development.
Given the evidence of Gordon Ward’s consuming
enthusiasm, some of the volunteers who made
the initial sorting of the collection began to wonder
how he ever found time to be a GP. However, he
had a somewhat disconcerting habit of storing his
ephemeral items in envelopes that had previously
contained his cuttings from The Lancet, and other
medical journals, as well as headings for case
studies and similar. He obviously shared his talents
and energies equally amongst his professional
and personal lives. The archives contain one or two
letters from grateful patients as further evidence of
this trait.
What use is the collection to serious researchers
or indeed, to anyone making an historical study of
Kent? Again, the answer is a great deal. The
Gordon Ward Archive may consist of ephemeral
material, but much of it, particularly the illustrative
matter, is invaluable as evidence to back up serious
academic points. The historical and archaeological
opinions of Gordon Ward and his contemporaries
may perhaps not always stand up well in the light
of present knowledge, but they had prime access to
important sites and sources that could well have
been forgotten over the years. There is also of
course, the question of posterity, and the chance for
future members to dip into the lost world of an
early 20th century antiquarian, and one whose life
spanned a period of enormous change.
The Gordon Ward catalogue can be accessed at
www.kentarchaeology.ac
Guest Editor Needed
I am searching for a guest editor for one issue of
the Newsletter. Would you enjoy producing the next
issue due out in April? Your responsibilities will
include sourcing, collating and editing material,
working with the designer on the layout, sending
copy out for proofreading and checking printers
proofs. More mundane tasks include labelling the
envelopes, arranging the insertion of flyers and the
finished product into the envelopes, ensuring
postage is paid and the items are collected by the
Post Office. All the mechanisms are already in place
to enable this process and I will give as much help as
I possibly can.
Remuneration will be discussed with interested
applicants. Please contact the editor on 01892 533661
or email evelyn.palmer@virgin.net.
Lyn Palmer
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSES AND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSES AND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSESAND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSESAND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSESAND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSES AND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSES AND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSES AND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSESAND
EVENTS
Winter 2004/5
6
KAS Churches Committee Visit
Saturday 23 April
You are invited to visit the two West Kent churches
of Stone (near Dartford) and Southfleet. We meet
at Stone at 1.45 for 2pm. Tea and biscuits will be
provided at Southfleet. Cost of the tours is £2 (students
£1) with tea extra at £1. All payments on the
day.
A booking slip for the visit is enclosed; it would be
helpful if return was made by April 16.
KAS Churches Committee Event
‘Reading A Church’ with Professor Nigel Saul
on Saturday 12 March
An all-day event at St Helen’s Church, Cliffe-at-
Hoo.
Professor Saul, a distinguished medievalist at the
Royal Holloway, University of London, is the principal
speaker both morning and afternoon. He will
use the many and varied features of Cliffe church to
enable us to interpret churches as a genre with their
history, architecture and ideology interrelated.
Cost £5.00 per person for the day, optional lunch
£5.00. Numbers may have to be restricted and early
booking is advised. A booking slip for the event is
enclosed, to be returned by 15 February please.
Copyhold Tenure in Kent
Saturday 19 March 2005, 10.30 am to 12 noon,
and 2 to 3.30 pm. Lecture to KAS Members at
Maidstone by Arthur Ruderman, B.Sc. (Econ.),
CPFA, DPA., Dip.Loc.Hist.(Kent).
‘Copyhold tenure is rare in Kent’. There is no doubt
that for much of Kent this statement (taken from
Perambulation of Kent, by William Lambarde, first
published in 1570) is true, although there are two
manors known, Ashford and Folkestone, where significant
areas were held by this tenure, most of
which continued in this way until the tenure was
abolished by Law of Property Act, 1922. In addition,
small parcels of land in several manors in
other parishes have been found, held by the same
tenure.
The lectures will seek to explain the origins of the
tenure, well before the Norman Conquest, and the
way in which it worked. The morning session will
consist firstly of a lecture, with illustrations of the
documents in which the transactions were recorded,
and the areas (not only in Kent, or England)
where the custom prevailed. This will be followed
by details of the long Parliamentary battle that lasted
from the early 1800’s to 1922, for the abolition of
the system.
The afternoon session will be a more general discussion.
It is hoped that members of the audience
will be prepared to give examples of copyhold land
that they have found in manors that they have studied;
indeed if they are able to send the speaker brief
details beforehand (preferably by e-mail to
arthur@ruderman.fsnet.co.uk), this would enable
the additional material to be included in the days
proceedings.
Telephone Denis Anstey on 01634 240015 or email
to d@degian.demon.co.uk to make reservations.
Cost £2.00, pay on the day.
KAS Summer Excursion 2005
‘Looking at Lincolnshire’
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will be visiting
Lincolnshire rather than Cumbria as originally suggested.
Our excursion will be for 5 days, from 13 –
17 June inclusive, staying in a 3 star hotel. Our
coach will take us to various places and we hope to
visit some or all of the following; Lincoln Cathedral
and the Roman colonia and medieval city,
Gainsborough Old Hall, Tattershall Castle, Belton
House and Woolsthorpe Manor (Newton’s home).
We also hope to have a guided tour of Stamford and
nearby Burghly Hall.
Full details can be obtained from the Hon.
Excursions Secretary, Joy Saynor, at Friars, 28 High
Street, Shoreham, Sevenoaks TN14 7TD, email:
saynor.shoreham@amserve.com.
The KAS History and Archaeology Show will
be held on Saturday 29th October 2005.
Lessons learned from the first show include (1)
restricting the show area to the ground floor and the
three art galleries, (2) better publicity, (3) better signage
and (4) on-site catering. Early in the New
Year details will be forwarded to our affiliated societies
and other organisations who participated in
the last show. Other organisations are welcome.
Please write to The History and Archaeology Show,
K.A.S., Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery,
St. Faith’s Street, Maidstone ME14 1LH.
Crayford Manor House Historical &
Archaeological Society
Saturday 12 February
The History of Tower Hamlets by Malcolm Barr-
Hamilton
WH A T’S ON
KAS EVENTS
LECTURES
OTHER EVENTS FROM AROUND
THE COUNTY
>
Saturday 12 March
The Cutty Sark by Roger McLean
Saturday 9 April
Lord Castlereagh and Lord Bexley by John Mercer
All lectures held at the Baker Trust Hall, Maxim
Road, Crayford at 7.30pm. Cost for non-members of
CMHHAS is £1.00.
Canterbury Archaeological Society Lectures
Lectures take place in the Ramsay Lecture Hall,
Canterbury Christ Church College, starting at 6pm.
Saturday 12 February
Early Exotics: A Harvest from the Late 17th century Dutch
and English Colonies Dr Elizabeth Edwards
Saturday 5 March
Crusader Castles by Richard Eales
Tonbridge Historical Society Lecture Series
7.45pm in the Adult Education Centre, Tonbridge.
Thursday 17 February
Support for the Fleet: the Royal Dockyards at the time of
Trafalgar Jonathan Coad
Thursday 7 April
AGM followed by lecture
Further details tel: 01732 838698
University of Kent Annual Darwin Lecture
‘Archaeology, Genetics
and the Origins of
Linguistic Diversity?’
by Professor Lord
Colin Renfrew
Friday 22 April at
6pm in the
Brabourne Lecture
Theatre, Keynes
College, University
of Kent at
Canterbury.
Admission is free
and all are welcome
Bexley Local Studies & Archive Centre Winter
Talks
7.30pm at Hall Place.
Wednesday 23 March
Rural Survivors Malcolm Barr-Hamilton
To order tickets and for further information tel: 020
8301 1545.
Sevenoaks Historical Society Talks
Held on Thursdays at the Undercroft, St Nicholas’
Church at 8pm. All talks £1.50.
27 January
The Coastal Shipping Trades and Harbours of the Thames
Estuary 1800-1950 Roy Walker
24 February
The Story of the Dance Band Days - 1920s, 30s and 40s Don
Dray
24 March
The Life of William Morris Dai Evans, Property
Manager, Petworth
21 April
The Edwardian Eye of Andrew Pitcairn-Knowles, early
photo-journalist Richard Pitcairn-Knowles
Historic Houses in Kent presented by the Council
for Kentish Archaeology on Saturday 9 April at
Sevenoaks Community Centre, Crampton Ro a d ,
Sevenoaks.
Hever Castle 100 years ago Robert Pullin (Managing
Director, Hever Castle)
The Archaeology of Ightham Mote Dr Peter Rumley
(Assistant Project Archaeologist, Ightham Mote)
Roman Villas in the Darent Valley Brian Philp (KARU)
Tickets £4.00 (cheques payable to CKA) from CKA, 7
Sandy Ridge, Borough Green TN15 8HP. Please
enclose SAE.
British Archaeological Association
The Association welcomes visitors who wish to
attend occasional meetings. Meetings are on
Wednesdays at 5pm in the rooms of the Society of
Antiquaries, Burlington House, Piccadilly. It is
requested that non-BAA members make themselves
known to the Hon.Director and sign the Visitor’s
Book.
2 February
The façade of the great church from the 4th to the 12th
centuries Barrie Singleton
2 March
The Hotel Saint-Pol, Paris, main residence of the Valois kings
1364-1422 Mary Whiteley
6 April
Who, where, what and why? Trondheim Cathedral and its
decoration in the 12th century James F King
4 May
Architecture and patronage at Croxden Abbey Dr Jackie
Hall
Winter 2004/5
7
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSES AND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSES AND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSES AND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSESAND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSESAND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSESAND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSES AND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSES AND
EVENTS
LECTURES,
CONFERENCES,
COURSES AND
EVENTS
CONFERENCES
EVENTS ELSEWHERE
GAP ON THE BOOKSHELF?
A few copies of Archaeologia Cantiana have
been given to the editor for dispersal:
Vol XCV – 1979 Vol XCVI – 1980
Vol XCVII – 1981 Vol XCVIII – 1982
Vol C – 1984 Vol CI – 1984
Vol CXIX – 1999
Free to good homes! Postage costs only
required. Please contact the editor at the usual
addresses to arrange delivery.
Those of you who pay by cheque should have received your renewal notice and sent the cheque to me. If you have
not, please do so as soon as possible.
If you pay by banker’s order please check your bank statements to make sure that the payment has been deducted
once and not every month/quarterly, as some banks seem to delight in doing!
I am pleased to welcome the following new Members:
JOINT MEMBERS
Bailey, Mr A, and Mrs, 13 Ivy Close, Etchinghall, Folkestone, Kent, CT18 8NH
Boone, Mr S J, & Ms J Spouse, 90 Little Venice, Hampstead Lane, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6HH
Clinch, Mr J, and Mrs, 3 Milners, Upper Street, Leeds, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 1G
Cottee, Mrs S & Miss A, 23 The Close, Bough Beech, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 7PF
Hope, Mr P, and Mrs, Cole Farm, Mill Lane, Frittenden, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 2DT
Smith, Mr M J & Smith, Mrs N, 5 Mitre Road, Bishops Square, Rochester, Kent, ME1 1U
JUNIOR MEMBERS
Codlin, Miss V, 88 The Fairway, Dymchurch, Kent, TN29 0QP
ORDINARY MEMBERS
Butler, Mr M B, 67 Charterhouse Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 9EN
Debling, Mrs T, 23 Kentmere Avenue, Ramsgate, Kent, CT11 0QF
Featherstone, Ms G, 72 Woodside Road, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 2P
Hall, Mr E, 65A London Road, Southborough, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 0PA
Johnson, Mrs S, 205 Lodge Hill Lane, Rochester, Kent, ME3 8NP
Linley, Mrs A, Tye Cottage, 6 Childsbridge Lane, Seal, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 0BL
Moss, Ms K, 282 Upper Fant Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8DA
Redmond, Mrs M, 5 Grosvenor Road, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 2B
Rogers, Mr M J, 45 Avery Way, Allhallows, Rochester, Kent, ME3 9Q
Savage, Mr A J, 18 Seymour Place, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3SF
Shipman, Miss D, 3 Betenson Avenue, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3EN
Smith, Mrs S E, 18 Winifred Road, Bearsted, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 8N
Waters, Mr T H, 91 The Hythe, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 0EU
The address for all correspondence relating to membership is:
Mrs Shiela Broomfield, KAS Membership, 8 Woodview Crescent, Hildenborough, Tonbridge TN11 9HD. Tel: 01732
838698, email: membership@kentarchaeology.org.uk or s.broomfield@dial.pipex.com
Winter 2004/5
8
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AGM 2005
MEMBERSHIPMATTERS
Copy Deadline for the next issue is T
You and Your Society
KAS CONTACTS
Hon. Gen. Secretary
Andrew Moffat,
E m a i l : s e c r e t a r y @ ke n t a r c h a e o l o g y. o r g . u k
H o n . Tr e a s u r e r
Robin Thomas,
E m a i l : t r e a s u r e r @ ke n t a r c h a e o l o g y. o r g . u k
Maidstone will be the location of the Society’s annual general meeting on the 21st May this year. The
meeting will be in the morning in the council chamber at Maidstone Town Hall and we hope to be supported
by the attendance of plenty of members.
After the business there will be a presentation by one of the Society’s Committees about its work and
some presentations on other topics of current interest.
The results of the elections will be announced at the A.G.M. Our President, Paul Oldham, will not be
seeking re-election. The council will nominate a candidate for election as President. However, members may
put forward their own nominations, as mentioned below. The Hon. General Secretary will be pleased to provide
further information and guidance. The new President will have the challenge of leading the Society’s
preparations for its 150th anniversay celebration in 2007.
Any five members can propose a candidate for election as a member of the Council or as an officer.
Nominations have to be received by the Hon. General Secretary by the 1st March at the latest and be must be
accompanied by the written consent of the candidate.
Further information and guidance can be obtained from the Hon. General Secretary, Mr A I Moffat, Three
Elms, Woodlands Lane, Shorne, Gravesend DA12 3HH; email secretary@kentarchaeology.org.uk. Although an
application form does not have to be used, he can supply a suitable form.
At the KAS Christmas Lunch,
grace was said in Anglo-Saxon by
Saxon speaker Karl Wittwer. This
delighted the 75 members who were
already in anticipation of an entertaining
day. After the festive meal in
the Great Hall at Wye College, members
were entertained by Michael
G a n d y, a well-known genealogist,
who illustrated in words and song
what music hall entertainment
reveals about Victorian and
Edwardian life. His wit and rendering
of the songs earned him the
tremendous applause he deserved.
So popular was the invitation to
view Ian Coulson’s Jacobean Grade
2* listed house that Dr Burnham
assisted by taking alternate parties
to view the older rooms of the
College. Tea and biscuits back in the
Hall concluded a very satisfying day.
Margaret Lawrence (Chair)
There was plenty of interest for
everyone who took part in the midsummer
evening visit to two parish
churches in the Maidstone area. The
first call was at the church of the
Holy Cross, Bearsted. It is situated
on a high point above the village and
now surrounded by buildings and
trees. Angela Legood gave a personal,
but very well informed, account
of the building and its history. The
earliest feature of the church is what
seems to be a Saxon arch. The arch
with its consecration cross is preserved
behind a glass panel.
Bearsted church belonged to
Leeds priory in the 12th century but
little of that period remains. The
church we see today contains work
from just about every century from
the 13th until the late 20th and it is
possible to trace changes made to
accommodate different liturgical
practices. The oldest part of the
church is the Milgate Chantry dating
from the 14th century. Following the
team are currently focusing on
archives of Canterbury sites and
expect to be examining other key
Kent sites at a later phase in the
project.
The Kent Churches Website is
progressing, for which the Society
has contributed a £2000 start-up
grant. The proposed site will be
extensive, including plans, photographs
and other diverse material
relating to the parish churches
of Kent.
F i n a l l y, a stand-alone 10
minute digital presentation of The
Whitefriars Story is planned to
tour the Whitefriars Centre snack
bars and restaurants in the spring
2005. So if you missed the excavations
first time around, or want
to relive it all again, you can see
the highlights in the warm – and
over a coffee!
Marion Green
Hon Secretary
At the October meeting, Steve
Willis joined the Committee.
Resistivity Survey
In August, Brian and Carole
McNaughton carried out a resistivity
survey at Chevening Park, nr.
Sevenoaks. The survey was
requested by Kristina Taylor who
is doing some research work there.
Using the Society’s newly
acquired ‘TR/CIA Meter’, they
located the base of a bastion and
wall, both of which had been
demolished in the 1760’s. They
were taken down to make way for
a ha-ha boundary wall.
Excavation and Recording
With regard to our future
e xcavation and recording plans,
the Roman Villa at Folkestone was
considered at the October meeting.
Part of this site has already slipped
into the sea. Whilst much of the
site has been dug, there are still
some areas that have not been
examined. For archaeological purposes,
part of the site has been
scheduled by English Heritage.
David Bacchus
The Committee last met on
Saturday 9 October and will next
meet on Saturday 22 January 2005.
As part of the 150th anniversary celebrations
of the Society in 2007 it is
proposed to digitise all volumes of
Archaeologia Cantiana and the publication
of a special volume of
Archaeologia Cantiana is also being
considered. The Historical Atlas of
Kent has now been published, all
paid-up members of the Society
being entitled to one free copy. This
is a high quality volume, meriting
wide consultation. Its compilation,
involving many contributors, has
been a complex undertaking, expertly
managed by its joint editors, Mr
Terry Lawson, the Society’s
Honorary Editor, and Professor
David Killingray.
The Education Committee’s
autumn meeting had a full agenda
and members heard about a variety
of current activities in both formal
and informal education.
The Society has contributed
£300 towards the work of North
Downs Young Archaeologists Club
whose members are enjoying a season
of Archaeology and Geology
with a ‘Revealing Rocks’ trip to
Swalecliffe and ‘Chemical Capers’
experiments with soils and materials
at their base in Maidstone Museum;
many other engaging events are
planned for coming meetings.
There was much discussion
about the proposed Archaeological
Resource Centre for Kent and its
functions.
Canterbury Archaeological Trust
has been awarded an HLF grant for
its ‘CAT Kits’ project, to build cases
of finds and support materials for all
57 schools in the Canterbury, Herne
Bay and Whitstable district.
C AT is partnering Canterbury
Christ Church University College on
the Dakini project, to produce GIS
materials for use in secondary
schools in Kent, Sussex and
Northern France. The Christ Church
Winter 2004/5
9
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KAS COMMITTEE ROUND-UP
is Tuesday 1st March - to usual address
You and Your Society
PUBLICATIONS
COMMITTEE
EDUCATION
COMMITTEE
CHURCHES
COMMITTEE
FIELDWORK
COMMITTEE
MEMBERSHIP
COMMITTEE
continued on page 10
revealed includes work by artists with
strong Kentish connections such as
Thomas Sidney Cooper, Albert
Goodwin, Charles Spencelayh and
John Ward, as well as works by Van
Dyck, Gainsborough,
Kneller and Zoffany. 770 artists are
represented.
Saga Group and Kent County
Council were the projects lead financial
supporters. Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart,
Leader of KCC, said, ‘The Foundation
has produced a stunning catalogue
which will do much to highlight Kent’s
rich artistic heritage’.
Kent’s catalogue is the second to
be published in the series; We s t
Sussex, East Sussex and London: The
Slade, will also be published this year.
The Catalogue will be on sale at
participating collections or by mail
order, at £15.00 paperback (1 904931
03 0) or £35.00 hardback (1 904931 02
2). Proceeds from the sale of catalogues
in collections will be held in
trust by the collections for use in
restoration or conservation. The
images and brief descriptions will
eventually be available on the internet,
free of charge, but to order a copy now,
go to www.thepcf.org.uk or ring 020
7932 8460.
church which had nothing to do with
‘women’ but everything to do with ‘a
forest of active men’! There was an earlier
church on the present site and St
Margaret of Antioch was popular during
the early crusades and so it is reasonable
to conclude that there was a
church here in the twelfth century,
although the present building dates
from the thirteenth century.
The church is spacious compared
with Barfreston but the population of
the surrounding area seems never
to have been great. However,
Womenswold was linked to Wingham
and its college of canons from 1282.
After the Reformation, Wo m e n s w o l d
became a chapel of ease in the parish of
Nonington. Unlike Barfreston, the exterior
is quite plain. Indeed, there are neither
windows nor a door in the north
wall of the nave.
In summary, a most rewarding
Saturday afternoon spent in two small
communities that were never significantly
larger than they are today but
with interesting, although quite
different, churches. An all-too-tempting
selection of delicious cakes accompanied
tea served by Womenswold
parishioners ensured that all went
home satisfied in every respect.
Thanks to Ted Connell, two detailed
articles about Barfreston church and
one about the nearby church at
Patrixbourne are now available in full
on the KAS website:
h t t p : / / w w w. ke n t a r c h a e o l o g y. o r g . u k /
Re search/ Libr/ VisRec/Intro.htm. The
latter includes more illustrations than
the version in Archaeologia Cantiana
122, and they are in colour.
Mary Berg
n Newsletter 58, Autumn 2003, an
outline of the Public Catalogue
Foundation was given. This registered
charity has been set up to
photograph and record all oil,
acrylic and tempura
paintings in publicly
owned collections in the
UK, of which it is estimated
that some 80% are hidden
from public view,
being either in storerooms
or public buildings in official
use.
In November 2004
the fully-illustrated volume
on Kent was published,
bringing together
for the first time all the
paintings in the county. In total some
1850 paintings from 41 publicly owned
collections are shown in colour, coming
from museums, galleries, town halls,
guildhalls, mayors’ parlours, libraries,
hospitals and even a police station!
The broad Winter 2004/5 range of paintings
10
reformation in 1536, the chapel was in
the private ownership of the owners of
Milgate Park until 1966, when it was
restored to the legal ownership of the
church.
In contrast, St Mary the Virgin,
Thurnham is in one of the ancient settlements
along the trackway near the
spring-line below the North Downs.
M i ke Perring, whom members may
know from the KAS Library, presented
the church’s history from Norman
times. He told us how the now-demolished
church of St Peter’s at Aldington,
only a third of a mile away, was closely
linked with St Mary’s. Mr Perring’s
wealth of knowledge together with the
archive of documents and pictures he
displayed provided a valuable insight
into the development of the building
over the centuries.
The church is close to the site of a
Roman villa and there are two motte
and bailey castles nearby. The building
includes material from the Roman villa
and a wide Norman arch that may have
been moved from one of the castles.
Now blocked as an entrance, the north
porch contains an early, undamaged
holy water stoop and a 14th century
door. The tower also dates from the 14th
century. The Norman church is thought
to have been of the usual two-cell type
with a chancel smaller than the nave. It
seems, however, that the nave was
extended and the chancel roof raised in
the 13th century and lengthened again
in the 14th century. Extensive restoration
in the 19th century an early 20th
century additions has made it more difficult
to make a definitive judgement on
OIL PAINTINGS
IN PUBLIC
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IN PUBLIC
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IN KENT
OIL PAINTINGS
IN PUBLIC
OWNERSHIP
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OIL PAINTINGS
IN PUBLIC
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INKENT
OIL PAINTINGS
IN PUBLIC
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IN PUBLIC
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IN KENT
OIL PAINTINGS
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OIL PAINTINGS
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O I L PAINTINGS IN PUBLIC OWNERSHIP I N K E N T
continued from page 9 the architectural history of the church.
On September 18, there was standing
room only in Barfreston church as
KAS members and their guests listened
to a former churchwarden at St
Nicholas, Dr Charles Coulson, as he told
us about the architectural history of the
building. In fact, had the church not
been so difficult to find in the lanes of
north-east Kent, the audience would
have been even larger!
The earlier flint and ragstone church
was transformed into what has been
described elsewhere as ‘a gem of
Norman architecture’ in the third quarter
of the twelfth century. It is certainly a
gem of Norman sculpture but, as we
heard, sculpture was seldom carved in
situ and the programme of magnificent
decoration was almost certainly not
assembled by the artists themselves but
by others. Dr Coulson pointed out many
examples of where the workmen had
had to improvise to make the carved
stone fit into the programme. He also
referred to the much-needed and welldocumented
restoration by Hussey in
the nineteenth century (Arch. Cant. 16).
Fine weather meant that Dr Coulson
was able to spend some time on the
exterior decoration programme, not least
the south doorway with its magnificent
tympanum and voussoirs. Hussey and
later restorers have left their mark but
generally what has been done has been
sympathetic and not detracted from the
beauty of the building.
Next stop down the windy lanes was
Womenswold, or as the church guide
calls it Wymynswold, and the church of
St Margaret of Antioch. Mr Bone, a
member of the congregation, recounted
the origins of the village and of the
Above left: ‘The Madonna and Child
Enthroned with St Peter and a Carthusian
Prior, and St Catherine of Siena’, c.1520.
Pirri, Antonio, active 1509-1520, and
‘Separated, but not Divorced, The Bull’ 1874-
1892. Thomas Sydney Cooper, 1803-1902.
Medieval Sandwich by T L
Richardson.
0 9542424 2 4. A5, 116 pages,
b&w illus, maps, diags.
A series of new insights into
the town’s early history, with
sections on The Town and its
World - exports and their markets,
imports and their origins;
The Hundred Years’ War; The
Export Trade in Wool; The
Overseas Trade in Cloth; The
Italian Galley and Carrack
Trade; The Closing of the Haven
– physical change and human
intervention.
Available from Barham’s of
King Street, Sandwich for £4.50,
or for £6.50 (includes postage
and packing) direct from Dr F W
G Andrews, Sandwich Local
History Society, 14 Stone Cross
Lees, Sandwich CT13 0BZ.
Field Systems in Essex by John
Hunter.
Essex Society of Archaeology
and History, £5.95 (inc p&p).
The first in a new series of occasional
papers by one of our neighbouring
county societies, this wellillustrated
popular guide is a wideranging
analysis of Essex field systems,
concentrating on the
medieval and Tudor periods.
Includes four case studies –
Cressing Temple; Little Easton,
Broxted and Tilty; Littley Park; The
Parallel Parishes – examining the
relationship between field systems
and the wider contexts of estates
structures, demography and economic
forces.
Available from Dr Chris
Thornton, 75 Victoria Ro a d ,
Maldon, Essex CM9 5HE. Cheque
payable to Essex Society for
Archaeology and History.
Winter 2004/5
11
going on to tell how Eastbridge
Hospital was set up to
receive pilgrims and how
Elizabethan and other
benefactors responded
to the needs of their
times. A new final chapter
by Marjorie Ly l e
charts the last four
decades of these charitable
foundations and
their buildings, embodiments
of a living tradition
which continues to
change and adapt to
meet new social needs.
Available by post for
£6.99 from Ke n n e t h
Pinnock, White House,
St Martin’s Av e n u e ,
Canterbury CT1 1QQ.
Kent Communicants
Lists 1565-1567, Part1
by Gillian
Rickard.
0 9630968 1 5.
£4.00
The transcribed lists
of inhabitants who took
Holy Communion in
Appledore, Brookland,
Burmarsh, Dymchurch,
Ebony, Fairfield, Lympne,
New Romney, Orlestone,
Saltwood, Stone in
O x n e y, Tenterden, We s t
Hythe and Woodchurch.
Communicants were generally
aged 14 and over,
but the names of many of
those unable, or unwilling,
to participate, were
often also noted.
Available from the
author at 99 Strangers
Lane, Canterbury CT1
3XN (please add 50p
postage) or via www.genfair.
com.
NEW BOOKS
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The Romano-British Religious
Centre of Vagniacis at
Springhead, Kent by Vi c t o r
Smith, Gravesend Historical
Society.
0 9548137 0 7, A4, 24 pages, 60
illus. £4.25 (includes postage &
packing).
Partly funded by the Ke n t
Archaeological Society, this is a
completely re-written account of
the site from its pre-Roman origins
to its demise. Although mainly
drawn from the results of the epic
series of excavations by the
Gravesend Historical Society over a
period of 50 years, the text also
refers to the more recent discoveries
from archaeological investigations
preceding the construction of
the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.
Available from the author at 65
Stonebridge Road, Northfleet
DA11 9BA. Cheque or postal order
payable to Gravesend Historical
Society.
The Ancient Hospitals and
Almshouses of Canterbury by
Derek Ingram Hill, Canterbury
Archaeological Society (new edition).
0 901589 05 5, A5, 64 pages, 24
illus., mainly col. £5.99.
A story of nine centuries of care
for the old and infirm in
Canterbury, beginning soon after
the Norman Conquest with the
establishment by Archbishop
Lanfranc of the hospital of St John
just outside the city centre and
another for lepers at Harbledown,
N E WB O O K S
Winter 2004/5
12
KENTMAPS
& WEB SITES
KENTMAPS
& WEB SITES
KENT MAPS
& WEB SITES
KENTMAPS
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KENTMAPS
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KENTMAPS
& WEBSITES
KENT MAPS
& WEB SITES
KENTMAPS
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KENTMAPS
& WEBSITES
KENT MAPS
& WEB SITES
KENTMAPS
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KENTMAPS
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KENT MAPS
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KENT MAPS
& WEB SITES
KENTMAPS
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KENTMAPS
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KENT MAPS
& WEB SITES
KENT MAPS & TITHE
AWARD SCHEDULES
he Tithe Commutation surveys,
carried out from the
1830s to 1840s, provide a
great deal of information
about land ownership, tenancy
and land use at the
time. Over 400 Kent Tithe Maps
have now been digitised by the
Centre for Kentish Studies (C.K.S.)
with funding from the Heritage
Lottery Fund. The tithe map for
each parish is on a CD-Rom. They
are now available to view in the
three county record offices and are
also in the major town libraries for
their own areas. The tithe map CDRom’s
can also be purchased, now
for only £15 per CD, from either
on the website for wider consultation.
To date over fifty parishes
have been covered. Only another
three hundred and fifty-three to
do!!!
If you would like to contribute a
transcription or help with this project
please contact Ted Connell at
ted.connell@btinternet.com tel;
01474 872763, 110, Manor Forstal,
New Ash Green, Longfield, Kent
DA3 8JQ.
To view the work carried out so
f a r, log on to our website at
w w w. ke n t a r c h a e o l o g y. o r g . u k
then click on ‘Research’ and then
click on ‘ Kent Maps & Tithe
Award Schedules’.
the Centre for Kentish Studies
(01622 694363), or the Canterbury
Cathedral Archives (01227
865330).
Regrettably funding was not
available to digitise the accompanying
tithe award schedules.
However a slim notebook in the
KAS Library lists the details of
twelve tithe award schedules from
parishes to the West of Maidstone.
These have been typed up and
made available on our website.
Following on from that, members
of the K.A.S., assisted by many
individuals and Local Societies, are
in the process of putting further
transcriptions of the schedules up
http://www.kentarchaeology.ac
he library committee set up
the .ac website to be under
the supervision of the KAS
Honorary Librarian, with
content control to be exercised
by the KAS Honorary
Editor. The project draws on professional
advice in the areas of
website design and library standards.
The site is designed to be a
p e e r-reviewed site adhering to
standards set by the Editor with a
view to gaining academic acceptance.
Any committee wishing to
be represented on the site must
comply with the set standards.
The site was designed to be a free
on-line resource for the use of the
general public worldwide and to
assert our educational charity status.
On-line publishing
The following items have been
added since the last newsletter:
eBOOK_Kentish Dialect
The full title of this 1888 publication
is ‘A Dictionary of the KENTISH
DIALECT and provincialisms
stock on-line catalogue.
Work is in hand to add a
new catalogue which will detail
the many documents lodged by
the Society at Kent Archives.
Researchers will be able to search
the whole catalogue by place/chosen
words including the use of
wild cards etc. This new database
should appear in spring 2005.
Forum (a new facility)
A new facility has been
added and can be accessed at
h t t p : / / f o r u m . ke n t a r c h a e o l o g y. a c
The first forum to be activated is
Kent Place and Field Names moderated
by Karl Wittwer and Paul
Cullen. If any other special interest
group wishes to have a forum
please contact me with the names
of at least two responsible moderators
willing to undertake the task.
Nothing appears until approved by
a moderator.
Denis Anstey
Project Manager
Email d@degian.demon.co.uk
in use in the county of Kent’.
Basan and Bata: The
Occupational Surnames of Tw o
Pre-Conquest Monks of
C a n t e r b u r y. As hereditary surnames
were not common in
Anglo-Saxon England, men of the
same name were differentiated by
sobriquets based on their place of
origin, ...
Note that Kentish Dialect is an
ebook and has a large file size.
This will be no problem to broadband
users but dial-up users can
expect it to take up to 30 minutes.
Catalogues
The visual records group continue
to add more data.
The Gordon Ward Archive of
ephemera relating to towns and
villages in Kent should be complete
by the time this newsletter is
published.
As new books are acquired
they are added to the library book
Dear Editor
I am currently researching Tudor and early Stuart deer parks in Kent (1500-1660) for an MPhil/PhD at Canterbury Christ
Church University College. Taking Lambarde’s list of the 1570s and others on maps or mentioned in other documentary
evidence, I hope (where possible) to trace the boundaries of these deer parks in the landscape today and to explore documentary
evidence for various aspects of their management.
I am writing this to appeal to readers for help in tracing these parks and in locating documentary sources, perhaps
family estate papers which remain in private collections. I am hoping that the various Local History Societies or local
historians who might know of deer parks in their locality will come forward and share their interest and expertise with me.
Lambarde’s list is as follows:
Aldington disparked Alington disparked Ashowre At Ashford
Bedgebury Brasted disparked Broxam disparked Byrling
Cage disparked Calehyll Cobham Cooling
Eltham x 3 Folkston disparked Glassenbury Grenewich
Groombridge Halden disparked Hamswell Henden disparked
Hever disparked Hungershall Ightam disparked Knoll
Langley disparked Leeds Lullingstone Lye disparked
Mereworth disparked North frythe x 3 Otford x 2 - I disparked Oxenhoth x 2 disparked
Panthyrst disparked Penshurst Postern disparked Postling
St Augustines Saltwood disparked Shoreland disparked Sissingherst
Southparke Stonehyrst disparked Stowting Sutton disparked
Westenhanger x 2 Wrotham disparked
Other parks which have come to my attention.
Speed’s map has: Bromley (Bishop of Rochester), Scott’s hall (nr Smeeth), Hanger, Bocton-Malherbe, Throughley
(Throwley), Eastwell, Lynsted Park. Saxton’s map adds: Forde nr Canterbury, Hastingligh, Hemsted nr Sissinghurst, Ulcum
(Ulcombe) nr Lenham. Also: Mote, Maidstone (1st mentioned as park 1500), West Wickham (evidence of park still with
deer in 1567), Chilham (228a), East Wickham, Mersham-Hatch (380a), Godinton, nr Great Chart, Lees Court nr Challock.
I would be most grateful for any help in making the research as comprehensive as possible and can be contacted via details below.
Mrs Susan Pittman
27 Old Chapel Road, Crockenhill, Swanley BR8 8LL
01322 669923
pittman@crockenhill.freeserve.co.uk
Winter 2004/5
13
LETTERSTO
THE EDITOR,
WEALDEN
SETTLEMENT
STUDY CIRCLE &
KENT HISTORY
FUND
LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR,
WEALDEN
SETTLEMENT
STUDY CIRCLE &
KENTHISTORY
FUND
LETTERSTO
THE EDITOR,
WEALDEN
SETTLEMENT
STUDY CIRCLE &
KENTHISTORY
FUND
LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR,
WEALDEN
SETTLEMENT
STUDY CIRCLE &
KENTHISTORY
FUND
LETTERSTO
THE EDITOR,
WEALDEN
SETTLEMENT
STUDY CIRCLE &
KENTHISTORY
FUND
W E A L D E N
S E T T L E M E N T
S T U D YC I R C L E
THE KENT
HISTORY FUND
he Kent History Fund, administered
by the Pu b l i c a t i o n s
Committee, awards grants to
assist serious research leading
to publication. Applications
are invited from local history
societies affiliated to the KHF (Kent
History Federation) or KAS, and from
individuals who are either members
of KAS or of a local history society
affiliated to either the KHF or KAS.
Professional historians and postgraduates
are not eligible to apply.
Anyone wishing to apply should
write to Dr J M Gibson, 27 Pine
Grove, Maidstone, ME14 2AJ,
requesting an application form.
n September 2002 several
people who had been independently
researching aspects of
late Saxon and post-Conquest
settlement of the Weald set up
the Wealden Settlement Study
Circle, defined as ‘an informal
network of people undertaking
academically respectable research
on the settlement of the Weald
of Sussex, Surrey and Kent, particularly
in the Saxon and
post-Conquest eras, membership of
which is by recommendation or
invitation’.
There are 15 members, from
various parts of Sussex and Surrey,
though none as yet from Kent.
Although the main interest of most
is based on documentary research,
allied to study of the landscape,
relationships with prehistory on
the one hand and modern developments
on the other, are not ruled
out. Meetings to discuss common
interests, held twice or thrice a
year in East Grinstead, and personal
communications, have helped
everyone widen and deepen their
knowledge and understanding of
their own particular pursuits.
Further information may be
obtained from M J Leppard
(Convenor), 20 St George’s Court,
East Grinstead, Sussex RH19 1QP,
tel: 01342 322511.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
WINTER 2004/5
North Downs YAC focused on the
interaction of geology and archaeology
during autumn and winter 2004.
Pleistocene environments and fauna
were investigated in a trip to Swalecliffe
beach led by Dr Danielle Shreve of Royal
Holloway College, London. Ancient
bones, including a near complete
aurochs skeleton found at the site, were
laid out by Martin Rayner, a local collector
and expert, for the children to handle.
They then braved the sticky clay and
crunchy overlying shingle on the beach
to hunt for their own specimens.
Success was met with whoops of delight
as several blackened bones were
unearthed, identified by Danielle as deer.
A visit to Wildwood Country Park followed,
to see cold-adapted animals no
longer extant in this country, such as
wolves, arctic foxes and lynx.
In October the effects of differing
soils on archaeological remains was
brought to life with experiments which
accelerated the decay caused by chemical
reactions; this was science made fun,
with lots of fizz and whiffs. The permanence
of ‘cave art’ and the reasons for its
execution were explored in November,
each YAC member taking home their
own piece of rock wall covered in hand
stencils. A frieze was also created, with
mammoth herds, horned sorcerers and
bison vying for space on a 6 metre length
of textured wallpaper.
To round off 2004, ‘Flintstone
Frolics’, a stone age Christmas party, took
place with Time Team’s Phil Harding. He
remarked on entering that he ‘felt very
overdressed’ in light of the numerous
fun-fur outfits running around, most
accompanied by large clubs! Following a
feast of mammoth burgers and rock
cakes, Phil’s talk to the YACs and gathered
family members delighted all.
North Downs would not be able to
provide their members with such a varied
and exciting programme without the
continued generous assistance of the
KAS – so thank you, and a Happy New
Year to you all.
K E N T Y O U N GA R C H A E O L O G I S T S
Winter 2004/5
14
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he Canterbury branch of the
Young Archaeologists’ Club celebrated
its re-launch anniversary
in November with a great day out
field walking and metal detecting
with the White Cliffs Metal
Detecting group. It has been our
aim as new branch leaders, (Colin
Jeffreys and archaeologist Abby
Guinness), to organise as many handson
and outside activities as possible.
After a promotional push, the
branch soon attracted new members
and has been growing since. We now
have 18 members from all over East
Kent, ranging in age from 8 to 15. We
meet monthly in the Education Room
at the Museum of Canterbury. Since
November 2003 we have held meetings
here on aerial photography, world
Christmas cultures, picked out
favourite objects from the displays to
help with a museum web site, and had
a flint knapping demonstration.
With willing parents as chauffeurs,
we have been able to hold many meetings
out and about. The YACs learnt
about the Bronze Age at the Dover Boat
Museum, and had a site tour of the
Bronze Age barrow excavations in
progress at Ringlemere. They had a
look at archery and the long bow, and
tried shooting bullseyes themselves
with the Folkestone Archery club. A
visit to the Roman fort of
Richborough made the leaders
slightly on edge as the YACs
took off as invaders down the
triple ditches! The club spent a
day at the Museum of London’s
Archaeological Archive where
the children had a go in a mini
e xcavation, painted medieval
style tiles and identified bones.
Closer to home, we studied the
graves at St. Stephens and went field
walking and metal detecting near
Sherperswell. Many of the children
had their ‘archaeological eyes’ in, to
find struck flint, pottery sherds and
treasure; a gold gilded button, part of a
Saxon d-shaped brooch and a broken
Roman coin - not bad for a day’s walk!
In July, we hosted an activity for
National Archaeology Day at the
Museum of Canterbury, supervising
four mini digs for up to 20 children,
excavating real finds. It was a great day
despite the rain, though that did not
seem to put some children off digging -
definitely future archaeologists.
With a Viking saga party to end the
year, Canterbury YAC are looking forward
to another full year of archaeological
activities. If anyone aged 8-16 is
interested in joining the branch, please
contact Abby Guinness on abbyguinness@
hotmail.com.
Below: Archery and excavation at Canterbury
YAC. Above: North Downs members examine
ancient bones at Swalecliffe.
the southern ditch.
Although most of the pits in the
southern zone contained domestic
refuse, a number of pits in a group
located a short way south of the
southern boundary provided rare
evidence for metal working.
Amongst the group one pit contained
a large assemblage of clay
mould fragments (figs. 2&3). These
have now been cursorily studied by
Dr Stuart Needham of The British
Museum, Department of Prehistory -
one of the leading specialists in prehistoric
metalworking. Dr Needham
has reported that the moulds from
the Holborough site represent one of
the best assemblages he has seen
from the British Isles and are of
national importance. The mould
fragments, representing the clay casing
for a Bronze sword (probably of
Ewart type, fig.4) manufactured
approximately 3000 years ago in the
Late Bronze Age, will without doubt
place Holborough Quarry as a ‘type
site’ in the archaeological literature
in years to come.
The site has been handed back to
B e r keley Homes (Eastern), who
funded the excavations, although
further work next summer to complete
the investigation will have to
wait until the relocation of a badger
sett.
Damien Boden
Site Director
bonised pulses
and grains recovered
from soil
samples indicate
the growing of
cereals and vegetables.
Further
evidence for agricultural
activity
in the form of
four-posted structures, which are
usually interpreted as granaries,
were also identified.
Elsewhere the site appears to
have been subdivided by two linear
ditches, both aligned east-west. The
northern ditch may have defined
the northern boundary of settlement,
with few features surviving
to the north of it. The southern
ditch (a segmented feature, with
lengths of ditch separated by causeways)
was also a site boundary, but
perhaps separated activity areas
within the settlement. The eastern
settlement boundary adjoins the
quarry, the western boundary was
undefined.
The area between the two ditches
appears to have been for domestic
use. A number of rectangular and
circular structures defined by groupings
of post holes were suggested. To
the south of the putative domestic
area were a significant number of
pits and fewer post holes, which
probably represent drying racks, cattle
pens and other structures associated
production of food and other
day to day activities. Most significant
perhaps was the survival of at
least ten pits containing cremated
human bone, testifying to burials
south of the domestic area. A further
three cremations were identified
on the western side of the site,
extending westward from the end of
H O L B O R O U G H Q U A R RY
Winter 2004/5
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rchaeological excavation during
the summer and autumn
of this year by Canterbury
Archaeological Trust, to the
east of Holborough Quarry at
Snodland in Kent, has identified
the site of a Late Bronze Age
settlement (c. 900 BC). This excavation
followed a programme of evaluation
and mapping also carried out
by the Trust. The site lies within an
area which has revealed a comparatively
high concentration of archaeology
encapsulating the prehistoric,
Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods.
Much of this came to light during
the quarrying work and included
Mesolithic and Neolithic artefacts, a
Roman burial mound and evidence
of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery.
Although the site has been truncated
by agricultural activity over a
protracted period, with only deeply
cut features surviving the plough,
the spatial spread and close grouping,
particularly of post holes, clearly
suggests the presence of built structures
and activity areas representing
a settlement of some significance
(fig.1).
A single ring ditch surrounding
the post holes of at least one major
roundhouse survived against the
western boundary of the excavation.
Rubbish pits found immediately east
of the structure, support the
assumption that the ring ditch represented
a structure of domestic
type. Amongst the finds from the
pits was a large collection of Late
Bronze Age flint-tempered pottery
and a number of baked clay loomweights,
testifying to the manufacture
of woollen textiles. A large
number of animal bones recovered
from the pits clearly indicate the
keeping of livestock, while car-
2
4
3
1
IRON AGE COMES TO SCHOOL
Winter 2004/5
16
* ESAMP is a training organisa -
tion, offering a wide range of training
opportunities to individuals within a
number of museums and within the
fields of archaeological reconstruction
and experimental archaeology. They
undertake commissions from heritage
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he second week in October
was a very unusual one in
the life of St Lawrence CE
Primary School in Seal,
Kent; the usual curriculum
was suspended and the children
and staff came to school
wearing old clothes! This was
because we were all spending a
week under the instruction of
archaeologists from ESAMP (East
Sussex Archaeology and Museums
Project)* engaging in a variety of
Iron Age activities. These included
pottery, weaving on an authentic
loom, wood working using pole
lathes, string making using nettles,
fire making and cooking. But the
most exciting project was the
building of an Iron Age Hut in the
school woods. The building, which
is now complete, is based on
archaeological evidence of prehistoric
houses and the materials used
are those which would have been
available to prehistoric house
builders in Kent. The shape, design
and all the techniques were kept as
authentic as possible. The children
were involved in every stage of the
building from mixing the daub in a
‘daub pit’ (very messy) to wattling
the hazel rods and thatching the
roof. They are now extremely
proud of their hut and can discuss
at length how it was made and
what it would really have been like
to live in the Iron Age.
Interestingly, several children are
convinced that they would have
been happier!
The building should last about
30 years and so it will be a bit of
living history for a whole generation
of children. It is well worth a
visit!
Alison Saunders
(Headteacher)
EDITOR: LYN PALMER
55 Stone Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2QU
Telephone: 01892 533661 Mobile: 07810 340831
Email evelyn.palmer@virgin.net
or newsletter@kentarchaeology.org.uk
and educational organisations to
reconstruct past buildings and
technologies, and have put up over 20
buildings ranging from the Mesolithic
through to the Saxon period. They
also run courses in ancient crafts and
technologies.
Copy deadline for the next issue in April is Tuesday March 1st.
The editor wishes to draw attention to the fact that neither she nor the Council of the KAS are answerable for
opinions which contributors may express in their signed articles; each author is alone responsible for the
contents and substance of their work.
Published by the Kent Archaeological Society, The Museum, St Faith’s Street, Maidstone, Kent. ME 14 1LH
www.kentarchaeology.org.uk
Pupils suitably dressed for weaving outside.
Above left: handsome coil pots and right: the Iron Age Hut.