KAS Newsletter, Issue 80, Spring 2009

Issue number 80 Spring 2009 www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Inside 2-3 Perry Wood 4-5 Pioneers, Power Brokers and Saints Lyminge 6-7 What’s On Cant Arch Society Grants ACs &CAs for sale 8-9 Notice Board New KASProject New Hon Sec Wanted 10-11 England’s Past For Everyone Letters to the Editor Medway Memories 12-13 Archive Notes New Books 14-15 Nighthawking Survey Strawberry Wood 16 Shorne Projects which involve locals in their archaeology COMMUNITY A C C E S S TO T H E PAST nneeww ss ll ee tt tt ee rr K E N T A R C H A E O L O G I C A L S O C I E T Y Per ry Wood Perry Wood cover the slopes of three hills on the downland between Selling and Shottenden west of Canterbury. The Discovering Perry Wood project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and managed as a Countryside Partnership by the Mid Kent Downs Project and Swale Borough Council who own the wood. The project’s aim is to help the local community to explore the natural and historic environment of Perry Wood and to develop a better understanding of the value of the woods to the Kent Downs landscape. The project is also interested in recording more recent memories from people who have experiences of living, working and relaxing in the woods and exploring the archaeological aspects of the woods. The Archaeological Project The archaeological project was launched in October 2008 at a ‘Ghosts and Memories’ event organised by the Discovering Perry Wood project at Selling. Volunteers from the local community were encouraged to join a re s e a rch group to take on documentary research and field work, with the support of professional archaeologists from the Trust for Thanet Archaeology. An exhibition and talk from the Trust gave background information on the archaeological sites in Perry Wood and displayed maps of the area that show how the topography and geology has shaped settlement and the location of the archaeological sites in Perry wood. The first meeting of the research group was held in January 2009 where the volunteers decided to carry out an earthwork survey on one of the most important sites in the wood. Spring 2009 2 D I S C O V E R I N G P E R R Y W O O D S A R C H A E O L O G I C A L P R O J E C T A R C H A E O L O G Y I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y TOP: Walking the earthworks. ABOVE: Exposition of the earthworks to volunteers. RIGHT: Instruction on using survey equipment. OPPOSITE: Study area: shaded relief and composite earthwork. Across Kent, local history and archaeology groups have for many years been doing great work investigating the heritage of the county. The Newsletter often carries brief reports of their work, whilst Archaeologia Cantiana presents more in-depth accounts. The groups are communities formed through a common interest in a local area or a subject; the KAS is itself a wider community of like-minded people. The advent of developer-led archaeology over the last two decades has seen the rise of professional commercial units, contracted in to investigate sites often on the doorstep of interested locals. However, there has been recognition in recent years that people want more access to ‘their’ archaeology. These may be people who don’t belong to a local group, but are enthusiastic about getting involved and finding out more. Local and national authorities are responding to this enthusiasm by finding ways in which people can take part. This issue focuses on community involvement in various projects currently underway. The KAS is formulating a community project, in which it is hoped that many of you will become involved – see page 9 for more details. ial photography and observations on the ground have shown to be far from the truth. From the Trust’s plots of previous surveys and the new aerial photographs it became clear that the earthworks on Shottenden Hill were not well recorded and were poorly dated. Early in February 2009 the volunteers of the archaeological project joined the Trust in a walkover survey of the eart h w o r k s , exploring their extent before the bracken that normally obscures them had started to grow. The archaeology research group were keen to get on with surveying the earthworks while they could still be seen. The next stage of the project got under way at an archaeological survey taster day where the Trust gave a hands-on demonstration of archaeological earthwork survey methods. The group were shown how to identify the features of the earthworks and how they would be taking part in the surveying and drawing process that will create the accurate plan the site deserves. A timetable was drawn up for the end of March when, with further training and support from the Trust, small groups of volunteers carried out the survey. Armed with an accurate plan, the group will have a guide to the priorities for further exploration, possibly leading to a small excavation later in the year. With better information on the earthworks, the wider Discovering Perry Wood project will be able to create a management plan for them. They will also be able to develop resources such as reconstruction drawings that can be used to ensure that this important site is given the status it deserves in Kent’s historic environment. Sussex of 1858, but gradually the site was increasingly obscured by the trees and underg rowth. Today the commanding views described by Hasted are difficult to appreciate. In 1880 the ditches were surveyed and drawn by William Flinders Petrie as part of a general survey of earthworks of Kent, and a small scale drawing was re p roduced in A rchaeologia Cantiana. Petrie’s drawing does not show entrances which Hasted had earlier described. Later in the century the earthworks were examined by O.G.S. Crawford for the Ordnance Survey. Since 1953 only part of the south eastern corner of the enclosure has been drawn on the O.S. maps and recent records have even described the earthworks as having been largely destroyed, which aer- 3 Spring 2009 The earthwork survey project The principal archaeological discoveries made in Perry Wood are two sites where i m p o rtant Mesolithic flintwork has been found in quantity and an earthwork enclosure located in the north-west area of the woods on Windmill Hill, which was also known in the past as Shottenden Hill. The research g roup is concentrating on exploring the earthwork for its first field work project. The earliest description we have of the earthwork at Shottenden Hill is by Edward Hasted in his History of Kent. Hasted suggested that the enclosure was most likely to be the remains of a Roman summer camp or exploratory fort, possibly associated with the remains of a larger fort that he had seen as earthworks at Sellingham Wood, two miles to the south-east. Hasted noted the commanding view from the Shottenden Hill site over the county of Kent, reaching along the English Channel to the south and east as far as the North Foreland at the eastern tip of the Isle of Thanet. To the west and north the Essex coast and the North Sea could be observed. An early drawing of the earthworks at Shottenden Hill, as well as the Mill that gave it its later name, was published in the Gentleman’s Magazine of 1786. Zechariah Cozens took a ramble up Shottenden Hill inspired by an interest in an Admiralty semaphore station that was built on the platform at the top of the hill near the Mill. He was soon intrigued by ditches and banks that surrounded the hill. Cozens suggested that the requirements of military technology linked the choice of the site for both the Roman and more recent signal tower structures. In later years the camp at Shottenden Hill continued to be referred to in works such as King’s Handbook for Travellers in Kent and Spring 2009 4 The Churches Committee is always keen to emphasise that its remit encompasses beliefs and people as well as ecclesiastical buildings and artefacts. Accordingly this new series focuses on people in our own county whose impact has been noteworthy. The contributors will be those knowledgeable in their areas of interest. The series will run to about ten articles. ST AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY munities, but also because Ethelbert was a p o w e rful ruler whose influence extended n o rth on the eastern side of England to the Humber and even to the West Midlands. It is clear that Gre g o ry envisaged that a rchbishoprics should be established in London and York (the capitals of the Roman British provinces) but, although Augustine did establish a See in London as well as in Rochester – both places within Ethelbert ’s s p h e re of influence – he did not chose London for his seat as archbishop. Gre g o ry had given Augustine clear authority over all the bishops of Britain but it is possible that the Pope was unaware of the independent Christian communities in the west of the c o u n t ry. Rome is a long way fro m C a n t e r b u ry and Augustine was in better position than Gre g o ry to determine what was possible and what was not. There has been speculation that Ethelbert discouraged Augustine from leaving, but that is not b o rne out by Bede’s re f e rences to A u g u s t i n e ’s visits to Gaul nor from the early successes in Rochester and London. It is m o re likely that Augustine quickly re a l i s e d that Ethelbert was a powerful king and that his support would be vital to the success of the mission. Augustine not only made an impact on the spiritual life of Kent but also on buildings and cultural developments. At first, G re g o ry had written to Ethelbert ord e r i n g the destruction of non-Christian centres of worship but he countermanded that almost as soon as Augustine left Rome with the new proposal to ‘cleanse’ and use the places where people were accustomed to worship as churches. There is arc h a e o l o g ical evidence that that happened in C a n t e r b u ry, including the building that became the first cathedral. Housing for the monks and other buildings were also ere c ted. While it may be fanciful to assume that the existence of the King’s School C a n t e r b u ry has been continuous in some f o rm since the arrival of the mission, Augustine would have needed to train natives to be priests and deacons and there is documentary evidence that there was such a ‘school’ at Canterbury in the 630s. T h e re would certainly have been a re q u i rement for books and we know that E t h e l b e rt ’s laws were written down so t h e re were scribes in Kent during his re i g n . G re g o ry sent presents to Ethelbert and Augustine would certainly have bro u g h t some texts for use in services as well as s t u d y. Bertha and Liuhard would also have had Frankish books for their use and so t h e re was probably the start of a library in C a n t e r b u ry. The gospels used in Canterbury today on occasions such as the enthro n ement of an archbishop may have been b rought by Augustine. They are known as The Gospels of St Augustine but their p rovenance is not known for certain. This volume is now lodged at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. A u g u s t i n e ’s achievement in establishing a base for Roman Christianity in southeast England in less than ten years should not be under-estimated. Throughout a period of uncertainty following Ethelbert ’s death in 616, Christianity continued to be the official religion of the court and was enshrined in law. Augustine gained influence in East Anglia and some of the a reas in the south-west in addition to the bishoprics of Rochester and London but it was in Kent that his success was clear for all to see. M a ry and Peter Berg F u rther reading: St Augustine and the Conversion of England, ed. Richard Gameson (Sutton, 1999) provides good bibliographies by subject area. Th e re were Christians in Kent in Roman times and later, long before St Augustine arrived. His mission was to bring Christianity to the pagan Anglo- Saxons living in south-east England, starting with the Kentish royal household. Christian communities had been established in nort h e rn England by missions fro m I reland and in the west survived as a re s u l t of continuing Roman Christian practices. Augustine was prior of the monastery of St A n d rew in Rome when he was chosen by Pope Gre g o ry in 596 to lead a group of 30 monks and head north. The date of A u g u s t i n e ’s birth in Italy is not known but we do know that he died in Canterbury in about 604 having landed in Kent in 597. T h e re was at least one Christian church in C a n t e r b u ry before 597 and the Frankish princess, Bertha, practised her Christian faith there after her marriage to King E t h e l b e rt of Kent sometime before 580. Indeed, she brought Bishop Liudhard as her personal chaplain, although the fact that he was a bishop indicates that it was intended that he should be more than simply Bert h a ’s chaplain. The marr i a g e is only one indication of the close links between Kent and Frankish Gaul, and evidence of trade is provided by arc h a e ological finds. Augustine and his monks landed on or near the Isle of Thanet, most likely at Ebbsfleet but possibly either at Stonor or the former Roman port of Richboro u g h . A c c o rding to Bede writing some years after the event, Ethelbert went to meet the part y, which by this time had been augmented by monks from Gaul and interpreters. We know that Gre g o ry had written to Ethelbert in advance of Augustine’s arrival and Kent was chosen as the mission’s destination not just because it was close to Gaul, where t h e re were already Roman Christian com- PIONEERS, POWER B R O K E R S & S A I N T S 5 Spring 2009 A HISTORY OF LYMINGE l There are still a few copies left of the DVD containing volumes ICXXV of Archaeologia Cantiana at £30 for individual members and £75 for institutional members plus £1 postage and packaging. l Copies may be ordered by sending a cheque, (payable to KAS) to James M. Gibson, 27 Pine Grove, Maidstone, Kent ME14 2AJ. ARCHAEOLOGIA CANTIANA DVD A Community Project ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HELPING TO COMPILE A HISTORY OF LYMINGE? We realise that in a parish, which has existed some 1600 years as a settlement from the Romans to the present day, this is not going to be a simple task. It is important therefore, that we plan the production of the history in a way which will: l Gain your support along with such institutions as the Lyminge Association and the Historical Society. l Involve everyone who has an interest in the parish, its history and is willing to help. l Produce parts of the history quickly – this will help sustain momentum and interest. l Make each part available at the least possible cost. l Design the publication in a flexible way which can capture current interests whilst forming a coherent historical whole. We are actively seeking researchers, writers, proof readers and helpers to get the project going and produce the initial chapters. Whether you wish to contribute your l a b o u r, expertise or just offer support please contact Duncan Harrington, Ashton Lodge, Church Road, Lyminge, Folkestone CT18 8JA, email: history.research@btinternet.com. The history will be published in instalments; some of the intended topics are: l What has already been written about Lyminge from Domesday and beyond. l Anglo-Saxon Lyminge including translation of charters. l The Parish Church, its origins and subsequent buildings. l Rectors and vicars – including details of past ministers & church and churchyard monuments. l Non Conformist Ministries, their churches and chapels. l Churchwardens and the vestry – the records of the parish officers. l The manors of Eastleigh and Lyminge, including a survey of the registered land and a translation of an early Ly m i n g e manorial book. l Topography, environment, geology and the boundaries of the parish. l The Victorian enclosure of the waste lands and their sale showing documents and maps. l Transport and toll roads. l Farming, markets and business. l Forest, park, flora and fauna. l Sports, associations and clubs. l Public houses. l Biographical sketches and reminiscences. l The modern village. Each part will be 96 pages of A5 in a card cover and will contain one or more chapters including the main text, illustrations and appendices. The appendices will contain transcriptions of the original documents and translations of material relating to the parish, property and people of the village. It is hoped to include A3 and A4 maps and illustrations, with perhaps some in colour. The parts will be organised such that the whole will be able to be bound and the indices and page numbering will coincide. To subscribe to Part 1 of the History of Lyminge (due out in the autumn) at a cost of £5.00, please contact Lyminge History S o c i e t y, John L Carr, Korf House, Canterbury Road, Lyminge CT18 8HU, tel: 01303 862972, email: jon@serenitas.co.uk. Spring 2009 6 A flyer and booking form for the conference is included in this Newsletter. Early booking is advised. Council for Kentish Archaeology West Kent Conference Saturday 25 April, 2 – 5.30pm Discoveries & Research presented by West Kent Archaeological Groups Sevenoaks Community Centre, Crampton Road Leigh Historical Group present The Leigh Gunpowder Mills Followed by presentation workshops by: Bromley & West Kent Archaeological Group Lower Medway Archaeological Research Group Maidstone Area Archaeological Group Orpington & District Archaeological Society Leigh Historical Group Tickets £4.00 available from CKA, 7 Sandy Ridge, Borough G reen TN15 8HP (s.a.e. please). Further information can be found on the CKA website: www.the-cka.fsnet.co.uk or on 0208 7777872 or 01732 884059 or email: davru58-aeol@yahoo.co.uk. Smarden Local History Society Apart from the outside events (* additional charge) all meetings are free to members. Non-members are welcome at all meetings at an admission charge of £2 which includes tea/coffee and biscuits. Thursday 30 April Traditional Kentish Buildings Thursday 21 May Outside visit to Finchcocks* Thursday 18 June Ellen Terry: Darling of the Gods A Saturday in July Summer Outing to Ellen Terry’s House * Thursday 17 September ‘We Bought us an Oast’ Saturday 10th October Exhibition 2pm to 4pm Thursday 5th November AGM + Smarden WWII War Memorial Thursday 17th December Christmas Party All meetings except the outside visits in the months of May and July will take place at 8pm in Smarden Charter Hall. The Exhibition will be in the Hall from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday 10 October. Bexley Archaeological Group Monthly talks and meetings at Bexley-Sidcup Conservative KAS CHURCHES COMMITTEE VISIT Monday 29 June A visit is arranged to St Margaret’s Church, Addington and to St Martin’s Church, Ryarsh. We meet at St Margaret’s at 6.45 for 7pm and go on to St Martin’s at approximately 8pm. Tour £2. Tea and biscuits £1 extra. A booking form for the visit is included in this Newsletter (to be returned by 22 June please). Further details from Philip Lawrence, Barnfield, Church Lane, East Peckham, Tonbridge TN12 5JJ. Phone: 01622 871945. Email: p.lawrence.801@btinternet.com KAS CHURCHES COMMITTEE STUDY DA Y ‘A Nation in Turmoil’ Saturday 11 July An all-day study day entitled ‘A Nation in Turmoil’ (Crown Mitre and Presbyter in the 17th Century) is planned for 11 July in the United Reform Church, Week Street, Maidstone. Doors are open from 9.15 am. Four key personalities of the period are the subjects of our four speakers: Archbishop William Laud by Professor Kenneth Fincham. Sir Roger Twysden by Dr Sue Petrie John Milton by Professor Larry Lerner Richard Baxter by Professor William Lamont Tea and coffee will be available at the church and there are many nearby restaurants. Packed lunches may be eaten in the church. Admission by programme at £8 per person, available from Mrs J Davidson, 7 Chatsworth Road, Gillingham ME7 1DS. Phone: 01634 324004. A booking form for the Study Day is included in this Newsletter (to be returned by 20 June please). KAS LANDSCAPE SURVEY PROJECT Study Day Saturday 3 October Lenham Village Centre See page 9 for background information. EVENTS AROUND KENT GREAT TOWER The Building and Evolution of Henry II’s Keep at Dover Castle 25 & 26 September An English Heritage Conference at the Society of Antiquaries, London, with an optional third day at Dover to explore and discuss the Great Tower with the conference speakers. W H AT ’ S ON > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> KAS EVENTS Preference would be given to work resulting in publication. Please apply in writing to the Honorary Secretary of the Grants Committee as soon as possible and in any case not later than 30 June 2009. Your letter should mention: l Your qualifications l The nature and length of your research l The stage you have reached in your research l The amount you are applying for l Any additional funding anticipated from other sources l Your proposals for publication l Your anticipated timetable You may be asked to name a referee whom the Committee making the grant could consult. If successful, you would be expected to account for the money spent and give a copy of any article, pamphlet etc. to the Society’s Library. For futher details please contact the Honorary Secretary of the Grants Committee: Mrs C M Short 3 Little Meadow, Upper Harbledown, Canterbury CT2 9BD please book promptly! There are some bursaries available to help with costs, particularly for post-graduates and people living in Kent. Contact Gill Draper for details. 7 Spring 2009 Club, 19 Station Road (entrance via Stanhope Road), Sidcup, Kent DA15 7EB. Saturday 9 May 10am - 4.30pm Artefact illustration workshop Jane Russell - UCL For further information contact Pip Pulfer, email: pipspad@hotmail. co.uk Thursday 21 May 8pm CGMS - Talking about the latest excavations in Embassy Court, Welling Saturday 27 June 8pm - late Bexley Archaeological Group’s 30th birthday party For further information contact Pip Pulfer, email: pipspad@hotmail. co.uk Loose Area History Society Monday 11 May, 7.30 pm The Centenary of Aviation in Great Britain by Dick Collinson, Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society In Loose Infant School Hall Non-members welcome Admission £2.50 Pay at the door Free parking in school grounds Enquiries: 01622 741198 www.looseareahistorysociety.webeden. co.uk EVENTS ELSEWHERE CONFERENCE: LOCAL HISTORY AFTER HOSKINS University of Leicester July 9 -12 Several members of the Kent Archaeological Society will be speaking at this conference organised by the University of Leicester with the British Association for Local History. Among many other speakers, Sarah Pearson will be giving the plenary lecture with the title ‘Sandwich: “the completest medieval town in England”. An interdisciplinary study’ P rofessor David Killingray will speak on The Impact of Immigrant Communities on British Local History. Dr Sheila Sweetinburgh will speak on Hythe’s butcher-graziers: Townsmen in the late medieval Kent countryside. Dr Gill Draper will speak on Death in a town: Rye, East Sussex, in the fourteenth century. The programme and booking form is available online at the websites of the British Association for Local History and the C e n t re for English Local History, University of Leicester, http://www.le.ac.uk/elh/documents/Proof3.pdf For a paper copy of the programme and booking form please contact Gill Draper on g.m.draper@kent.ac.uk or 01732 452575. The last ‘Hoskins’ conference on landscape history sold out, so > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> CANTERBURY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION GRANTS Full set of Archaeologia Cantiana for sale, including all index volumes. For further details please contact Mike Francis on 01737 822298 or email: merrydown1@yahoo.co.uk. Run of the magazine Current Archaeology to dispose of, free to anyone willing to collect from Ramsgate. The run is complete from issue 33, July 1972 to issue 227, February 2009. If there are any takers would they please initially get in touch by email: John.Renwick@Tesco.net. KAS HISTORIC BUILDINGS COMMITTEE Preparations are underway for the Autumn Historic Buildings Conference, which this year will be held in Harrietsham Village Hall on Saturday, 17 October. The Committee is delighted that Dr David Starkey CBE, historian, author and bro a d c a s t e r, who wrote and presented the popular television series, ‘The Six Wives of Henry VIII’, ’Elizabeth I, and ‘Monarchy’, has accepted the invitation to speak at the conference. The topic of his talk will be Ightham Mote and the Tudors. More details on this one-day conference will be available in the next issue of the KAS Newsletter. Arrangements have also moved ahead for the first two visits planned for 2009. All the places have been taken up for the tour of The Grange at Ramsgate on Wednesday, 27 May. As mentioned in the last KAS Newsletter, only 20 members could be accommodated on the tour of Luddesdown Court on Wednesday, 10 June. Regrettably, this visit, which includes a tour of Dode Church as part of the programme, has been over-subscribed. By now Joy Saynor will have contacted everyone who applied in order to let them know whether or not they have places. MEMBERSHIP MATTERS My usual plea for this time of the year is – please, please check your bank statements if you pay by bankers order; some of you have still not amended your payment to reflect the new subscription rates which came into effect in January 2008. Some banks are also still paying two amounts – the old one and the new. I have a pile of statements to trawl through and will be writing to those with errors etc. in the next few weeks. If you pay by cheque and haven’t yet renewed please do so as soon as possible so that you will be eligible to vote at the AGM in May. I shall be sending out reminder letters soon, but don’t wait for these – the extra postage is an unnecessary use of Society funds. Please remember that you need to show your membership card if you wish to use the KAS Library. If you have mislaid yours send me a short note and stamped addressed envelope so that I can send you a replacement. After these slight moans I should like to thank the majority of you who do pay promptly by whichever means and congratulations to those whose banks obey instructions! This reminds me to ask you to send me any changes of your details so that I can make sure that the membership database is completely correct! The address for all cor respondence relating to membership is – Mrs Shiela Broomfield, KAS Membership, 8 Woodview Crescent, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent TN11 9HD. Telephone 01732 838698. Email: membership@kentarchaeology.org.uk or s.broomfield@clementi.demon.co.uk. We are pleased to welcome the following new Members Affiliated Society Bridge and District History Society Joint Members Mr & Mrs L H Davies Crouch near Sevenoaks Mr & Mrs D F Earnshaw Aldington near Ashford Mr & Mrs D R Flawn Ashford Mr & Mrs L D Marshall Whitstable Mr & Mrs C F Topley Great Chart near Ashford Y O U A N D Y O U R SOCIETY Spring 2009 8 COPY DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT COMMITTEE ROUND-UP Junior Member Miss C E Birmingham Faversham Individual Members Miss H M Coe Rochester Mr P D Higgs Sellinge near Faversham Ms A Hollands West Kingsdown near Sevenoaks Ms J Jackson Rye Miss S Killick Tunbridge Wells Mrs L V M Lyons Rochester Mr P Pulfer Sidcup Mrs H Swaffer Herne Bay We are in the early stages of planning a major landscape s u rvey project which it is hoped will be one of the Society’s main re s e a rch projects over the next few y e a r s . The project (which has yet to be named) will focus on a transect of the Kentish landscape, across the Nort h Downs from Ospringe, to the Holmesdale and Chartland zones around Lenham, on into the Weald to Smarden and H e a d c o rn . The idea is to compare and contrast the d i ff e rent zones of the Kentish landscape, as well as to examine the links between them in the form of routeways and land t e n u re . Although conceived by the Fieldwork Committee, it is hoped the project will involve all parts of the KAS, plus local archaeological, metal detecting and h i s t o ry groups, and many others fro m a c ross Kent and beyond. A project team, drawn from across the Society’s committees, is being formed to take the pro j e c t f o rw a rd, and Lenham Village Centre has been booked for a study day on Saturd a y October 3rd at which all are welcome. Watch this space for more details! The Council is still seeking a candidate for appointment as Hon. General Secretary (HGS) to succeed Andrew Moffat when he retires. Despite notices in this Newsletter not one person has expressed any interest or suggested someone else as a potential candidate. The Council is now having to look outside the Society for a candidate which is not very satisfactory. It is not too late for you to volunteer - or at least find out more! The Hon. General Secretary is an Officer of the Society and the office is not paid but most expenses are reimbursed. It offers an excellent opportunity to be involved in many aspects of the Society’s work and to know what is going on in many spheres of archaeology and local history in the County and beyond. The Council is prepared to look at spreading the work between two or more people; if you might consider helping the HGS in this way please let us know. It is hoped the candidate will take office later this year or early next year. In the meantime he or she could understudy the present HGS to learn the job and ensure a smooth transition. If you are interested or would just like more information please contact him on (01474) 822280 or email secretary@kentarchaeology.org.uk. If you prefer you may contact the President on (01227) 860207. 9 Spring 2009 EXT ISSUE IS MONDAY 1st JUNE MAJOR NEW PROJECT FOR KAS HELP! WE STILL NEED A NEW HON. GENERAL SECRETARY Spring 2009 10 prising early nineteenth century attempt to turn the Medway area into a fashionable health re s o rt. Another p roject has looked at the outings enjoyed by clubs, societies and employees in the nineteenth century. Biographies of individual Medway residents have been p re p a red and work continues on early re c o rds of docky a rd workers, prison hulks, ethnic minorities, popular p rotest and politics and the list of topics tackled continues to gro w. Not all of this material will make its way into the Medway Towns book, but none of it will go to waste. Data, articles and images will be loaded onto the Kent section of the England’s Past for Everyone website, www. e n gl a n d s p a s t f o re v e ryo n e . o rg.uk. Local publication of art icles based on individual re s e a rch has a l ready begun and will continue to be encouraged and s u p p o rted by the team leader. As she begins to write up the Medway To w n s book in the final year of the project, Sandra acknowledges her debt to the local history community in Kent. “This England’s Past for Everyone volume must be a fitting tribute both to the local history societies, like KAS, who have provided financial support and to the volunteers who have p o u red so much time, energy and eff o rt into the re s e a rch which underpins the project. I would like to think that this Victoria County History initiative for the twenty-first century marks the beginning of more collaborative work in Kent.” If you wish to know more about the project please contact Sandra Dunster s.a.dunster@gre.ac.uk T H E V I C T O R I A C O U N T Y H I S T O R Y E N G L A N D ’ S PA S T F O R E V E RY O N E P R O J E C T V O L U N T E E R R E S E A R C H E R S I N T H E M E D W AY T O W N S Volunteers are the key to the success of the Victoria County History ’s England’s Past for E v e ryone project. This initiative, which has been s u p p o rted by the Kent Archaeological Society from the outset, will see the publication of two paperback volumes. The first, Life and Work in the Lower Medway Va l l e y, 1750-1900, by Andrew Hann, will appear later this year and the second, The Medway Towns 1550- 1900 by Sandra Dunster, is scheduled for publication in 2 0 1 0 . Dr Sandra Dunster of the University of Gre e n w i c h , team leader of the Medway Towns project has no hesitation in a c k n o w l e d g i n g her debt to the twenty five volunteers who have worked with her. “I place tre m e ndous value on the re s o u rce pro v i d e d by such willing, k n o w l e d g e a b l e and skilled volunteers. Wi t h o u t their help I would not have been able to access the wide range of new local material that they have uncovered, within the tight deadline set for the pro j e c t . ” Working in small groups volunteers have undert a k e n the transcription of probate inventories for Gillingham, a p p renticeship re c o rds for Rochester and census data for Old and New Brompton, Troy Town, Luton and S t rood. Details of crime in the Medway area have been extracted from the Old Bailey re c o rd s . T h e re have also been individual initiatives. The 1861 d i a ry of a teenage girl living in Old Brompton has been transcribed. Research into the Medway Bathing Establishment has cast light on the perhaps rather sur- ABOVE: Volunteers sharing information with team leader Sandra Dunster. 11 Spring 2009 L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 Dear Editor Rather than digging, I am at present mining the archive. By chance I came across the description of a ‘mithraeum’ at Burham, overlooking the Medway river. The VCH description and the original 1890’s discovery notes published by the Antiquaries leave much to be desired, but I have slowly created an accurate record of this structure now destroyed, by using a combination of records. The many finds were dispersed when the quarry company moved, and enquiries to Rochester Museum service have proved fruitless; our member R F Jessup did have access to mortar samples in 1956. I would be very grateful, if any readers know of the whereabouts of any finds or other material, that they contact me. First thoughts are that this is not a mithraeum, but formed the basis of a classical structure such as a temple. It was very close to one of the supposed sites of the ‘Medway Battle’ and therefore deserves more attention, given that it seems to represent a type of structure architecturally and perhaps ritually unique in Britain. No trace of it now survives. Mark Samuel 01843 588976 or twoarches@aol.com Editor’s note – asking around, this structure appears to be one of Kent’s con - tentious sites, certainly known about and perhaps investigated by various pe ople in different ways in the past. Can any KAS members shed further light on records or research? Dear Editor I have been asked to write a series of books drawing on contemporary accounts by an established publisher of history titles. The books will feature diaries, letters and other contemporary material. I am contacting family history and local history societies in the hope that members of such g roups will be able to assist me in my re s e a rc h . The first title to be published will focus on air raids and ARP. Other subject areas are Dunkirk, military nursing, VE Day and Women’s Land Army. I would be grateful if anyone in your society who has any relevant material or memories would contact me. My email is harbro@btinternet.com and my address is 15 Brockley Grove, London SE4. Any material submitted will be considered for publication in the book although obviously I cannot say what will and will not be included at this stage. I will, however, send updates on the project to those submitting material and interested societies, so you will know how it is progressing and when the first book (and other titles) are published. I shall of course credit my sources in the books. Any original material will be copied and returned quickly. Thanking you for your help. Carol Harris M E D W AY M E M O R I E S VA L L E Y O F V I S I O N S P R O J E C T The KAS has been invited to participate in a new oral history p roject called ‘Medway Memories’. The idea is to record p e o p l e ’s memories of how the Medway Gap has changed over the years to the present day. Local volunteers will be invited to record their memories of how things used to be and what has happened, in their a rea, during their lifetime. The younger generation in schools will also be encouraged to learn about the area in which they live, by talking to relatives who have memories to share. Would you like to take part? P a rticipation could involve talking directly to the organisers, or transmitting your memories in writing or via a website. You might even be sufficiently interested to take part in the recording of the memories of others – your relatives, friends, neighbours etc. If you are interested please contact Jennifer Smith at ‘The Cedars’, H o l b o rough Road, Snodland ME6 5PW, tel: 01634 242826 or email: mail@vov.kentdowns.org.uk. Spring 2009 12 Kent Churches, photos of Waltham Abbey and Cudham as well as notebooks from his field trips to Folkestone Church and Churchyard. However, the most striking part about this box is how much of its content is concerned with recording the heritage which was disappearing around him. There are pictures from Orpington and Lewisham of buildings and street scenes which have now long vanished. One example is Tapley's Barn, NOTES FROM THE ARCHIVE Rural Catford & Lewisham The Lewisham antiquarian Leland L. Duncan (1862 - 1923) produced an astounding volume and diversity of papers in his lifetime. The KAS is fortunate to have some of his papers and the Archive Survey has now completed one more box, Box 35, and is nearing the end of another of the original wooden boxes deposited with the Society. Leland L. Duncan's possessions were auctioned off in 1924 and much of his library and collections were bought by his friends. The family retained some items and others were deposited with The Society of Antiquarians of London and with the KAS. His papers are therefore in several different deposits, much of it in Lewisham Local History and A rchive Centre, and it is hoped that listing the holdings will make life easier for researchers. Box 35 contains seven bundles of Manuscript papers accumulated between ca. 1880 and 1920. It contains a l a rge number of items related to Mr Duncan's published works and may be of special interest to those who wish to study his methods of collation and research. The main topics in this box are the Monumental Inscriptions of Churches and Churc h Registers. The inscriptions from Folkestone Church and Churchyard were published in instalments in Miscellanea Genealogical et Heraldic between 1892 and 1893 and copies of these are present . The content includes inscriptions at Chislehurst, West Wickham, Chelsfield and Bromley, and transcriptions of The Registers at Lewisham and the Registers at Allhallows, Hoo and Chislehurst. The Wooden Box carries the somewhat c ryptic inscription ‘Hart's Manuscript 2nd Edition’. This refers to a printers proof of Hart's History of Lee, which is included in the box along with a letter requesting correction of it. The box contains material related to the study of churches. There are records of Monumental Inscriptions of West Sangley Farm in Catford. This Farm was located on the eastern side of the Bromley Road and is mentioned in his book The H i s t o ry of the Borough of Lewisham (1908). He informs us that the farm can be traced back to the Court Rolls of Edward II and then goes on to say "part of the old house of timber remained until a few years ago, when it was rebuilt, but the old kitchen still exist. The farm lands are now built over." The photo shows an outside and, more interestingly, an inside view of the barn. Leland Duncan also had an interesting copy of an 1828 Survey of the farm among his papers (now in Lewisham). The farm was bought by A.C. Corbett in 1894 and became part of his St. Germans Estate. The "New House" became The Priory House School and this building disappeared in the 1980s. In Lewisham they hold a postcard view of the same barn from around 1894 and a sales catalogue from 1849, but these two photos are a rare record of this once substantial 200 acre farm in Catford. The rural theme continues in a collection of newspaper cuttings where Leland Duncan has selected those of interest for recording the past way of life in the area. A good example is a series of articles in The Journal and District Times from January 1911 called Fifty Years Ago, Mr. H.C. Motts Local Notes and Reminiscences. These recall the rural delights of Lewisham in Mr Motts' childhood, how people used to live in cottages near the stream in Lewisham and drink from its water, how he used to watch the ducks on the "crystal waters". He remembers with particular delight the trees in Lewisham, the elms and the weeping willows along the stream. Walking down Lewisham High Street today it is hard to imagine this quieter rural past amongst the cheerful bustle and rumbling traffic. Pernille Richards ABOVE AND BELOW: Tapley’s Barn, Sangley Farm in Catford, showing much of the old timber structure. 13 Spring 2009 lage. As a result, in the 16th and 17th centuries, five or six rich yeoman families dominated it. The churches, and also later the chapels, played an important part too. Study of the re c o rds brings out clearly how the village was managed, and by whom, how little influence the central government has had until recent years and how the village has grown in the last 80 years. H a rdback. Fully re f e renced and illustrated with 50 photographs, maps and drawings. On sale locally for £20.00. Can also be bought (P&P extra) by contacting Mr P Mountfield, tel: 01732 761848 or email: p e t e rmountfield@homail.com H i s t o r y in a City Street – St Mar g a re t ’ s, Canterbury G e o ff r ey Pike & Michael Cr u x ISBN 1 899 177 18 3 This book sets out to re c reate the character of the Street when it was p a rt of the popular life of the City; a place where g e n t ry lived and where people worked in small businesses and lived with their families behind and above the premises. It is designed rather as a s t roll along the stre e t , re g a rding each building in t u rn from its arc h i t e c t u r a l and historical feature s ; behind brick fro n t s medieval timber framing often remains. The principal residents for each p ro p e rty across the c e n t u ry are described with their related business or pro f e s s i o n a l associations. Some of the Stre e t ’s special f e a t u res are considered; the ancient church which once housed the Arc h d e a c o n ’s Court , Fountain Inn, where City men celebrated with banquets and distinguished visitors making for London or Dover, the Assembly Rooms which also housed the first Canterbury Bank, and the Music Hall. Evidence has also been assembled to suggest a re c o n s t ru c t i o n of two of the important buildings of Roman Canterbury: the Public Baths and the massive t h e a t re building. Price £8.00. On sale in Waterstones in Canterbury or can be ord e red through any good bookshop. N o rman Churches in the Canterbury Diocese M a r y Berg & Howard Jones This is the first detailed consideration of the N o rman churches in the C a n t e r b u ry diocese. During the twelfth century around 100 churc h e s w e re built or re-built in the eastern half of Kent and the authors shed light on why they were built, the materials and c o n s t ruction methods used, how much the c h u rches cost, how they w e re paid for and by whom. Close links between East Kent and the Bessin area of N o rmandy between Bayeux and Caen which s t a rted with William the C o n q u e ro r ’s half-bro t h e r, Odo the bishop of Bayeux who was made Earl of Kent, are explore d . Suggestions are put forw a rd about how those links were first stre n g t h e n e d and then, after 1204, broken. Political and social developments are re v i e w e d as well as the architectural backgro u n d . l over 100 illustrations l studies of the 18 principal Norman churches in the diocese l gazetteer entries for some 80 more churc h e s l sections on Norman fonts l sections on figurative sculpture in East Kent. The authors spent many hours visiting, measuring and photographing the churches and their Norm a n f e a t u res and the result is seen in the hundreds of detailed plans, drawings, re c o n s t ructions and photographs that illustrate the book. The churc h e s , manorial lords and the people of Kent in the twelfth c e n t u ry come alive to provide some idea of the a re a ’s great importance to the conquerors and its relationship with Norm a n d y. Available from July from all good local bookshops or direct from The History Press. Normal price will be £20.00, but to obtain a pre - o rder special offer of 15% discount call 01235 465577 or email d i re c t . o rders@marston.co.uk quoting re f e re n c e T H P N o rm a n J u n e 0 9 . Seal: The History of a Parish Jean Fox, David Williams & Peter M o u n t f i e l d ISBN 978-1-86077-464-5. Although in many ways a typical English agricultural community, Seal had two advantages over some of its neighbours: land suited to pastoral farm i n g , and a lord of the manor who rarely lived in the vil- N E W B O O K S Spring 2009 14 Nighthawking refers to the unauthorised removal of art e f a c t s f rom private land and all too often to the further theft and sale of such illegally acquired objects. On the 16th of F e b ru a ry this year English Heritage made public the results of a nationwide survey of the phenomenon of nighthawking. This surv e y has been conducted on behalf of English Heritage by a private cont r a c t o r, Oxford Arc h a e o l o g y. The re p o rt draws on a wide variety of s o u rces to try and provide a national picture of what has pre v i o u s l y been a murky and under- re p o rt e d a c t i v i t y. It is hoped the re p o rt will o ffer lessons for the future dire c t i o n of eff o rts to conserve arc h a e o l o g ical sites in the face of a pern i c i o u s t h reat to our shared heritage. The re p o rt ’s findings offer a pict u re of where nighthawking occurs and notes 240 re p o rted cases between 1995 and 2008. Central and Eastern England are the sourc e of most re p o rted cases, which is not surprising given the location of many important arc h a e o l o g i c a l sites. One problem is that re p o rt i n g mechanisms and legislation diff e r widely around the British Isles. A rrests and prosecutions are rare and in many areas the off i c i a l response is uncoordinated. In the event of convictions punishments a re rarely a deterrent and the metal detectors used by nighthawks are v i rtually never confiscated. The tru e f i g u res for affected sites could indeed be much higher according to the re p o rt ’s authors. Despite this seemingly gloomy p i c t u re there is news to be cheerf u l about. Nighthawks are as much a t h reat to the re c reation of legitimate metal detecting enthusiasts as to the knowledge and study of the history of the British Isles. In this re g a rd there is common cause to be made between all concern e d . In the case of Kent, the re p o rt notes the excellent work carried out by local law enforcement and heritage bodies working in partnership with local metal detecting enthusiasts to combat nighthawking. At the launch of the re p o rt the District Commander for Canterbury singled out for fulsome praise Sergeant Andy Small, Environmental Crime Co-ordinator for Kent Police, and Andrew Richardson, the former Finds Liaison O fficer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Kent. The re p o rt makes several recommendations for future impro v ements to the re p o rting process. Yet a central problem touched on by the re p o rt is perhaps worthy of future consideration. Curre n t legislation categorises nighthawking as theft and trespass. Yet this d o e s n ’t get to the nub of the problem. Sir Barry Cunliffe, Chair of English Heritage, styled nighthawking as heritage theft. Heritage theft implies some form of collective loss that is not easily re c o nciled with current legislation that makes the landowner the sole victim in law. The question of whose heritage is at risk is vital to checking the activities of nighthawks. The re p o rt ’s authors note that some nighthawks style themselves as romantic figures engaged in class warf a re against the pro p e rtied and educated establishment. This suggests that checking the p roblem has less to do with harsher punishment and more to do with public engagement, awareness and ownership of our shared heritage. The re p o rt amply illustrates that s e c recy and surveillance have had a limited impact on the activities of nighthawks. The re p o rt ’s authors do not appear to have included metal detecting bodies from the outset in their re s e a rch, still less given qualitative considerations to the role of individuals. It is all too understandable that this re p o rt could be misint e r p reted as a surveillance exerc i s e aimed at strengthening a curre n t regime of practice. Past experiences have left many law abiding and responsible metal detecting enthusiasts with just this impression. The answer to the question of whose heritage is under threat and for whom it is being conserved must in f u t u re be framed in a genuinely inclusive manner, indeed it is central to the debate. The problem of nighthawking impacts upon the interests of metal detectorists, arc h a e o l o g i s t s , landowners and the public at larg e . The re p o rt notes the successes achieved in Kent by stre n g t h e n i n g co-operation between all concern e d . The inclusion of metal detectorists in the archaeological process is now standard practice in the development control briefs drawn up by the Heritage Team at Kent County Council. This local example of success is complemented more generally by the role of the Port a b l e Antiquities Scheme. We re it not for the information that concern e d metal detectorists relayed to their local Finds Liaison Officers the t rue extent of nighthawking would be murkier still. Such re l a t i o nships of trust unite common goals of safeguarding every o n e ’s knowledge and enjoyment of our fascinating island heritage for future generations. N I G H T H A WKING SUR V E Y ABOVE: An early metal detector devised by George MHopkins and illustrated in ‘Experimental Science’, published by Munn &Co., New York, 1898. The editor’s thanks go to Peter Draper, who came across this wonderful image! open to all but will need to be booked t h rough the Kent High Weald Part n e r s h i p , as numbers are limited (see contact details b e l o w ) . We are also hoping to stage theatre walks with the help of local drama gro u p s , for the benefit of Benenden Primary School and Benenden Girls School and later for the general public in a grand celebration day set for Saturday 29th August. This is an open day to mark the end of the project and will be packed full of interesting activities to highlight High Weald heritage. I hope that in the next few months, t h rough the work of dedicated volunteers, a p i c t u re of the culvert ’s history will emerg e . For further details please contact The Kent High Weald Partnership on 01580 212972 or visit our website, w w w. k h w p . o rg . u k Ian Johnstone, Project Officer KHWP 15 Spring 2009 This hidden tre a s u re was first feature d in the Spring 2006 newsletter, issue no. 68. An impressive stone-built c u l v e rt was discovered in the deliciously named Strawberry Wood near Benenden ten years ago and since then has been the subject of much intrigue and discussion. The c u l v e rt is believed to be important locally in holding clues to the history of the wood, landscape and surrounding High Weald. The threat of this historical feature being lost is real as the stru c t u re is near collapse. Heavy rains earlier in the year have again taken their toll and washed away m o re of its covering path. A large lintel slab of sandstone has now been exposed t h rough erosion, showing more of the culv e rt ’s stru c t u re, highlighting the need for repair action as soon as practicable. F o rt u n a t e l y, due to the hard work of Benenden Amenity and Countryside Society and Kent High Weald Project, funding has been secured to carry out the re s t o r a t i o n and re s e a rch of the culvert. Included in the project outlined above a re a series of community days and events. The objective of the project is not only to re s t o re the culvert but to raise interest in local heritage and historical industries based in the High We a l d . The footpath leading to the culvert is in need of some attention to make it easier for visitors and three days have been set aside for volunteers to replace five stiles with gates, clear overhanging branches and i m p rove the surf a c e . We are also asking for help from volunteers interested in re s e a rching the history of the culvert through a day of field surv e y, to map out the nearby man-made feature s such as banks and quarries. Another day is planned for digging test pits in the vicinity to establish the route of the ancient path and determine its stru c t u re. We may also find some evidence of iron working in the a rea (the Wealden Iron Research Group are hoping to carry out a more detailed surv e y of the streams around the culvert, as a recent pre l i m i n a ry survey discovered slag f rom iron workings). Both these events are S T R AW B E R R Y W O O D C U LV E RT P R O J E C T Community Restoration of a Rural Relic TOP: Launch of the project. RIGHT: Lintel slab exposed through erosion. BELOW: David Brown of Wealden Iron Research Group searching for metal production evidence. Published by the Kent Archaeological Society, Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Gallery, St Faith’s Street, Maidstone, Kent. ME 14 1LH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk EDITOR: LYN PALMER 55 Stone Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2QU Telephone: 01892 533661 Email evelyn.palmer@virgin.net or newsletter@kentarchaeology.org.uk Copy deadline for the next issue in July is Monday June 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. ABOVE TOP: Last day of the 2008 Randall Manor dig - the core group of volunteers, tired but happy! ABOVE BOTTOM: Glazed floor tile from the Randall Manor site. Spring 2009 16 2008 saw our most successful community excavation to date. Over 3 weeks in July, a wide range of schools, students, families and volunteers helped to further investigate the site of Randall Manor. We had hundreds of visitors over National Archaeology weekend and gave numerous site tours. We now have evidence for a number of medieval buildings built of flint, chalk and ragstone around a gravel surfaced courtyard. Our kitchen building has at least two phases; we have also investigated a possible store ro o m building and in the north east corner of the site, a bakery. The site is bounded to the north by a series of fishponds, which we began to test pit in 2008. The location of the main building is proving more elusive! We have evidence for a building with large foundations on the south side of the site, which geophysics suggests may be laid out east-west. One of our key finds from 2008 was a beautiful glazed medieval floor tile. In 2009 we will be excavating on site from the 4th to the 26th of July. The strength of the project has always been the wide range of people we have attracted to the dig, which is open to ALL to take part in! If you are interested in learning more about the project and Randall Manor Season IV, please contact me. As in past years we will also be running our Medieval Weekend with free activities for kids on the 18th and 19th of July, as part of the CBA’s Festival of Archaeology. In addition to Randall Manor, opportunities to get involved in the project will run throughout the year. These will include the chance to take part in an earthworks survey of the whole of the Country Park, fieldwalking, further work at our World War Two RAF and Army Camps and a renewed attempt to understand the mound on the heath in the Park. First identified as a possible Bronze Age Barrow, the flint from the trenches around the mound has been dated to the Mesolithic period. It seems more likely that we have evidence for a landscape containing a mesolithic camp, into which a post-medieval prospect mound has been placed. So with archaeology to suit those interested in a wide range of periods from prehistory to modern, I hope to see many of you at the Park this year! Andrew Mayfield andrew.mayfield@kent.gov.uk COMMUNITY ARCHAEOLOGY AT S H O R N E W O O D S C O U N T R Y PA R K A N E W FA C E F O R T H E F U T U R E The Shorne Woods Country Park Heritage Project has gone from strength to strength over the first 3 years of its development. Lyn Palmer has now moved on to the Weald Forest Ridge Project and Andrew Mayfield has taken over as the Community Archaeologist at the Park, with funding secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a further two years. Here he reveals the latest news from the project and looks forward to 2009!