THE OLDEST AND LARGEST SOCIETY DEVOTED TO THE HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE ANCIENT COUNTY OF ISSUE 102 - WINTER 2015 www.kentarchaeology.org.uk

DIGGING ON THE CLIFFS

Peters Village The Speckled Pit Woolcomber Street Scotgrove Burham Nr Hartley Welcome to our members Many of you may not be aware that our President, Ian Coulson, ISSUE 102 - WINTER 2015 is unwell and so the Vice Presidents are taking over some of his duties. As you know, Ian is very concerned about the future of the President: Society and about bringing its resources to a wider audience. Ian Coulson Progress in this direction is currently limited without Ian’s input, however, work is ongoing to update the website and improve Vice Presidents: its accessibility. Mrs S Broomfield Mr L.M. Clinch A group, led by Clive Drew, is working on plans to attract a wider Mr E.P. Connell membership. Shiela Broomfield, our Membership Secretary, has Mr R.F. Legear revised the membership records making it easier to keep track of members. You will also have received a new and more durable Hon. General Secretary: membership card from her. If Shiela does not have an email Robert Cockcroft address for you and you have no objection to being contacted in [email protected] that way please let her have your details (see page 22).

Hon. Treasurer: You will know from previous correspondence that Pernille Barrie Beeching Richards, our Hon.Librarian, is standing down and we are actively [email protected] looking for a replacement. Pernille has done a magnificent job in reorganising the library and arranging activities therein. Hon. Membership Secretary: This will also be the penultimate newsletter edited by Lyn Palmer. Mrs Shiela Broomfield Lyn has been the editor for 15 years and has overseen changes [email protected] in the format and delivery of a very interesting and informative journal. Hon. Editor: Terry G. Lawson It is with much sadness that I have to tell you that Peter [email protected] Stutchbury passed away on 27th of October. He will be greatly missed. He relinquished the post of Hon.General Secretary last Hon. Librarian: year and Bob Cockcroft took over. Bob has had a very steep Mrs Pernille Richards learning curve in his first year and without his forbearance and [email protected] expertise the Society would be in a much more difficult position, so we owe him great thanks. You can read more about Bob on Hon. Curator: Page 23. Dr Andrew Richardson [email protected] Enjoy this bumper issue of the Newsletter and look out for the March issue which will carry all KAS and associated groups’ Research: events for the next 12 months. Ted Connell [email protected] Mike Clinch

Press: Paul Tritton KENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY [email protected] KAS Library Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery Newsletter: St Faith’s Street Lyn Palmer Maidstone ME14 1LH [email protected] The oldest and largest society devoted to the history and archaeology of the ancient county of Kent

2 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk ON THE FRONT COVER Graphite rods from carbon arc lamps at South Foreland lighthouse. Photo Andrew Savage

In this issue

Peters Village 4 - 8

KAS Website 9

The Mystery of the Speckled Pit 10 - 14

New Publications 15 4 Up on the Cliffs 16 - 21

You and Your Society 22 - 23

News from the Library 24

KAS Allen Grove History Fund 25

Events 26 - 27 28 Rose Hill 28 - 33

Woolcomber Street 34 - 38

Saving Kent’s History 39

Churches Commitee & KCC Community Archaeology 40 - 41

Scotgrove 42 - 47 42 Lyminge Teacher’s Pack 48

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 3 Peters Village A Slice Through Time By Chris Clarke (CgMs Consulting) Extensive archaeological investigations undertaken last year have shed new light on the archaeological landscape of the valley, with evidence from multiple excavation sites revealing how communities from the prehistoric onwards have been exploiting the land adjacent to the river.

he investigations were ABOVE Recording of excavations ahead of the in the area by Birmingham undertaken by the Neolithic structure residential development University identified a roughly Museum of London in progress. Photo provided a more concentrated contemporary Causewayed TArchaeology (MOLA) and Maggie Cox © localised picture of the Enclosure on higher ground, commissioned by CgMs MOLA development of the landscape approximately 100m to the Consulting, on behalf of over the past 6000 years. north of where the structure Trenport Investments Ltd, prior was recorded. There is a strong to the construction of the new Prehistoric Settlement possibility that these two large scale Peters Village The earliest evidence the MOLA features are related. development and bridge team encountered, and Other features recognised as crossing located between potentially the most significant, dating to the Neolithic were Burham and Wouldham on the related to Neolithic settlement limited, restricted to a partial east bank of the River Medway. in the valley. While excavating in Early to Middle Neolithic ring Associated works also took proximity to Court Road the ditch and isolated pit found in place on the west bank of the remains of a simple structure separate locations in the river near Holborough. The were encountered, which northern area of the site. archaeological works were consisted in plan of a roughly A review of the excavation undertaken prior to the rectilinear arrangement of areas indicated that there was a construction of extensive stakeholes measuring noticeable lack of features residential development at the approximately 8m by 4m, associated with the Early to former chalk quarry, Peters Pit, within which was the remains of Middle Bronze Age. Further and supporting infrastructure a trampled surface. Several excavations along Court Road, relating to the new road and fragments of pottery recovered to the south of where the bridge across the Medway. The from the features were identified Neolithic structure was excavations in advance of the as Decorated Bowl/Mildenhall identified, revealed one half of a new road provided a 2.5km style vessels dated to 3800-3200 ring ditch, measuring roughly slice through the local calBC. 20m in diameter. The location landscape, while those Previous geophysical surveys of the ring ditch positioned on

4 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk a spur of high ground inhumation of an adult of Roman Transition overlooking the Medway Valley indeterminate sex. Radiocarbon Occupation within the is typical of Bronze Age burial analysis dated the inhumation to immediate landscape during monuments, indicating the ring 1010 – 830 cal BC. As much the Late Iron Age/Early Roman ditch would once have as no defined evidence for period was substantially more delineated the limit of a barrow contemporary settlement was visible and extensive. In the of this period. Unfortunately identified, the regularity of the northern area of the site near 100% excavation of a stretch of features dating to this period Wouldham, features associated ring ditch only produced small imply reasonably extensive with this time of transition scraps of pottery broadly dated occupation of the landscape includes evidence of a field to the prehistoric period, and no by local populations during system adjacent to the associated burial was found to this period. floodplain. The field system fully substantiate this Evidence for this extensive ditches were primary aligned interpretation. use of the landscape soon dies east to west, with a later phase A scatter of Late Bronze Age/ away over the next few hundred of ditches subsequently cutting Early Iron Age finds and discrete years as the only feature these ditches at right angles. A features were found at regular recorded associated with the short distance to the west of the intervals throughout the site, Middle to Late Iron Age period field system were a pair of primarily consisting of isolated was a second crouched parallel ditches forming a pits and occasional boundary inhumation. This burial was 7m-wide north-south aligned ditches containing small located in the northern part of trackway. Similar trackway assemblages of pottery and flint. the site near Wouldham, and features of the same width and The exception to this was a small BELOW View of ring has been assessed as being age were found in two different group of pits recorded just ditch adjacent to a probable male adult, excavation areas further to the outside the village of Burham, Court Road. Photo radiocarbon dated to 360-90 south, suggesting the presence near Bell Lane, found in Maggie Cox © cal BC. of a single trackway over a proximity to a crouched MOLA kilometre in length running

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 5 parallel to the Medway during ABOVE Remains of was subsequently backfilled and population felt under threat. this period. possible Late the trackway metalling Further research will be In the southern area of the Medieval or Early reinstated and widened to a undertaken to find parallels for site, next to Bell Lane, there Post Medieval maximum width of such a feature and see if this was also a high concentration of garden feature approximately 7.5m, with a early theory is correct. features dated to this period, being recorded. possible fence line defining its When this evidence is placed consistent with peripheral Photo Maggie Cox western edge. into context with the settlement features within a © MOLA More intriguingly, a series of immediate landscape a possible small dry valley. Defining the roughly 40 large square reason for such a concentration extent of these features was a postholes was recorded running of features becomes potentially wide boundary ditch and a perpendicular between the obvious. There are vague multi-phase trackway located boundary ditch and trackway. antiquarian records of the 40m apart and orientated on When excavated, the postholes discovery of a Roman building the same northeast-southwest were found to have been packed in the field adjacent to this alignment. In the area between out using locally produced 1st recent discovery. The location these two features there were century AD Roman roof tile, of this building is marked on numerous discrete pits, strongly indicating the presence the early Ordnance Survey postholes and a concentration of a Roman building in close maps and is located about 50m of stakeholes. The original proximity to the site. The from the excavation area. If metalled trackway was current interpretation for the present, this would certainly approximately 5m wide with a posthole alignment is that it imply that the MOLA small ditch cut each side for the may have formed a palisade excavation team has found part purpose of drainage. The constructed from a series of of the building’s immediate trackway must have temporarily substantial timber posts. This land holdings and one of the fallen out of use as the drainage interpretation automatically main trackways leading up to ditches became infilled and a leads to the suggestion that such the building. In the wider large pit had been cut through a feature was defensive in nature, landscape, the widely known the metalled surface. The pit implying that the local high status Eccles Roman Villa

6 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk the southern end of Hall Road. A medieval enclosure ditch containing fragments of 12th to 13th century pottery appear to define the earliest phase of activity associated with the hall, adjacent to which were located a number of contemporary domestic rubbish pits. Among the usual domestic detritus, such as pottery and animal bone, was a find of significant interest, consisting of a horse harness pendant bearing the arms of the Beauchamp family, who were the powerful Earls of Warwick between the 13th and 15th century. Did this family hold influence over the lands surrounding the Wouldham Marshes? Or was the pendant lies roughly 1km to the south of ABOVE Spread of disturbed burial, with the bones accidentally lost during a visit this location, suggesting that this Iron Age pottery of the occupant all but removed by one of the household? isolated building and its under excavation. by later truncation. Despite this By the Tudor period the immediate holdings may form Photo Maggie Cox disturbance, an assemblage of grounds of the hall had part of the villa’s wider estate. © MOLA grave goods still survived, developed further, now defined Another intriguing feature, consisting of a knife, stone by a more extensive enclosure dated to the early post-conquest pendant and belt buckle. ditch. Unfortunately, features period by a single Claudian contemporary with this later coin, was one part of what Wouldham Hall activity were more rare. appeared to be an extensive BELOW Horse Evidence for medieval and With the onset of the 18th regular double ditched enclosure pendant found near post-medieval activity on site century there appeared to a mix located near St. Mary’s Church Wouldham Hall. was primarily restricted to the of activity occurring within the in the central area of the site, on Photo Maggie Cox area immediately surrounding grounds of the hall. One area higher ground formed by a © MOLA the former Wouldham Hall at had been clearly landscaped, gravel island adjacent to the river. The shape of such an enclosure is very characteristic of temporary Roman military defences. Are we looking at an early post-conquest Roman marching camp? If so, such a feature may add important information to the nature and passage of the Roman invasion of Britain. Once further planned analysis of the excavation evidence takes place we will be able to learn more. Later Roman activity on site was very sparse, much like the Anglo-Saxon period. The only noteworthy Anglo-Saxon feature discovered was a heavily

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 7 dominated by a large artificial ABOVE Possible had been sold off and the Peters Initial assessment of the results pond which had been shaped circular summer Wouldham Hall Cement Works have provided a clue as to how using a hidden retaining wall to house under constructed. The cement works human activity has ebbed and make sure that when viewed excavation near adjacent to the river were an flowed along the banks of the from the hall, only a naturalistic Wouldham Hall. extensive operation, changing River Medway over the past view of the pond could be seen. Photo Maggie Cox the face of the local landscape 6000 years, with evidence that Circular foundations recorded © MOLA permanently as the large chucks local populations were keen to next to the pond may suggest it were dug out of the hillsides to exploit this environment at was overlooked by a extract the chalk, while ground intervals during the late contemporary summer house. level adjacent to the river was prehistoric and Roman period. A separate area had been set substantially raised to facilitate Such activity appears to go in aside for more mundane construction of the extensive cycles, with no one population utilitarian purposes, dominated production complex. Despite consistently utilising the area by a sequence of square the sheer scale of the works, for an extended period. By the postholes related to the surprisingly little has survived medieval period utilisation of construction of a series of the closure of the plant in the the landscape appears to ancillary buildings. early 20th century and become much more focused, By the late 19th century the subsequent phases of creating the pattern of land use Medway Valley became one of demolition, clearance and and settlement we are familiar the largest centres in the encroachment of the local with today. Further research country for the production of vegetation. What was left was and analysis of the excavation cement. This was primarily due recorded by MOLA building results is due to happen in the to the extensive availability of specialists prior to the near future, but once these chalk for processing into lime, a commencement of the works. results are compiled they are key ingredient of cement, and The archaeological likely to provide a significant accessibility to the booming investigations at Peters Village step forward in our construction industry of have not only provided a understanding of how the Victorian London via rail and valuable slice through time, but Medway Valley has been water. By the 1890s the land have also provided a detailed exploited over time. surrounding Wouldham Hall slice through the local landscape.

8 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 30,000 KENT ‘MIs’ FROM 300 PARISHES NOW ON OUR WEBSITE The recent addition of another 1,000 memorial Among others who have found broken links in S.S.Tay in November 1886 and found July 12th inscriptions (‘MIs’) to the Research pages of their family history is Oliver A Gauld-Galliers, 1887’. http://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk brings the who was trying to trace Elizabeth Carter Sharpe, Hoo (St Werburgh) total number available free online to more than one of his grandmother’s ancestors. Our records 30,000, recorded in nearly 300 Kent parishes. led Oliver to her grave and that of her husband Thomas Aveling, builder of steam traction William Read at St Mary’s, Lamberhurst, and engines, some of which were used to plough The project began 14 years ago when several revealed that three of their children and drain the Thames marshes. family history enthusiasts and KAS volunteers predeceased their mother (Fig.3). started to transcribe and index records they David Webb and Alfred Groves, drowned in their and their predecessors had made while sleep when their barge foundered in the inspecting graves in churches, churchyards and Thames. cemeteries across the county over a period of The three children of William Lionel Wyllie RA nearly 250 years. As well as naming those (prolific marine painter and etcher), none of buried in the graves, many MIs identify their whom lived for more than six days. parents, spouses and offspring, so the total number of names that have now been recorded Rochester (St Nicholas Cemetery) amounts to several hundred thousand. Fig 3 Oliver Gauld-Galliers at the grave of Captain Herbert Claude Morton, ‘killed in the Visitors to the website can browse through an William and Elizabeth Read explosion of HMS Bulwark’. The ship exploded alphabetical list of parishes or search for a on November 26 1914 while anchored off name in all the burial places at once. MIs from several parishes in north Kent , with the loss of 736 men. recorded by D E Williams include a family burial The earliest MIs were found in notes made by plot at St James, Cooling, immortalized by Shorne (St Peter and St Paul’s Church Rev. Bryan Faussett of Heppington (Fig.1), in Charles Dickens. This is where, in Great Sarah Bevan, who left instructions to be buried the parish of Nackington, near , while Expectations, orphan Pip recalled, “As I never in her ‘usual night clothes, wrapped in a long visiting about 150 churchyards between 1756 saw my father or my mother; my first fancies white dress. In an inner coffin, then in a lead and 1760. Another early MI recorder was regarding what they were like were coffin covered with black cloth, black plates Leland Lewis Duncan of Lewisham, who worked unreasonably derived from their tombstones”. and nails’ and ‘kept 10 days before burial and tirelessly from the 1880s until he died in 1923. In real life the tombs are those of the Comport taken to the churchyard with two black coaches family. Nearby are ‘five little stone lozenges’ to attend’. marking the graves of what Dickens imagined to be those of Pip’s siblings (Fig.4). George Bennett, bricklayer, ‘in his day a famous cricketer’ who played for Kent and, in 1862, for in Australia. Chatham (St Mary) Three members of the Mills family and 12 Fig 1 Rev.Bryan Faussett. Courtesy of National others, including a boatman, drowned in 1816 Museums, Liverpool. while attempting to pass through Rochester Bridge when their boat struck a piece of timber Many inscriptions have become illegible over Fig 4 The Comport family plot at Cooling, 1903 which had been placed, without warning, across the intervening years, and in many cases the KAS Catharine Weed Barnes Ward collection an arch under repair. This incident became gravestones themselves have disappeared known as the Rochester Bridge Disaster. without trace and the sites of the graves on Transcriptions of the Wills of Michael Comport which they stood can be located only if an and some of his descendants are also Stonemason’s tribute to a carpenter (Fig.5). original burial plan has survived. published on the website, as are family This picture, taken in about 1903 in St Mary histories, census returns, directory entries, and Magdalene, Cobham, churchyard, shows how a Thanks to our website, Rob Flyn of New South death and funeral reports. stonemason used his skills to commemorate Wales, a descendent of the Morphetts of Richard Gransden, a carpenter, who died in May , was able to find the MI that Leyland Also of special interest in Mr Williams’s 1760. He was christened on October 29 1688 Duncan recorded at a Morphett grave in research are: at St John the Baptist, Meopham and married Wittersham. The gravestone, erected in about Cooling (St James) Anne Drew in 1717 at St. Mary the Virgin, 1800, has not survived, but the site was Chalk, Kent. For more details of his family visit John William Murton of Cooling Castle, ‘who on his passage to Calcutta in the ship Monarch fell http://www.gransdenfamily.com/gransdenf/ overboard and was drowned when off Rio De pafg145.htm Janeiro’ (extract from captain’s log reads: “and so perished one of the finest and best hearted seamen who ever trod a ship’s deck”). Frindsbury (All Saints) Fig 2 Ted Connell marks the spot where the John George Mount, ‘45 years in the RN … and Morphett grave was situated with Admiral Lord Nelson at Trafalgar 21st Oct 1805’. identified by KAS webmaster Ted Connell while Fig 5 Stonemason’s tribute to a carpenter, photographing churches and their graveyards in William Halls, ‘late captain of the barge Trader Richard Gransden’s grave and around Romney Marsh. (Fig.2). who was drowned by being run down by the

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 9 THE MYSTERY OF THE SPECKLED PIT

ABOVE The Saxon Investigations at Preston cross fragment from St Catherines Within, Faversham by Dr Pat Reid

n the summer of 2013, in a well worked garden soil members of FSARG overlying a possibly midden (Faversham Society scatter level, itself overlying Archaeological Research brickearth with some worked IGroup) were carrying out flint) the supervision of the pit investigations along a north- was delegated to two second- south transect in Faversham, year members, to give them full i.e. along Preston Street and the experience in identifying Mall as far as Watling Street contexts, managing the small (the A2). We were looking team and keeping detailed particularly for medieval records. activity, especially midden In fact, at about 30cm down, scatter contexts indicating early a 15cm thick fine sand and agriculture, and had some very shell layer was exposed. Under interesting finds - a medieval that was a thin ‘speckled’ layer bronze seal matrix, a Saxon of slaked lime (‘icing-sugar’ like knife, a large crushing wheel in appearance) on a red brick used in a courtyard and so on. dust coated surface. Under that Reports on this project can be surface was a large quantity of found under the heading clean break pottery sherds (i.e. PSN13 on the FSARG website not midden scatter), date range www.community-archaeology. AD1100-1530. The ever org.uk. familiar (for Faversham) Tyler The biggest surprise, ABOVE Digging and terraced house built around Hill pottery was dominant but however, came from the most sieving Keyhole 99 1850. The tithe map of 1840 there were a number of other modest of the excavations, shows this area as orchard. On higher quality types such as Keyhole 99. This was dug on the assumption that K99 would Kingston White Ware and the eastern side of the Mall in be a simple pit (maybe 40cm of Tudor Green. We also realised the pretty garden of a small 19th-early 20th century debris that the garden wall separating

10 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk over the county. no above ground survivals. The So where had this been question then became - was happening near K99? Preston House actually preceded, unknown to Hasted, THE Addressing the mystery (and by a medieval property? encountering others) There were, however, still Preston next Faversham is a very surprises ahead. Careful map ancient parish, with its donation regression showed a curious MYSTERY to the Archbishop of rectangular enclosure only Canterbury documented in about 50m to the east of K99. AD822: it stayed in diocesan This enclosure appears to be a hands for the next 1100 years. built structure in the earlier OF THE Unlike Faversham, the ‘kings maps but this disappears little town’ (Coenwulf, King of around 1900. Nevertheless, the Kent in a document of AD811), rectangular boundary survives Preston was never a clustered until now, where it forms the SPECKLED PIT settlement but rather a garden boundaries of a small collection of manors - 1960s end-of-terrace house. Macknades, Perry Court, The earliest maps showed the Westwood, Selgrove, Ham (a enclosure as being part of a detached portion, known as farm complex, referred to on North Preston Without), with the 1901 census as the ‘Old Copton the most important. Farm’. Was this our original Now, none of these manors is medieval property? close to the site of K99. What A little further away were St the house from its neighbour to ABOVE In the side was nearby, however, was Catherines Church and its the north, and built presumably of K99, the light Preston House, referred to by magnificent vicarage. The in 1850, contained chunks of coloured sand and Hasted as a ‘Gentleman’s Seat’. mortar floor of K99 did not medieval dressed stone, as well shell layer is visible Preston House was only about seem to fit in date with any of as peg tile and early brick. with the speckled 200 metres away on Preston the Church refurbishments but This raised many questions. ‘icing sugar’ and Grove. Hasted tells us that it is possible that the Vicarage The sand, shell and lime layers brick dust layer on Preston House was originally a or early outbuildings of St were seen as part of a mortar the floor. Tudor mansion, inhabited in the Catherines were involved. St making area. The dressed stone mid 1500s by the grandparents Catherines Church, a very and pottery came, it seemed of Robert Boyle, the famous ancient foundation, is likely, from a nearby medieval Bottom The pottery Royal Society physicist. Around attributed to Copton as a building demolished and then from just under the 1790, it was demolished and manorial chapel. The main rebuilt with brick. The fact speckled layer. The replaced (again, a typical difficulty with this assumption there that there was no trace largest fragment is practice in this area at least) is that St Catherines is nearly whatsoever of anything later part of a peg tile. with a Georgian mansion. This 2km north of Copton, though than medieval under the mortar was demolished in 1930, with only about 200 metres from floor and plenty of later post K99. This church is yet medieval and 19th century another of Preston’s mysteries, above put these construction but beyond our archaeological events in the early post medieval reach at the moment. frame - a time when such Finally, a set of questions rebuilds of medieval domestic revolved around that red brick properties were going on all over dust. Our dating placed this north Kent. Times they were dust very early in the modern a-changing and no-one wanted history of bricks in Kent - collective life around the hearth maybe 1550 - 1600? Maps in halls any more - big brick again helped, showing a chimneys, staircases, ceilings and brickfield in 1840 and brick private rooms were ‘the thing’ all and tile works in 1865 just to

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 11 pot, bone and flint.

The ‘Old Farm’ Again, we were given excellent access to the area overlain by the earlier farm. The enclosure, spotted in the map sequence, turned out to be still walled, with good survival on the south, east and north sides. The above ground brick dates were late 18th century, contemporary with the Preston House rebuild and the building of Grove House, next door. Excavation at the north and south ends of the enclosure (Keyholes 117 a, b, and c) did the south of K99 on what is TOP The 1850 wall revealed remains of what we not show any medieval base, nowadays the Jewsons site. between the K99 think was a sunken pineapple although some dressed stone Further documentary research garden and its house. Keyhole 110 was the and early brick fragments were suggests that this is not one of neighbour most useful for dating, showing found at the south end. The the Kentish Stock producing a rear wall of the Georgian most startling piece of evidence works for which Faversham is house’s cellar (whitewashed and came, however, not from our well known, but a red brick with a hook) and west of that digging but from a photograph producer dating back at least to wall, backfill debris from the (see below), taken by the owner the late 18th century. Was this former Tudor house (early red of a later house adjacent to the brickworks, in fact, functioning brick and a Nuremburg jeton). enclosure on its east side. The earlier than this? Keyhole 123 found a chalk previous owner had dug a large surfaced courtyard around 70cm hole in the south west corner of The investigations 2014-5 down, contemporary with the his garden up against the NB full reports on these can be Tudor house. Importantly, no outside of the wall and early found on the FSARG website evidence whatsoever for a brick and medieval stonework under PSN14 and PSN15. preceding medieval property was was seen in the lower layers. To found - on the contrary, in most the right of the photograph is pits the medieval agricultural the concrete platform on which LEFT Preston House surface eventually turned up, the modern terrace is built - in 1900, facing with its characteristic midden here the wall has been mostly east. From the scatter of small abraded bits of destroyed. Croseur glass slide collection held by the Faversham Society

Preston House We were granted access to all of the gardens covering the site of RIGHT The the former Preston House. ‘excavation’ by a Resistivity surveys were carried previous out on all of them and seven householder excavation points identified. showing the lower Keyholes 110 and 112a, b and part of the c found substantial cellar enclosure wall from remains and Keyhole 114 the east.

12 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk This structure is far from ABOVE LEFT understood as yet, but we do Preston Within in think that it is the one associated 2009: enormous with the features and finds in changes since gardens in Nelson Street. consisting solely of medieval K99. Is it a tithe barn, associated 1795. The red These backed onto the former midden scatter. The depth of with St Catherines? Clearly squares show the brickfield, close to the works these chambers was around what is needed here is archive locations of Keyhole shown on the 1865 OS map. 60cm - matching the depth of research which will take place pits 2013-15. What we found was very extraction of the ‘strong earth’ over the coming year. interesting. In both pits at a used for red bricks. ABOVE RIGHT The depth of around 40cm, the In short, this looks like The brick and tile works 1795 Ordnance garden soil deposits, with their evidence for very early brick Although famous for Kentish Survey first draft content of clay pipe fragments, earth extraction, maybe dating Stock brick production 1850- map of Preston Victorian pottery, cinder and to the mid 1500s and quite 1920s, central Faversham itself is Within, with Preston nails, abruptly stopped. Below possibly the brick making site mainly red brick, some of which House, the farm that we found a complex of for the building of the original is very early. FSARG is at complex and the chambers separated by clay Tudor version of Preston House present building up a reference brickfield labelled. walls. The content of the and the possible tithe barn. collection of local brick types The A2 runs across chambers was a different (by fabric, size and features) to the base of the backfill, with the few finds assist interpretation of the built map, The Mall down landscape, but so far, no early the left side local brick producer has been positively identified. Maps reproduced The archaeology of the by permission of Preston brick and tile works Ordnance Survey on itself is inaccessible, buried behalf of HMSO. © under a thick layer of concrete Crown Copyright. All on the Jewsons site, but rights reserved. inference from the surrounding built environment strongly suggests a red brick RIGHT Keyhole manufacturer. This assumption 110 showing the had to be tested further, and in rear wall of the early summer 2015 permission Georgian cellar of was obtained to excavate in two Preston House

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 13 await another day, as must any exploration of those ancient manors, rebuilt many times and still flourishing in 2015. Great thanks to the people of Preston who gave us access to their lovely gardens, took so much interest in our activities and findings and provided us with invaluable support material. Also special thanks for the use of the charming Schoolroom as a base - we feel positively spoiled. A final reminder once again - detailed reports with lots of illustrations are available on the FSARG website, under PSN13 and PSN14, with the 2015 ones arriving by Christmas 2015. Also on the website is an email Final points ABOVE Keyhole but questions arise inevitably address if you want to contact So, as is the way with 117b, showing the about this oldest of churches in me, Pat Reid, about any of the archaeology, we have perhaps base of the the Faversham area. The start points made in this article: I answered some questions but in southern edge of of this article shows a fragment would especially welcome the process generated a whole the enclosure wall, of a 7th century Saxon cross further discussion of the NEW PUBLICATIONS lot more. Some we have not with dressed stone found during the restoration of archaeology of early (16th-17th even tackled - for example, as and early brick the church in the late 19th century) brick fields. far as St Catherines is debris century. The closeness of St concerned, we have carried out Catherines to the Kingsfield resistivity surveys of the Anglo Saxon burials (6th-7th graveyard and Vicarage grounds century) is highly intriguing. BELOW The brickfield features at the and other non-invasive tasks, These questions, however, must base of Keyhole 124.

14 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF THOSE and, throughout his life, Faussett kept ENGAGED IN THE BOOK TRADE IN KENT, detailed account books of income and 1750-1900 BY R. J. GOULDEN. expenditure which throw great light on This covers personnel engaged in the Kent Georgian economic and social history, Read and download book trade between 1750 and 1900: as well as daily life at the family seat of booksellers, stationers, printers, Heppington House at Nackington. Copies of ‘Arch. Cant.’ issues bookbinders, circulating library proprietors, the book can be sent by post from the UK; apprentices, compositors, bookshop and the price (from £26) includes p&p. See from 1858 library assistants, music sellers, music http://www.bryanfaussett.co.uk/about. publishers, newspaper proprietors, editors, managers and reporters, and also travelling html or email Dr Wright at davideastkent@ booksellers, commercial travellers dealing gmail.com in stationery and books, colporteurs and All issues of Archaeologia Cantiana hawkers of ballads and periodical parts. published between 1858 and 2013 (Vols KENT COMMUNICANTS LISTS 1565 A most useful resource for historians, 1 – 133) can now be read online on our GILLIAN RICKARD website and downloaded free of charge. genealogists and family history researchers. Part 2: Bicknor, Bobbing, Bredgar, Frinsted, In two paperback volumes (A-L and Milstead, Milton next , Newington M-Z) with sources lists, index, 712 near Sittingbourne, , Stockbury, Although members receive copies of ‘Arch. pages, published by R. J. Goulden, 156 Tunstall, Wormshill. Numbers (no names) for Cant.’ from the time they join the KAS, and Addiscombe Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 Thurnham. can purchase some backnumbers, few are 7LA (email [email protected]), £50 Communicants lists are lists, by parish, of fortunate enough to own a complete set. inc. p&p if within the UK. inhabitants who took Holy Communion. Generally, communicants were aged 14 years Previously, in order to consult what is and over. There was no set method of recording BRYAN FAUSSETT and the returns for each parish were set out in without doubt the most comprehensive ANTIQUARY EXTRAORDINARY a different way, with differing amounts of collection of articles and research papers BY DAVID WRIGHT information. The Communicants Lists on the archaeology and , A biography of Bryan Faussett, F.S.A. transcribed in this book were presumably drawn they had to visit our library in Maidstone (1720-1776), pioneering Kent genealo- up for a Visitation in 1565. Of the 11 parishes or buy the DVD of pdf files of the 1858 – gist, archaeologist and antiquary. At his covered, the parish registers of five start only 2005 issues, published in 2007 during death he had amassed the world’s greatest after 1565 (Bicknor, 1572, Bobbing, 1738, collection of Anglo-Saxon jewellery and Queenborough, 1719, Stockbury, 1653, and our sesquicentennial. antiquities, gathered from 777 Anglo-Sax- Wormshill, 1700). Bishops’/Archdeacons’ on barrows scattered around east Kent. Transcripts commence in the 1560s but survival Now, with a few clicks of the mouse,

NEW PUBLICATIONS The material was famously rejected by is patchy, so these Communicants Lists are access can be gained to 3,000 the British Museum, saved for the nation important for establishing names of inhabitants contributions written by authorities on the by a Liverpudlian philanthropist, and now in the mid-1560s. resides in the Liverpool World Museum. This county’s prehistoric settlements; Introduction, full transcript and surname index archaeological ‘digs’; castles, churches episode led directly to the British Museum’s by Gillian Rickard, 2015. vi, 47pp. setting up departments devoted to British and palaces; genealogy; local history, and Antiquities. Price: £4.50 or £5.80 including inland postage. many other aspects of Kent’s past. This volume is the first to focus on Faussett, Overseas rates including postage on request. presenting comprehensive genealogical sections on the Faussetts and Godfreys; a Can also be sent electronically as a .pdf file at The 133 volumes, each comprising several history of the family seat near Canterbury; £4.50 – but please respect copyright. Email: hundred pages, have been posted and an introduction to antiquarianism and [email protected] in indexed, searchable text on how the history of the world was imperfectly Parts 1 and 3 are already published and copies www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/Research. viewed in the 18th century. A detailed are still available. Part 4 (the last part) will be The project is part of our ongoing biography of Bryan Faussett’s life covers published in due course. his education, career and scholarly programme to make our resources and circle, with detailed descriptions of the Please see www.kentgen.com for further databases freely accessible on our sites he excavated. information, including a list of parishes covered. website, which receives an average of Surviving archaeological notebooks Publication was assisted by a grant from the 80,000 visits a week. offer insights into his working practice Allen Grove Local History Fund of the KAS.

originally published as BAR British Series 173 ‘pie-dish’). From this, pottery specialists Iron Age & Roman in 1987 and can be viewed at http://www. immediately understand what kind of pottery kentarchaeology.org.uk/15/000.htm has been found. For the less experienced Pottery Specialists’ archaeologists, the classifications are completely terminology Generally, lots of pottery is found during incomprehensible without illustrations. excavations of most Roman and Iron Age sites. Now, due to the generous granting of permission Two long out of print publications have Much of this pottery is grey ware, some shiny, by the authors, members of the Society and the recently been added to the Society’s website. some with criss-cross patterns, and would have world wide web (www.) can look up, at the click The first is ‘Grog-tempered ‘Belgic’ Pottery of formed the everyday cooking and tablewares of of a mouse on the Society’s website, the meaning South-eastern England’ by Isobel Thompson. the period. of such terminology. This was originally published as BAR British Series 108 in 1982 and can be found on the In the 1980’s the above two books classified To access the Thompson and Monaghan website at http://www.kentarchaeology.org. these grey wares into forms and fabrics, using a publications, go to the home page of the website, uk/16/000.htm The second publication is mixture of letters and numbers. Archaeological click on Research on the right-hand side, and ‘Upchurch and North Kent Pottery. A ceramic reports now contain frequent references to such below the heading Archaeological Fieldwork are typology for northern Kent, first to third forms of pottery as a Thompson A1 (a pedestal the links to the books. centuries A.D.’ by Jason Monaghan. This was urn) or a Monaghan 5D (a decorated roll-rim

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 15 UP ON THE CLIFFS Recent excavations at East Wear Bay and South Foreland By Andrew Richardson

In July and August 2015 Canterbury Archaeological Trust (CAT) led excavations on two cliff top locations on the south Kent coast. This article presents the initial results of both projects.

EAST WEAR BAY In addition to student fees, funding anthropology students from Texas State This summer saw the first season of the was provided by a number of partners, University also provided very able East Wear Bay Archaeological Field including the KAS, which provided a assistance and next year it is hoped the School, which took place at much-needed initial grant that allowed project will play host to a number of on the cliff top overlooking the Bay. This the project to go on to secure further fee-paying students from Austin. The newly launched venture is intended to match-funding. Places for a number of field school this year also played host to become an annual fixture for some local young people (aged 16-24) were students from the University of Kent and seasons to come and aims to do two funded by a grant from the Roger De Lille 3. things. Firstly, the school provides high Haan Charitable Trust, with a Landscape The second major aim of the field quality archaeological field training Heritage Grant from the Up on the school, and of the wider East Wear Bay delivered by CAT. Students this year Downs Landscape Partnership Scheme Archaeological Project (EWBAP) of included people from a range of (itself funded by the Heritage Lottery which it forms a part, is to carry out the backgrounds, from local sixth-formers Fund) providing further support. excavation and recording of the deposits considering studying archaeology at Volunteers from Folkestone Research and along the cliff top that are at immediate university, to undergraduates and recent Archaeology Group (FRAG), Dover threat of loss to erosion. The site has seen graduates looking to increase their field Archaeological Group (DAG) and the a number of episodes of investigation experience (and employability), to those KAS also gave much needed help with since the first digs carried out there in simply looking to begin or develop an both finds processing and on-site support 1919 by staff from Folkestone Museum, interest in practical archaeology. and supervision. A number of most notably S.E. Winbolt’s eight week

16 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Registered Charity No. 223382 UP ON THE CLIFFS Recent excavations at East Wear Bay and South Foreland By Andrew Richardson

excavation in the summer of 1924 RIGHT A range of which laid bare the floor plan of students took part, two successive major Roman villas. including sixth More recently, the site saw formers, excavation in 1989 by the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit and in undergraduates 2010-11 by CAT as part of A Town and postgraduates. Unearthed. This long history of Photo CAT digs sometimes leads to the question “why are you digging it up again?” The truth is, the prehistoric and Roman archaeology overlooking East Wear Bay is extensive, deep and well preserved, yet only a small percentage has been archaeologically investigated. The villa buildings themselves, important though they are, represent only a small part of a role in contacts between Britain available Greensand. These querns much bigger (and older) site, far and the near Continent, most have been found across Kent and more of which has already been lost especially during the Late Iron Age. on numerous sites north of the to the sea than has been excavated We now know that, during the Thames as far afield as Hunsbury and recorded. Yet every dig that has 1st centuries BC and AD, East hill fort near Northampton. taken place has revealed more about Wear Bay was the home of a great Curiously, they seem to be a site with a long and complex industry, producing rotary querns completely absent from sites in history, and which can increasingly and mortars (and perhaps other France, perhaps indicating that the be seen to have played a seminal items) fashioned from the locally vessels carrying them (most if not

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 17 LEFT Aerial view of East Wear. Photo John Stevens

RIGHT Quern production workshop, perhaps the first of its kind to be excavated in Britain. Photo John Stevens

all would have left the site by sea) ABOVE Unusual going back across the Channel; style residence. The question of were bound for the Wantsum stone-lined what did the holds of those ships who instigated this change remains Channel, the Thames, and the chamber cut into carry instead?). Production of open, but the use of Tufa (quarried coastal inlets of Essex and Suffolk, the floor of the querns and import of goods by the Romans in the Dour valley rather than for Gaul. There is also continued into the early Roman and used at about the same time evidence suggestive of salt round house. period, although the site appears in the construction of the Classis production, whilst pottery appears Photo CAT to have undergone something of a Britannica naval fort in Dover), to have been made at or near the downturn following the Claudian along with flint nodules and some site. At the same time, and conquest in AD43 and the Ironstone in the construction, increasingly from about 15BC subsequent establishment of along with finds of tiles produced onwards, imported goods Dover as a major port of entry in by the Classis Britannica, suggests including Spanish and Italian Roman-controlled Britain. action by the Roman state and/or amphorae (for the transport of fish Around the last decade of the military, or someone closely linked oil and wine respectively) and a 1st century AD, a large (and in to it. The readily-available wide range of Gallic fine-ware terms of Roman Britain, very Greensand was not used in the pottery, plus large numbers of early) villa was constructed at the walls of this villa (unlike its imported Gallic coins, reached heart of the site, marking a successor, constructed sometime East Wear Bay, indicating strong profound change of use from after AD170, which was built and regular cross-channel trade coastal industrial and trading almost exclusively from links (despite the lack of querns settlement, to high status Roman- Greensand). This strange choice

18 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk last time (one wonders what the within a British roundhouse, and reason for that downing of tools underlines the easy access this was). At the end of the dig the community had to abundant writer removed 50 whole or partial supplies of hard stone. querns from the site (necessitating The excavation of this round several van journeys) and many house (the second to be identified more remain in the ground on the site) and quern making awaiting the completion of the area will be completed during the excavation of this trench next 2016 season. Subsequent seasons season (July-August 2016). will see new trenches opened In addition, the excavation along the cliff edge, with the revealed the presence of a large eventual aim of achieving a buffer round house, represented by a zone of cleared archaeology that semi-circular drainage gully and will keep well ahead of the some post-holes, located ongoing erosion for many years to immediately to the east (downslope come. There is no question that of construction materials, on a site ABOVE Drainage on the seaward side) of the quern- considerable unexplored with a long established tradition gully and postholes making area. That this was a archaeological structures, deposits of quarrying and working the of a large round residence of people connected to and finds currently remain in the Greensand, alongside the apparent house to the the Greensand industry was threatened zone, with much of the downturn in activity at the site in immediate east of underlined by the highly unusual area along the cliff edge at the decades preceding the building stone-lined chamber cut into the immediate to medium-term risk of the villa, also lends weight to the the quern floor of the house and an area of of loss. The East Wear Bay view that the first villa was not workshop. Photo apparent floor comprised Archaeological Field School, and simply the result of wealthy local John Stevens Greensand paving on a Chalk the wider project of which it forms inhabitants ‘upgrading’ to a rubble base. The small chamber a part, offers our best hope of high-class Roman way of life. resembles a cist, a stone lined burial doing something about this. The So what did the 2015 season add chamber, but although it contained alternative is to continue to to this already fascinating picture? some burnt clay in its lower fill impotently watch the gradual loss This year’s trench, covering some along with fragments of burnt of this unique cliff-top location, 368 square metres, was placed to bone, it contained no burial. In one of Kent’s most important Iron expand on a much smaller trench addition, two of its sides (a third Age and Roman sites, without any dug in 2010 to the north of the had been removed by a later ditch) recording, leaving only scraps to villa complex. This had revealed a appear to have collapsed inwards, be collected in later years from the sequence of intercutting Late Iron suggesting it remained open for a beach. Age and Roman ditches, in which considerable period before partially The Field School, although led was interleaved a series of stony collapsing under the weight of the by CAT, relies on the support of a deposits indicative of possible surrounding soil. At this stage its wide range of partners, and seeks quern production. The 2015 dig function remains uncertain, to draw in fee-paying students confirmed that here was an actual although completion of its from far and wide, including quern production area, comprising excavation next year and analysis of international students such as a large spread of Greensand BELOW Many the palaeo-environmental remains those from Texas State. This year’s debitage, one or more laid stone querns remain in recovered from its internal fills students had a great experience, surfaces, and large quantities of (which were 100% sampled) will were a pleasure to work with and situ, awaiting querns in various stages of hopefully shed more light on this train, and rapidly become effective production, ranging from a large excavation next question. Clearly however, it at both excavation and recording; slab of unworked Greensand (the season. Photo CAT remains a very unusual feature it is hoped they go on to develop raw material quarried from the cliffs to the south) through to nearly finished half or complete querns, many with partially drilled holes. The discovery of this workshop area, dating to the 1st century AD, and perhaps the first of its kind to be excavated in Britain, represents a find of considerable significance. Moreover, despite being covered in places by only a shallow depth of topsoil, the production surfaces survive in remarkable condition, and give the impression of being much as they were when the stoneworkers downed tools for the

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 19 their interest in archaeology further. We project that is jointly funded by the earlier or completely unknown features. hope to see some of them again next year. National Trust and Up on the Downs. In the event, most trenches yielded But it is unlikely student fees alone will Volunteers who took part were drawn features of interest, and a large quantity be sufficient to resource the rescue and primarily from the National Trust’s large and range of finds were recovered. eventual publication of this rich and and dedicated cohort of lighthouse Evidence of ancillary structures, including complex site, hence the continued need volunteers, plus local archaeological and a culvert, relating to a previous lighthouse for additional sources of funding. The detecting volunteers. In addition, Zac were uncovered, and a large number of Kent Archaeological Society was and is Porter, an archaeology undergraduate finds relating directly to the current one of the project’s key backers (and was from Exeter, worked very vigorously lighthouse were found, including a series the first to put grant funding into it). It is throughout the project. of spent graphite rods from 19th and hoped that in future years that support The overarching aim of the excavations early 20th century carbon arc lamps will continue, both from the Society as a (effectively a series of small evaluation (front cover image), plus a number of whole and in the form of much- trenches) was to assess the extent and lighthouse-keeper’s buttons. A significant welcomed in-kind support from nature of any archaeology surviving individual members. within the curtilage of the lighthouse grounds, whether that related directly to BELOW View from the lighthouse tower showing SOUTH FORELAND the lighthouse, previous lighthouses, the excavation of the Marconi base and the At the same time as the dig at East Wear known historical activities at the site, or Roman structure. Photo CAT Bay was being carried out, during late July and early August, CAT led an enthusiastic team of volunteers in excavating a series of fourteen small trenches within the grounds of the South Foreland Lighthouse. This iconic lighthouse was formerly run by Trinity House but since 1988 has been in the ownership of the National Trust and has become a popular visitor attraction and destination for walkers along the famous White Cliffs of Dover. The dig was timed to coincide with the Up on the Downs Big Summer Festival and was undertaken as part of the preparation of a Conservation Management Plan on the

Buckle and Roman coins found in the fill and vicinity of the Roman structure. Photo Andrew Savage Andrew Photo Buckle and Roman coins found in the fill vicinity of structure. ABOVE lighthouse and its immediate environs, a

20 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk find was part of the concrete base You can find out more for Marconi’s direction-finding about the Up on the radio emitter, set up on the slope in Downs Landscape front of the lighthouse in the early Partnership Scheme at 1920’s as part of a ground-breaking www.uponthedowns.org.uk experiment. This was one of a series of cutting edge experiments by globally famous scientific pioneers such as Marconi and Faraday that took place at South Foreland during the 19th and early 20th centuries. But the story of the site goes back much further. The Marconi radio base cut through an earlier structure. This somewhat ephemeral feature had a flat base cut as a shallow terrace into the natural Chalk, with a curved end (the other end had been cut away by the Marconi aerial) and internal post and stake holes. The fill yielded quantities of late Roman RIGHT Lighthouse- pottery, animal bone and mussel keeper’s buttons. shells, along with a copper alloy Photo Andrew buckle and a Roman coin of Savage Maximianus. Three other Roman coins were found in the immediate vicinity; one of Allectus, another of Galerius (the fourth was illegible). According to David Holman, all could have been minted between AD293-7, and certainly not much later. Given the superb view from the site of not only the Straits of RIGHT Marconi Dover and the French coast, but radio base cutting around to the Goodwin Sands and through an earlier the approaches to the east Kent structure, possibly coast and Wantsum Channel, it is a Roman look-out tempting to wonder whether this point. Photo CAT enigmatic little structure is related to the conflict between the usurper Allectus (and perhaps his predecessor Carausius) and the wider Roman Empire? Certainly, this might have been a period when it was felt wise to have eyes on the cliffs watching over the Straits. It is planned to complete the Conservation Management Plan for South Foreland by early spring RIGHT View of the 2016. Hopefully a future trench at the base Newsletter article will summarise of the tower, the findings from this in-depth showing the tower study into one of Kent’s most stunning, and iconic, places. foundations cutting through an earlier For more information on East brick-built structure Wear Bay, South Foreland, or many other projects, visit the CAT website at www. canterburytrust.co.uk or ‘Like’ us on facebook.

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 21 MEMBERSHIP MATTERS THE NEWSLETTER I am very pleased to welcome the I hope that you like the new plastic following people who have joined the membership cards which should NEEDS A NEW KAS since the previous newsletter. Many prove much more durable than the apologies if I have omitted anybody! old version. Your membership number EDITOR is printed on the card – please quote Affiliated Society this in all contact with KAS as it Malling U3A Landscape History Group makes managing the membership database much easier and quicker. The current KAS newsletter editor is now Individual Members I have issued a card to each of the moving on, having produced the Mrs B Graham, Sittingbourne Affiliated Societies so that their publication for the last 15 years. During Mr M Burnsnell, Sittingbourne members can also use the resources that time the newsletter has evolved into a Mr Dean Appleton, Ashford of the KAS Library within Maidstone full-colour, twice-yearly publication, Prof Chris Bounds, Canterbury Museum. The card needs to be shown appearing in March and November. Mrs Heather Bracey, Maidstone at the reception desk together with Mr David Britchfield, Rochester proof of membership of the Affiliated Publications Mrs Susan Butler, Deal Society. It is advisable to contact the In March, the main purpose of the Mr Edmund Cole, KAS Library before visiting as it is not 16-page issue is to provide a full calendar Mr Robert Cronin, Tonbridge always open. An email to the librarian of all KAS-run events for the coming year Mr Derek Ewart, Gillingham is the easiest method librarian@ (April – March), plus events run by other Mr & Mrs Ben Found, Maidstone kentarchaeology.org.uk organisations. It also includes a few short Mr & Mrs Robin Goldsmith, Ashford news articles. The 48-page November Miss Rachel Hickson, Crowborough Remember to send me any issue, such as this, has longer articles Dr Adrian Maiden, Orpington amendments to your details and also covering work that has been undertaken Dr Alex Mullen, Oxford any change of circumstance which during the year and previously. Miss Heather Norris, London might mean that membership will be Drs Pauline & Judy Paciorek, Ashford ceased. The end of the year is Collaboration Mr & Mrs Roger Parker, Tenterden approaching fast and I shall be The editor works with a designer, providing Mrs Pat Smith, Deal sending out renewal notices soon to them with all text and images, together Mrs Veronica Smith, Faversham those of you who pay by cheque. If with a page layout. Style guidelines exist.

YOU & YOUR SOCIETY YOUR & YOU Mr Graham Storey, you wish to pay by bankers order Mrs Isobel Swan, instead please send me a stamped The editor should have Mr Anthony Tanner, Canterbury addressed envelope (or email me) so A good working knowledge of Mr Kenton Tanner, Folkestone that I can send you a form. Bankers archaeological terminology, time periods Mrs Linda Taylor, Gillingham order is a very easy method and cuts and features – for example, a missed or Mr Tony Trice, Sandwich down on the postage for all of us. extra digit on a feature description can Mr Dan Tuson, Lyminge make it nonsensical Mr Jack Wales, Canterbury Membership matters are an important Mrs Jennifer Watt, Sittingbourne part of the Communications Good connections with those working in Miss Helen Webb, Chatham Committee. We also discuss other both professional and community Mr & Mrs Bryan Moore, Tonbridge matters such as the website, archaeology, to know where to ask for Mr Harry Triggs, Ashford newsletter, press releases etc. Keep a stories Mrs Cressida Williams, Canterbury lookout for the splendid press Mr & Mrs B More, Tonbridge releases issued by Paul Tritton. These A good eye for visuals – what works well Mr Martin Castle, Maidstone are a very important way of keeping on the page Mr & Mrs J Piddock, Lyminge the KAS in the public eye. We have Mrs & Mrs S Hawes, Wadhurst recently made arrangements to send A good working knowledge of IT these to the Affiliated Societies so Thank you to all of you who have that their members are also kept Persistence and patience - to encourage responded with changes to postal and informed. Items for discussion in contributions and to chase promised copy email addresses and have given the KAS committee are always welcome – just by agreed deadlines. permission to use email as a way of get in touch with me as I chair this contact. I must emphasise that this committee. Please send a CV and examples of information is disclosed to no one Shiela Broomfield; Membership previous work to the Hon.Gen.Secretary inside or outside the Society other than [email protected] those officers and members of Council Secretary membership@ who need it in order to run the kentarchaeology.co.uk organisation. If I am asked for any details I always send such requests to the relevant member and do not disclose them to the enquirer.

22 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Meet our new Hon General Secretary

Dr Robert Cockcroft has been ABOVE L to R: Chris Broomfield, Shiela appointed Hon. General Secretary Broomfield and Bob Cockcroft promoting the of the Kent Archaeological Society. KAS at the Lyminge Open Day.

ob, 62, was born in Bradford in Ashford. His elder son, David, subsequently with their subsidiary in but moved to Kent in 1987. recently obtained his Doctorate in Ashford, Proprietary Perfumes (now “I think it’s one of the most Archaeology at Newcastle University part of Quest International) and a fascinating counties in and is now working as a field company in the Netherlands. BBritain”, he says. “It has a truly archaeologist; their younger son extensive history and has been a Joseph is preparing for his GCSE He then returned to the UK to set up backwater, a front line, a cultural examinations in Science, Maths, Art his own consultancy. “I’ve researched bridge and an industrial pioneer. and Music. how people live in a quite a number There’s nowhere else like it in Britain. of countries around the world,” he Bob has a PhD in analytical chemistry said. “This has sometimes involved I’ve always been interested in history from Imperial College and runs a living in households to see what and archaeology. I’m a keen railway market research company, as does actually they do and experiencing enthusiast and am particularly Muriel, and specializes in the analysis their daily lives – ‘a fly on the wall interested in railway buildings - a and interpretation of quantitative approach’ being a better description”. neglected area of the subject. I have surveys and product tests as diagnostic photographs of many thousands of tools. them and architectural drawings of several hundred”. He has worked in market research since he was 24, initially with Bob and his French wife, Muriel, live Unilever in Port Sunlight and

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 23 News from the Library KAS THIRSK PRIZE £250 lot has been happening completed a questionnaire on the The Kent Archaeological Society (KAS) since I last wrote although Library earlier in the year. It was very announces a new biennial prize named much activity has been of surprising to see how many of you in honour of Dr Joan Thirsk, who was a an administrative nature. were unaware that we have an online distinguished historian and a long-standing OneA large but unglamorous task has catalogue. It has been there for many member of the Society. The Thirsk Prize been to move our off-site store to years and you can now find it more of £250 will be awarded for a dissertation another room in the Maidstone easily by clicking on the right hand or a long essay, submitted as part of Community Support Centre in button on the KAS home page, a successful Master’s degree, which is Marsham Street. It was completed ‘Library and Collections’. It is a very adjudged to be a major contribution to the successfully, but please bear with me if basic and by now old-fashioned history or archaeology of the county of Kent I take a while to locate material from catalogue, so a future aim is to (including the historic parts of the county now within Greater London). Dissertations the store for you. There is still some improve it. Most of you liked a mix and long essays can come from any post-move organisation to complete. of traditional resources and online academic institution. The prize aims to Many activities are thriving in the content. You said that what stopped reward students working on the history Library although health issues have you using the Library more often was and archaeology of the county, and also to affected some of our key volunteers travel distance and uncertainty help promote publication of articles and over the last six months and John regarding opening hours. If you have chapters that advance scholarly knowledge Walters, who has kept the Library tidy not been to the Library before you of Kent’s past. The KAS be willing to and organised for many years, will be might like to visit us on a Wednesday give advice on publication. The editor of missed on the team as he retires. or a Thursday morning between 10.30 Archaeologia Cantiana will also consider for The IT manager and Visual am and 12.00 noon. The Library is publication articles based on the various Records group are making good open at other times, but is used for submissions. progress on cleaning the Visual Adult Education classes and SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Records database and making it more committee bookings so please always The KAS will consider for the first Thirsk searchable. Research continues into check the online diary before you Prize dissertations and long essays ways of improving the online access to travel to avoid disappointment. You completed for a Master’s degree within the the Visual Records Collection. can find this on the KAS home page, calendar years 2015-2016. The final date Scanning of images is continuing and at the top under the logo. Most of you of submission for the prize is 31 December images of Witham Mathew Bywater were comfortable, and even keen on, 2016. Dissertations and long essays must (1826-1911) are now available on the using the internet, but some of you do be submitted in printed hard copy and KAS Website along with a summary not like the idea of the online diary. also in electronic form on a disk. The hard of the accompanying research. We are It is, however, the most effective way copy must be suitably bound or within rigid grateful to Mr Garry Coyler for the to communicate rapidly changing covers and the disk in Word format. The donation of his father’s, Arthur James information with everyone. Please submission must include an abstract Coyler, collection of Archaeological remember to show your membership and be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the thesis supervisor Recordings of Churches in Kent and card and sign in at the Museum’s front together, where appropriate, with the names Sussex. Arthur James Coyler was a desk. You can always contact me via and the institutions of the examiners of member of the Society for many years. email on Librarian@kentarchaeology. the thesis. Copies of dissertations and In light of the closure of Whatman’s org.uk and I will do my best to help long essays will not be returned but placed in Maidstone we are particularly you. in the KAS library. All candidates for the delighted with the donation of I will soon be handing the care of Prize will be notified of the judges’ decision Papermaking and the Art of Watercolor the Library over to a successor, who within three calendar months, or such time in Eighteenth-Century Britain, Paul will be keen to develop the Library as is agreed. Sandby, and The Whatman Paper Mill further. I will be very sad to step by Theresa Fairbanks, Wilcox, Scott down from the role of Hon. Librarian Submissions for the Thirsk Prize 2016 must and others, published in 2006. We as I have enjoyed looking after the be submitted no later than 31 December have also added David Wright’s book, collection and communicating with 2016 to Professor David Killingray, 72 you all. Bradbourne Road, , Kent Bryan Faussett: Antiquary TN13 3QA, tel: 01732 453008, email: Extraordinary, Archaeopress, 2015 to I hope to see you in the Library soon, [email protected] to our holdings (see Page 15, New whom enquiries may be directed. Publications). Pernille Richards, Hon.Librarian Thank you to those of you who

24 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk booklets but also for displays in five Kent gardens associated with heritage centres, for oral history Lancelot Brown (‘Capability Brown’), projects, and for establishing archives the renowned 18th century landscape and research centres. artist. Application forms can be Lucas Reynolds of Sutton-at-Hone, downloaded from www. £125 towards researching kentarchaeology.org.uk or obtained by and writing a social history of Sutton email from allengroveadmin@ Place, Sutton-at-Hone. kentarchaeology.org.uk or by post Maidstone Museum £1,000 for from the KAS c/o 8 Woodview further work on researching, Crescent, , Tonbridge, cataloguing, conserving and Kent TN11 9HD (please enclose a displaying the ‘Boughton Malherbe s.a.e.). hoard’, 346 Bronze Age artefacts, including swords, knives, scabbards The latest recipients, announced in and spears. May, shared £5,095 and were: Christopher Pickvance of Boughton Malherbe History Society Wickhambreaux £500 for dating an £500 to cover the cost of printing a unrecognized group of incised Gothic second book on the history of the chests and two other medieval chests. parish, following the publication of Plaxtol Local History Group £500 ‘Boughton Malherbe, A Journey towards the purchase of photographs Through Time’ in 2010. A free copy from the Royal Commission for of each book is given to every Historical Monuments and English household in the parish and profits Heritage, and printing costs, for a from sales are donated to local revised edition of a book on medieval KAS ALLEN GROVE good causes. timber-framed houses in the Manor of HISTORY FUND Brenchley and Matfield Local Wrotham. History Society £180 towards buying Shoreham and District Historical Awards to date of over £35,000 a scanner to make digital copies of the Society £200 towards research for a Applicants have until 31 March 2016 society’s archives, collected during the book on Shoreham residents in to apply for the next tranche of grants past 45 years, and to store original WW1. to be awarded by the KAS from its documents in acid-free sleeves Smarden Local History Society Allen Grove Local History Fund. and boxes. £450 towards publishing Amounts of up to £1,000 are Folkestone and District Family transcriptions of oral recordings of offered annually to individuals, History Society £340 for display local residents’ memories in a 28-page groups, organizations and students to folders for family histories of the men colour illustrated book. Said Hon. help cover the cost of research, named on Shepway’s war memorials. Secretary, Yvonne Bonham Miller: publications, exhibitions and other A folder will be donated to the parish “Recording memories going back to projects focused on the county’s in which each memorial is located, the 1920s and 1930s began in the history and heritage. and to Folkestone Library and the 1970s. These tapes have now been Allen Grove (pictured above) was Town Hall. transcribed, edited and digitized by one of Kent’s most eminent historians Harrietsham History Society £300 volunteers in our heritage centre. of his generation. He was Curator of for a digital voice recorder. The society Maidstone Museum from 1948 to is following-up its recent book 1975, Hon. Curator of the KAS for ‘Harrietsham in Old Photographs and BELOW Just a few items from the Boughton 26 years (and its President in Postcards’ with an oral history project. 1987/88) and Chairman of the Kent Said Peter Brown, the society’s Malherbe hoard, currently under study at History Federation for eight years. chairman: ‘We are talking to some of Maidstone Museum When he died in 1990 he left the very elderly residents of our village £26,000 from the proceeds of the sale to obtain details of their lives in of his house to the KAS, with Harrietsham whilst they are still able instructions that the society should to recount this’. invest the legacy and distribute the Horsmonden Historical Society interest in ways that would promote £500 towards publishing a book the enjoyment of Kent’s local history. containing interviews with 35 The first grants were made in 1994 villagers. and the total amount awarded since Kent Gardens’ Trust £500 towards then now exceeds £35,000, mainly to printing and editing costs a book on support the publication of books and

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 25 The March 2016 newsletter will list all KAS and affiliated groups events for the period April 2016 – March 2017. Details for inclusion should be sent to the editor by the end EVENTS of January 2016.

DECEMBER 2015 Visit www.canterburytrust.co.uk or contact MARCH 2016 CANTERBURY HISTORICAL [email protected] for full details or to book a place. Fee for all CBA SOUTH EAST POTTERY & ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME WEDNESDAY 9 DECEMBER 19.00 courses is £40 (£35 for Friends of CAT). Newton Lecture Ng03, Canterbury Christ Church University See details under January listings above. FEBRUARY 2016 Roman session by Louise Rayner CBA SOUTH EAST POTTERY Agincourt 1415: the legacy WORKSHOP PROGRAMME SATURDAY 12 MARCH 10:00-16:00 of a Lancastrian triumph Leatherhead Institute, Leatherhead David Grummitt, Canterbury Christ Church University See details under January listings above. Prehistory session by Phil Jones CANTERBURY ARCHAEOLOGICAL Visitors welcome, cost £3.00. TRUST ONE-DAY COURSES SATURDAY 6 FEBRUARY 10:00-16:00 Northchapel Village Hall, Petworth JANUARY 2016 SATURDAY 5 MARCH 10.00 – 16.00 Putting Colour in the Past: An Introduction to CBA SOUTH EAST POTTERY CANTERBURY HISTORICAL & Environmental Archaeology. Tutors, Enid Allison WORKSHOP PROGRAMME ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY and Alex Vokes Newton Lecture Ng03, Canterbury SATURDAY 12 March 10.00 – 16.00 This winter sees the first of the CBA-SE’s new Christ Church University, Archaeological Report Writing. Tutor, Jake annual training day series, focussing WEDNESDAY 10 FEBRUARY 19.00 Weekes on ceramic identification and interpretation. Run by local experts of various periods, the SATURDAY 19 MARCH 10.00 – 16.00 Vessels of the dead: funerary archaeology in First Steps in Archaeology (3). Tutor, Andrew sessions will include a general introduction to Canterbury and District, 2012-15 ceramic analysis, followed by four period-based Richardson workshops (Prehistoric, Roman, Medieval, Andrew Richardson, Canterbury Archaeological Visit www.canterburytrust.co.uk or contact Post-Medieval), which will vary in location Trust [email protected] for across the south east. Visitors welcome, cost £3.00. full details or to book a place. Fee for all Cost £15 for CBA-SE members (£20 for non). courses is £40 (£35 for Friends of CAT). Follow updates of the programme line-up on the website (http://www.cbasouth-east.org/ CANTERBURY ARCHAEOLOGICAL events/cbase-workshops-and-training-days/), TRUST ONE-DAY COURSES CANTERBURY HISTORICAL & or contact the Events Officer, Anne Sassin ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY ([email protected] tel. 01252 Newton Lecture Ng03, Canterbury Christ 492184), for queries and sign-up. SATURDAY 6 FEBRUARY 10.00 – 16.00 Church University The Archaeology of Death. Tutors, Sarah Geary WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH 19.00 Introductory session (1) by Phil Jones and Jake Weekes SATURDAY 16 JANUARY 10:00 - 16:00 St Peter and Paul Church, Tonbridge Crowning glories: examining the coronations of SATURDAY 27 FEBRUARY 10.00 – 16.00 English Medieval kings in Westminster Abbey Introductory session (2) by Phil Jones Understanding and Recording Stratigraphy. SATURDAY 30 JANUARY 10:00 - 16:00 Tutor, Peter Clark Jayne Wackett, Royal Cornish Museum Northchapel Village Hall, Petworth Visitors welcome, cost £3.00. www.canterburytrust.co.uk or contact [email protected] for CANTERBURY HISTORICAL & full details or to book a place. Fee for all APRIL 2016 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY courses is £40 (£35 for Friends of CAT). WEDNESDAY 13 JANUARY 19.00 CBA SOUTH EAST POTTERY Newton Lecture Ng03, Canterbury Christ WORKSHOP PROGRAMME Church University CANTERBURY HISTORICAL & ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY SATURDAY 27 FEBRUARY 18.00. See details under January listings above. The William Urry Memorial Lecture Medieval session by Jacqui Pearce From thesis to book: the genesis of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ The Frank Jenkins Memorial Lecture: the Annual SATURDAY 23 APRIL 10:00-16:00 Review of the work of the Canterbury Leatherhead Institute, Leatherhead Toby Huitson, University of Kent & Canterbury Archaeological Trust Cathedral Archives Paul Bennett, Director Visitors welcome, cost £3.00. MEDIEVAL HISTORY WEEKEND Venue: Old Sessions House, Canterbury AT CANTERBURY: ‘EXPLORING Christ Church University THE MIDDLE AGES’ CANTERBURY ARCHAEOLOGICAL CANTERBURY CHRISTCHURCH TRUST ONE-DAY COURSE UNIVERSITY SATURDAY 16 JANUARY 10.00 – 16.00 FRIDAY 1 – SUNDAY 3 April

Friday evening and all day Saturday at Old First Steps in Archaeology (2). Tutor, Andrew Sessions House, Canterbury Christ Church Richardson University; Sunday morning till late afternoon at

26 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Canterbury Cathedral Lodge. Sponsored by the KAS, the Friends of Canterbury Archaeological Trust and The PROPOSAL TO SET UP A William and Edith Oldham Charitable Trust. Organized by the Centre for Research in Kent ‘KENT TRADITIONAL Dear editor History and Archaeology (based at Canterbury Christ Church University) and Canterbury Re The Convent Well at Cathedral Archives and Library. BOAT ASSOCIATION’ Woodnesborough – Twenty eminent scholars and historians will host by Edward Sargent Newsletter, Winter 2014 a series of lectures on the most eventful era in Britain’s history, and lead guided walks to explore places associated with the city’s colourful medieval past. It is proposed that a Kent Traditional Boat The spring still flows as it has done for the Association be set up, to bring together a last 700 years, through two kilometres of Said Dr Sheila Sweetinburgh of Canterbury Christ Church University, who will take visitors group of like-minded people with an maintained open ditches to Sandwich, on an exploration of St John’s Hospital, founded interest in the traditional boats of where now it ends up in the Stour. In c.1080 by Archbishop Lanfranc: “In the Middle Kent. This would have a number of aims earlier times, we presume it was culverted Ages, Canterbury was internationally important which would include research into the through the Woodnesborough Gate into as the site of St Thomas Becket’s’ shrine and histories of Kentish boat-types, creating a the town. In 1483, the Sandwich Jurats was on the main highway between London and mainland Europe, traversed by kings, knights register of surviving boats, arranging authorized expenditure on four thousand and merchants. Consequently it is an ideal events for Kent’s traditional boats, setting bricks to build a cistern to use the water setting in which to make recent research readily up bases where historic boats can be kept to supplement the town supply from the accessible to a wide audience, which will be safely and worked on, owning and using Delf, so presumably the town retained given access to new interpretations, ideas and traditional Kent boats and replicating some responsibility for maintaining the knowledge covering medieval topics from manuscripts studies to war and politics.” those that have no surviving examples or system until it went out of use in 1899. where the only survivors are now static Speakers will include David Starkey (on Henry exhibits in museums. One of the bases John Simpson, of Affinity Water, tested the VII), Richard Gameson (on ‘The Gospels of St Augustine’), Louise Wilkinson (on England’s ‘five could potentially be in the Medway/ water from the spring and deduced that it forgotten princesses’, the daughters of King area and the other somewhere was a greensand water spring rather than Edward 1 and Eleanor of Castille), Nicholas near Deal or Dover. from chalk. The water was harder, slightly Vincent (on ‘Relics: Blood, Bones and Becket’s more acidic and with higher levels of iron Head’) and Michael Jones, who will discuss his and lead, although within the standards recent research on the Black Prince, whose tomb is one of Canterbury Cathedral’s most applicable to water up to 2000. However, iconic monuments. there was a high bacteria level which would be a reflection of the land use There will be tours of Canterbury Cathedral Library (led by Karen Brayshaw), St Mildred’s where the rain water enters the acquifer Church (Paul Bennett), St John’s Hospital (Dr which becomes this spring. That could Sheila Sweetinburgh), the Westgate (Richard reflect a change in land use over time, but Eales) and the Poor Priests’ Hospital (Paul if historically so, “…the friars either had a Bennett). good immune system or became sick The weekend will conclude with a wide-ranging quite frequently.” analysis on ‘Medieval Horizons’ by Ian Mortimer, author of The Time Traveller’s Guide With its long and diverse coastline and One further point about the structure to Medieval England. extensive rivers, including a large part of itself: it incorporates bricks put in place KAS and FCAT members are offered tickets at the tidal Thames, a wide range of boat- post-1306 but probably not so much later. the special price of £8 per event. For full details types was developed to service the varying The first recorded brick making in Kent is go to http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/medie- val-canterbury or call 01227 782994 (office needs of the fishing, passenger-carrying 1467 so these were foreign imports, most hours) or visit the Canterbury Christ Church and other maritime industries in the likely from the Low Countries, and are University, Arts & Culture Box Office, on the county of Kent. These vary from small therefore one of the earliest extant uses of ground floor of Augustine House (next to work-boats to sailing barges and include brick so far recorded in Kent. Canterbury Police Station). such types as Gravesend watermen’s

skiffs, Deal Galleys, Deal luggers, bawleys Yours sincerely MAY 2016 and oyster smacks. Whereas examples of many of these types survive, CBA SOUTH EAST POTTERY Peter Hobbs WORKSHOP PROGRAMME others are now extinct. Some sole surviving examples in museums will never See details under January listings above. be used again. While some lost boat- types are reasonably well-documented, Post-Medieval session by Luke Barber there is little surviving information on SATURDAY 7 MAY 10:00-16:00 others. St Peter and Paul Parish Church, Tonbridge To learn more, please visit the proposed Association’s website at www.kenttraditionalboat.org.uk

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 27 ROSE HILL ‘Hidden History’ Community Dig 13 - 21 June 2015

n 2014, the Historical ABOVE Rose Hill Local people visiting the site not From John Vujakovic Research Group of under investigation only took part in the excavation but “There were three floors in Sittingbourne (HRGS) was also provided the dig team with total. At the rear of the property asked by the Mid Kent special ‘living memory’ insight into was a single-floor kitchen IDowns Countryside Partnership the house, its occupants, and the extension with a sloping roof. (MKDCP) Lottery-funded way that the local community Outside was a flight of steps ‘Hidden History’ project to viewed the property (see leading down into a cellar of about research the history of the ‘Memories’ below). An immediate five rooms beneath the main woodlands at Rose Hill, Bobbing connection with the past was house.” Such was its eeriness that near Sittingbourne, Kent. HRGS provided through a visitor bringing it took the courage of ten of John’s knew there was a demolished along a photograph of Doris friends to venture into this cellar house at Rose Hill and it had been Vanderpeer, who was in service in space. on the group’s radar since 2006 to the house in the 1920’s. undertake an archaeological The Mayor of Swale, Anita From Heather Elliott excavation of the site, so this Walker, together with County, “I used to deliver newspapers to seemed a great opportunity to also Borough and Bobbing Parish the house when I was around 15 involve the community in the Councillors and other guests, years old. It is hard for me to research. John Clancy, local visited the dig, were briefed on the recollect where I used to drop the historian, had also been research and given a guided tour. papers off, as everyone knew the researching the building and its They also visited Grove Park and house as ‘the witches house’, and it occupants. were shown pupils’ finds and was a scary place to be. I would The partnership involvement project work, put together as a cycle up the hill to the house, and quickly grew to eventually include result of their week’s involvement. leave as quickly as I could.” the MKDCP ‘Hidden History’ The school had the unique project, the HRGS Field Unit, opportunity to work closely with From Olive Palmer Kent County Council (KCC) archaeologists for an extended “The house was called Rose Heritage Team, Swale Borough period (see ‘Schools and Young Mount; that was what we called it Council – Open Spaces, and John People’). when I was a little girl. It was quite Clancy. Pupils from Grove Park imposing, especially to a small Primary School were invited to Memories of Rose Hill child. join in the project and spent 5 This site was unusual in that I was born in Brier Villas, Wises days working with the community archaeological investigation was Lane, next to the Long Hop pub archaeologists from KCC, Andrew supplemented with oral history (or British Queen as it was then) Mayfield and Richard Taylor. testimony, as visiting members of in the 1930s. I am now 84. The 9-day dig, directed by the public volunteered their At that time there was an Richard Emmett from the HRGS memories. Here are just a few that Admiral Doyne and his wife in the Field Unit, involved an incredible the HRGS team collected, giving a house. My father and mother were 830 visitors and workers feel for what the site was like prior friends with their gardener, who (including those from the school). to its demise. lived in the chauffer’s/gardener’s MEMORIES

28 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk cottage with his wife and son, John. John and I were friends and played in the Grove together. Their surname was Culmer. They later left to live in Rainham when John was 7 or 8 years-old. I didn’t see him again. John Culmer is now buried in Borden churchyard. When the Doynes moved/died a Mr and Mrs Stocker lived in the house. The gardener’s cottage was empty so my Auntie Elsie lived in the cottage until she died. I think it had only one bedroom, a kitchen and a living room.”

From Peter Harris Peter remembers Mr and Mrs Stocker as he rented a garage at Rose Hill around 1935/37, when he owned an Austin 7 and a BSA three-wheeler. He recalls an old lady who lived in the side cottage – she spent time in the walled garden and rode a bicycle. He saw extensive gardens and clambered up onto the high wall, walking along the top. Peter used to fly model aircraft in the ABOVE North Schools and Young People a brief walkover of the proposed meadow behind the house. He recalls Downs YACs n the spring of 2015, Kent Rose Hill House area. that Mr Stocker was a big chap who bred exposing the County Council (KCC) As part of the WWHH project, chickens (Rhode Island Reds). walled garden received funding from the an initial two archaeological Sometimes they would wander out into Heritage Lottery funded evaluation days were run with the the Grove and Peter would bring them IWoodland Wildlife Hidden fantastic North Downs Young back, for which he received a penny. Histories (WWHH) project to Archaeologists Club (YACs). The In WWII he saw soldiers billeted in undertake community archaeology first day examined garden features tents on the front lawn. He remembers work at the site known as Rose and identified the walled garden at their field guns and watching them Hill House, Sittingbourne (TQ the house site along with various training before deployment. He spoke 88572 64419) in conjunction outbuildings. about the set of heavy iron gates and his with Grove Park Primary School, The second day involved sister Pamela being knocked flying whilst Sittingbourne, the North Downs exploratory excavation work on standing on the lower rung when it was Young Archaeologists Club, the the substantial outbuilding to the hit by a military vehicle. Later an officer Historic Research Group rear of the house, believed to be a came round to their home with bars and Sittingbourne and the Shorne stable. By the end of the second bars of chocolate - as compensation. Woods Archaeology Group. day, the YACs were able to Once he went into the house with Mrs Ahead of the excavation week ascertain that part of the brick Stocker…and the hallway was “rather in June, Andrew Mayfield, a floor remained intact. A small dark and dingy”. Peter also remembered community archaeologist from assemblage of finds, including that the place was set on fire twice. KCC, ran two sessions at Grove pottery and various metal items, Park School for Years 3 and 5. indicated a broad chronology for From Matt Brown The Year 3 session focussed on the site (c1800 to late 20th “All of this was very much derelict in Prehistory using finds handling century). the seventies and the main building was kits developed from previous HLF regularly rocked side to side, by its timber projects; whilst the Year 5 session Grove Park School dig week frame, by kids from inside the building.” gave an introduction to the From the 15th to the 18th of June interpretation of historical maps 2015, children attending Grove and researching a potential Park Primary assisted KCC Rose Hill by Richard Emmett archaeological site, culminating in community archaeologists, YOUNG PEOPLE YOUNG

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 29 well-earned lunch break, these roles were reversed. With each day, more of a well-preserved brick herringbone floor was revealed. By the end of the week, the children’s hard work had established a number of phases to the building; from carefully laid brick floor, to concrete skimmed yard area at the end of its life as a garage or storage area. Finds were numerous bricks, metalwork (including a sash window weight), pottery, bone, shell, tiles (including the mathematical ones that clad the main building) and even burnt wood (from the demolition of the buildings?) and worked flint.

Exhibition On Friday 19th June, selected children from each year group were tasked to set out an exhibition of the excavation process, the finds and their interpretation. Following a busy morning of creating posters and setting out displays in the main school hall, the children succeeded in organising and presenting a spectacular exhibition of the Rose Hill excavation which was later Andrew Mayfield and Richard TOP YACs initial from previous community attended by parents, council Taylor, in further excavating the excavation of the archaeological projects run by officials, representatives from the putative stable building north of stable building KCC as the archaeologists were WWHH project and the Mayor the house, first evaluated by the embedded in the school for the of Swale. YACs. Each day, separate year whole week, from dawn to dusk BOTTOM Stable classes of approximately thirty each day. A total of 240 children A Different Approach building excavated children (one group in the had the opportunity to excavate Having involved local schools in by Grove Park pupils morning and one in the on the site and process their finds, the Randall Manor (Shorne) afternoon) made the short walk and another 60 from Year 2 visited project for 10 years, it was from their school grounds to the on the Friday. By the end of the interesting to try a different excavation site. Each class week, Richard and Andrew could approach to working with a carefully cleared the surrounding almost remember everyone’s name! school on a new project. vegetation and topsoil to gradually Embedding ourselves in the reveal a surviving brick floor and Excavation school for a week forged the exterior brick walls of the The project process soon took stronger relationships with the stable building. Year 5 were the shape - in the morning, one class staff, caretaker (!) and pupils. We first class on Monday, followed by would excavate at the house site were able to facilitate the finds Year 6 on Tuesday, Year 3 on whilst the other remained at processing on site with the Wednesday and Year 4 on school to wash and process the school as we went along, so the Thursday. This project differed previous days’ finds. After a pupils were engaged in every

30 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk stage from research and walkover surveys, to excavation and post-ex. We also ran a post-dig session with Years 3-6 to explain the results of the dig and show them some of the key finds. The success of this model will influence future projects that we develop. With thanks to the Mid Kent Downs Countryside Partnership, Grove Park School, the North Downs YACs, the Historic Research Group Sittingbourne and the Shorne Woods Archaeology Group.

Schools and Young People by Andrew Mayfield & Richard Taylor Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ archaeologyinkent @ArchaeologyKent on Twitter

Continued on page 32

TOP & MIDDLE Selection of finds from Stable area.

LEFT & RIGHT Grove Park School archaeology exhibition. Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 31 Owners and Occupiers Rose Hill was a house which stood alone at the south end of Bobbing parish. Its hill looked down upon the Watling Street and the fields and orchards of Borden further south.

The Gores The house was built on the lands of Bobbing manor about 1770 by the Irish aristocrat cousins Arthur and Booth Gore, as a shooting seat. It was known as Gore Hill in their time. One might wonder why they came out as far as Bobbing to shoot, for the land around the house had long ago been farmed. The attraction must have been the wild ducks and geese of the Medway estuary two miles away. In the 1770s the historian Edward Hasted wrote of the Gores’ shooting seat that “they both pretty constantly reside in it”. Arthur and Booth would have gone down to the mud-flats at dawn and dusk to shoot when the birds were aloft, but during the day the sportsmen would retire to the house to eat and sleep and avoid the mosquitoes. Arthur Gore had acquired Frances Montresor by John Singleton Copley, England, 1778. US Department of State. 1778. England, Singleton Copley, John LEFT Frances Montresor by further land around the house by 1798. Soon after, it was described British military engineer in America Recent excavations have shown as “a neat dwelling house when the War of Independence that the walls of Gore Hill were consisting of two parlours, a hall broke out and he had an clad with pale yellow mathematical and kitchen on the ground floor, adventurous career until his tiles, which gave the appearance of six bed chambers on the first floor retirement in 1778, when they yellow brick, much like those at and two in the atticks - good bought Belmont Place at Throwley. Belmont Place. We hope that cellars, a pleasance and kitchen Montrésor was to have years of excavation will show whether this garden, a fishpond, good stabling dispute with the Audit Office over was how the Gore cousins had and every other office and his expenses during his active built it, or whether Frances convenience for a small genteel service and he was eventually Montrésor had added the tile family.” Note the eight bedrooms. committed to Maidstone prison, cladding when she moved there. The Gores must often have had where he died in 1799. The Frances began using the alternative guests down to shoot. The Gore Montrésor family lived on at name of Rose Hill for the house in tenancy ended in 1800. Belmont until John’s bankruptcy, 1822 and after her time Rose Hill when the estate was taken by the was the only name used. She died The Montrésors Exchequer and sold. in 1826. William C Fairman had A new tenant was found for Gore By September 1801, Montrésor’s the tenancy from 1827 to 1832 Hill in 1801. She was the recently widow Frances was living at Gore and William Augustus Munn, widowed Mrs Frances Montrésor. Hill, 8 miles away, probably with from 1835. Her husband John had been a her two sons and two daughters. OCCUPIERS

32 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk The Simpsons probably purchased the freehold Back in 1796 the manor of Bobbing from the Simpsons that year. He and its lands, including Rose Hill, was certainly there in 1926 and in had been bought by Valentine 1929 he sold some land for a Simpson, an innkeeper of sports ground. He died in 1936. Sittingbourne. He and his descendants were to own Rose Hill The Stockers for 130 years. Valentine was living Mr and Mrs Stocker from Key at Bobbing Court at his death in Street purchased Rose Hill about 1832. His son George became vicar 1938 though he died soon after of Bobbing in 1818 and he duly the move, leaving his widow to inherited Bobbing Court and Rose live there alone for another 29 Hill, but the Simpsons did not years. She moved to an old occupy Bobbing Court again. By people’s home in 1969. After her 1839, the Revd George had death her niece inherited Rose resigned the living of Bobbing in Hill and sold it to a developer but favour of his son the 26 year old his plans to build houses did not Revd. George Stringer Simpson happen. In the 1970s local people though both remained in recall a fierce lady caretaker living Sittingbourne. William Munn was at Rose Hill, who died about then occupier of Rose Hill and was 1975. still there in 1841. The only detailed illustration of The end of the house Rose Hill appears in a mezzotint by Now the house was coming to its Greenwood of 1838, later copied last days. Much of the yellow and coloured in. It shows a tiling, which in its earlier life had remarkable resemblance, on a small made it strong and waterproof, scale, to the mansion at Belmont, had gone. Local children found both having the yellow they could rock the bare timber mathematical tile walls, the shallow frame from side to side and only bay windows and the hilltop resigned the living of Bobbing in good fortune kept it from falling TOP Mezzotint of situation. Possibly this was how the 1872 and he died in 1888. The upon them. Then a child found a Rose Hill by house had looked in 1770 when house passed to a relative, the Revd shotgun cartridge in the house and Frances Montresor by John Singleton Copley, England, 1778. US Department of State. 1778. England, Singleton Copley, John LEFT Frances Montresor by Greenwood, 1838 Arthur Gore built it, but Frances William H Simpson, of Frant, sadly injured himself. In 1976 Montrésor might have employed a Sussex, possibly a nephew. In 1898 local residents asked Swale local builder in 1801 to make the BOTTOM Coloured Rose Hill House and lands of 4¼ Council to demolish it. After some shooting seat resemble her old image of the house acres were transferred from the discussion, Rose Hill House was home. based on the Revd William Simpson to Sybilla finally demolished that year. By 1847 Rose Hill was the mezzotint Lucy Hilton of East Farleigh, a property and residence of the Revd. widow, who proved to be a younger George Simpson. He was one of sister of George Stringer Simpson. Owners and Occupiers two principal landowners in by Roger Cocket Bobbing and lord of the manor. Tenants at Rose Hill Bobbing was a vicarage in his The 1891 census found tenants at patronage and his son the Revd. Rose Hill, Walter Stagg and his George Stringer Simpson was vicar. family. The Staggs were still there The elder George Simpson died in in 1908, but by the 1911 census April 1854. George S Simpson was they had moved to Tunbridge Wells still the vicar of Bobbing in the and one Guy de Mattos and family 1861 census and his address was were at Rose Hill. now Rose Hill House. In the 1871 census George was termed vicar and Admiral Doyne land owner. Admiral Herbert Doyne, a naval The Revd. George S Simpson surgeon, had retired in 1919 and

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 33 WOOLCOMBER After many years of planning, work finally STREET began on the St the estuary of the River Dour. As ruin, but it is now very difficult to the estuary gradually silted-up, closely identify much else of the James’s redevelopment habitation became possible. This pre-War town layout on the seems to have begun during the ground, with at least half a dozen in Dover during the Norman period, when St James’s old roads and many houses and church was erected at the foot of shops having disappeared without spring of 2015. Castle Hill. By the nineteenth trace. century the entire region was The new development is to take densely packed with streets and place in several phases and Situated on the eastern side of ABOVE Heavy houses, together with the grand Canterbury Archaeological Trust Dover, below Castle Hill, the new machine work Burlington Hotel, built in 1864. was commissioned to undertake development area will provide a begins on site However, this eastern side of Dover investigations ahead of the first major opportunity to was extensively damaged by shelling phase, off Woolcomber Street, in archaeologically examine a and bombing during the Second May 2015. A new hotel is to be substantial part of the old town. World War and, as part of the built here and large-scale This region has always been a post-War redevelopment of the excavations began in July; they suburb, located beyond the main 1950s and 1960s, virtually all the were concluded in October. The settlement, but it is significantly remaining historic streets and excavations fall in an area that the placed just inland of the seashore, buildings were swept away to be Trust already knows well, having between the historic town centre replaced by a new town layout little undertaken previous work and the great medieval castle. influenced by its predecessors. immediately adjacent during the During Roman times the whole Severely damaged by enemy action, construction of the Townwall area was under water, located in St James’s church was preserved as a Street dual carriageway (A20) and

34 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk a new BP petrol filling station CAT excavators, supplemented by Early Streets during the 1990s. KAS and other volunteers, Amongst the initial discoveries continue to be busily engaged on made during the present Hotel excavations the site, revealing significant finds excavations was the line of At Woolcomber Street, three on a daily basis. Arthur’s Place – one of Dover’s old separate areas (North-West Area, lanes that formerly ran between Central Area and South-East Area) No town wall the still surviving St James’s Street were selected for detailed Local antiquarian tradition asserts and now lost Clarence Street. examination, being largely that the excavations should fall Below its twentieth century undisturbed by the deep Victorian across the line of the otherwise lost tarmac, a succession of earlier cellars and other modern medieval town wall of Dover but metallings was investigated, disturbances that had affected no evidence for this major structure suggesting that this lane had first several parts of the site. After a has been discovered and, most been laid out several centuries period of heavy machine work, the probably, the wall lay further before. It is clearly shown on a extent of the surviving archaeology toward the sea in an area town map of 1737 and the became apparent, with clear subsequently affected by coastal archaeology suggests that this evidence of pre-War streets and erosion. This was also our street first came into being during buildings being revealed. Overall, conclusion on the adjacent 1996 medieval times when it was the remains exposed were complex BP filling station site and it appears constructed as a substantial raised and related to many different that plans published during the causeway made from compacted phases of activity. Two to three nineteenth century are not correct, chalk rubble and beach shingle. metres of stratified archaeological BELOW Work gets with the wall’s course on the Work on the 1996 BP filling deposits occurred in all areas. A underway in the seaward side shown too far inland. station site had previously full-time team of more than twenty central area established that Clarence Street STREET

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 35 was first laid out sometime around ABOVE Examining included foundations relating to a pottery, most dated between 1150 the thirteenth century and the Post-medieval levels substantial medieval building, and 1450, have been recovered, evidence thus now combines to which seems to have gone out of together with three silver coins suggest that the recorded Victorian use sometime before the cemetery and a range of kitchen waste street plan of the region largely was established. including much animal bone, fish preserves the original layout of the bone and marine shell (particularly medieval one. Loads of old rubbish limpet). In contrast to many The excavations have produced vast urban sites, most of the medieval Quaker burial ground quantities of domestic rubbish of waste material was not being Documents record that a former medieval and early post-medieval dumped into pits but generally garden plot situated at the date. Many thousands of sherds of spread around the site in levelling junction of Clarence Street with Woolcomber Street had once been RIGHT Investigating the site of a small Quaker burial a 19th century ground, established during the cellar in the seventeenth century. Part of this north-west area cemetery was located and excavated in 2015. Although much of the area had been previously destroyed by recent activity, more than twenty individual graves were carefully exposed and lifted. The latest are probably of nineteenth-century date. The graves had been cut into a sequence of earlier deposits, every bit as complicated as those on other parts of the site and

36 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk deposits, often mixed with chalk, ABOVE 17th century general level of the ground surface and a number of stone-lined cess beach shingle and demolition bread oven in the across the site was important to the tanks were constructed in the area. rubble. Frequently contained south-east area early inhabitants of this region, These have produced some large within the deposits of demolition probably because of the proximity collections of interesting pottery, rubble are fragments of roofing of the sea and the potential threat much of it imported, together slate, traded along the south coast BELOW Metalling of marine inundation. Later, with clay tobacco pipes and other from Devon and Cornwall as early of a medieval during the post-medieval period, household rubbish. as the thirteenth century. courtyard in the more formal arrangements for Twelfth and thirteenth century It would seem that raising the central area rubbish disposal came into being fishermens’ houses In the South-East Area, adjacent to Townwall Street, a complex succession of chalk-floored buildings with slight traces of associated walls are being investigated in detail. These structures were mainly built of timber and are identical to others previously excavated on the adjacent filling station site in 1996, when they were interpreted as the remains of houses belonging to simple fisher-folk. Occupying the beach ridge beyond the boundaries of the main town during the late twelfth and thirteenth centuries, these dwellings are producing many

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 37 finds, notably pottery and fish bones, scattered across their floors. Small finds have included fish hooks, spindle whorls and a range of bone pins, whilst a bone dice and a possible bone flute provide a few clues as to how leisure time might have been spent. As the main excavations draw to a close, demolition work in other parts of the development area are progressing well and new sites for archaeological investigation are becoming available. The prospects for further interesting discoveries within historic Dover presently look good. More later.…

by Keith Parfitt

ABOVE 17th century cockerel dish from a cess tank

RIGHT Imported German Werra Ware plate dated 1614 SAVING KENT’S HISTORY SAVING

38 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk LEFT Martin Brooks, Chairman of Smarden Local History Society and Bob Cockcroft, Hon.Gen. Secretary of the KAS, signing the agreement

but collectively represent a vast store of information about the history of the people of Kent. We have seen in our own KAS Library how a relatively small number of people, with modern methods of scanning and The KAS Records Branch was established recording, can over time make the in 1912. By the late 1920’s and early contents accessible to the membership 1930’s, with a change in the law, many and the wider world. solicitors were throwing away Manorial The Kent Archaeological Society has documents, Estate Papers, Wills, now formed a partnership with the Inventories, conveyances and such like. A Smarden Local History Society to create a county-wide effort was made to save these Kent Heritage Resource Centre. by the KAS. They were stored for many Museums, local societies, schools and years in Canterbury, before thousands of members of the KAS can bring their ABOVE The iCam archival scanning equipment. individual documents were deposited on documents for digitisation to the Centre donation of £5,000 by the sons of our loan in the Kent Archives Office after and release to the world the treasure trove late Vice-President Joy Saynor, in her WWII, where many have been of information they contain. memory. microfilmed over the years, enabling Under the partnership, the two The Centre will provide options for people to carry out research. organisations will work together to users to carry out digitisation projects, But now we face a similar problem. provide practical help and guidance on with assistance where necessary. The Over the years many Kent museums and archive management, preservation and Centre will also offer a data storage local societies have been collecting digitisation at the new Centre, at The service for organisations seeking to documents and adding them to their Charter Hall in Smarden. back-up archives off-site. All Centre archives. Members of the Smarden Local The new facility will feature a state-of- facilities will be available at nominal cost History Society have identified many the-art archival camera, capable of to users at The Smarden Charter Hall two such depositories where documents lie producing high-output, high-definition days a week and at other times by prior uncatalogued and not transcribed, and images of, for example, documents, arrangement. therefore unavailable for historical bound volumes, artefacts, photographs, More information about how you can research. slides, and maps up to A2 size, linked to arrange to take your precious documents So the situation is comparable to the specially developed indexing and SAVING KENT’S HISTORY SAVING along for scanning will appear on our 1930’s, in that thousands of documents cataloguing software. The purchase of website and in future newsletters. are often stored in unsuitable conditions, equipment has been greatly assisted by a

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 39 KAS CHURCHES COMMITTEE The KAS Churches Committee’s programme of visits to historic Kent places of worship has continued in 2015 with well attended outings to Westwell and Hothfield on 18 April, to Marden and Staplehurst on 20 June and to Minster Abbey and Church on 27 September.

ABOVE Staplehurst Westwell and Hothfield window for an anchorite’s cell. By Paul Lee We are grateful to our speakers: Westwell is an attractive village, Mike Jamieson (Westwell); Chris apparently deep in the countryside, Rogers (Hothfield); Robin Judd although in fact not far from (Marden); and Anita Thompson Ashford. The most striking features (Staplehurst). We are also grateful of this spacious 13th century parish to the volunteers who provided church are the lofty vaulted chancel delicious refreshments at and unusual stone chancel screen. Hothfield and Staplehurst. Also impressive (and beautiful) is Minster Abbey and Church RIGHT Hothfield the colourful Jesse Tree window By Toby Huitson occupying the central lancet in the the stone font of 1662 replaced an On a sunny day in the early sanctuary, the upper half of which earlier one apparently removed by Autumn the final visit of our year dates back to the 13th century (the a zealous minister during the took place to two separate but lower half was restored in 1960 in Commonwealth period and is related churches in Minster in imitation of the upper half). topped by a large wood cover with Thanet. Formerly an island, this Hothfield is the former estate doors. Twentieth century was an important early monastic church of the earls of Thanet (the embellishments include the centre. The nunnery here was big house next door was pulled lectern of 1963 and, most notably, founded in 670 and re-established down in the 1950s), and it now the east window depicting Christ in 1027 following Viking serves a post-war housing estate in Majesty, which was created by incursions as a dependency of St nearby. This attractive church dates Patrick Reyntiens in 1962. Augustine’s Abbey, Canterbury. back to the 13th century but was Staplehurst Church is a long and The group was shown around the largely rebuilt in 1603 following a lofty, mostly 13th and 14th substantial Romanesque remnants lightning strike and resultant fire. BELOW Ruined century, building positioned high incorporated into later buildings The chancel is dominated by the tower at Minster on the limestone ridge including a ruined tower with an high alabaster tomb chest of Sir Abbey overlooking the Weald. The south ashlared stairway and a recently- John Tufton, dating from 1624. door is famous for the restored vaulted undercroft. The The church was restored in 1876. elaborate ironwork dated relics of St Mildred (officially Marden and Staplehurst to circa 1050 which venerated from 1388) had a By Paul Lee shows Viking influence. particularly colourful history: St Michael’s Church in the Low The north wall of the originally held at the abbey, they Weald village of Marden was built nave and chancel show were taken to Canterbury in the in stages from the 13th to 15th traces of early 12th Middle Ages and appeared on the century. The short stone west tower century herringbone Continent in the reign of is topped by a distinctive patterning and there is Elizabeth I, before partially weatherboarded bellchamber which also a round opening returning in the nineteenth houses a ring of eight bells. Inside, which once provided a century. The nuns’ church was

40 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk built following a fire in 1987, a pleasing and light boat-like interior with a yew-tree altar. The modern- KCC Community day nuns arrived from Eichstaett in Archaeology Round Up Bavaria in 1937. Today their by Andrew Mayfield successors welcome visitors, and www.facebook.com/archaeologyinkent and @ArchaeologyKent on Twitter harvest preparations were under way. At the parish church we were treated to several activities It has been another archaeology-packed In the SE corner of the site we quickly including the chance to try some year for the Shorne Woods Archaeology established the line of the north wall of handbell ringing (probably a first Group (SWAG) and the North Downs the building first uncovered in 2014. for the group), as well as exploring Young Archaeologists Club (YAC). Working with 3 schools this year we the tower with its uneven spiral demonstrated that the building was stair, and chiming some bells, with Woodland Wildlife quite narrow and long, with a mixed an ingenious video link from the Hidden Histories Project flint, chalk and reused dressed stone belfry. The church has an unusual At Perry Wood we helped the Trust for foundation acting as a plinth for a vaulted chancel and transepts, and Thanet Archaeology and students from timber structure. In the centre of the contains the font from Holy Cross, the University of Kent investigate a north wall we have recorded an exterior Canterbury. Its treasures include a multi-period archaeological site, alongside pebbled surface. At the SE corner of muniment chest and a complete both Kent YAC branches. Beginning as this building, we uncovered a far more series of misericords of c. 1400 a prehistoric enclosure, the site had been substantial building foundation. This which were a source of much re-used as an Admiralty signalling station seemed to suggest a full height stone interest to the group. Later we and as the location of a post medieval end to our timber building, complete heard about the recent excavation windmill. with passage way and partition wall. of a nearby Roman villa which was At present we propose that the probably the source of the recycled Keycol timber and stone building housed the Roman tile in the building. Tea This spring we found the well preserved tenants who looked after Randall was taken in the Old Schools remains of a Roman bread oven and an Manor during its dotage. The building building which, as well as welcome associated pebbled surface, buried by a has a hearth built against the south refreshments, featured a charming possible lynchet feature. wall, unlike any feature identified in display of marbles and small the main building complex. After 10 artefacts lost in the floorboards by LiDAR works years, ably assisted by local schools and children of years past. Like St Back at Shorne Woods Country Park, the YACS, the Manor continues to reveal Mildred’s relics, if they had not home base of SWAG, we have continued its secrets....and provides us with more once been lost, they probably to investigate the fantastic archaeology questions. wouldn’t have been found. of the Park. This has included a series of Our thanks to Sister Benedict boundary banks and lynchets as well as Acknowledgements for showing us round the abbey, to identifying a new lithic site that may date A huge thank you to SWAG and to my Tony Goodman, Peter Hals and back to the late Palaeolithic period. colleague Richard Taylor for all their Sue Woodhead for showing us help this year! round the church and making Randall Manor 2015 Finally, 2015 has seen a huge change available the tower and handbells, It felt only right that we should celebrate to the leadership of the North Downs and finally to Jose Gibbs for the tenth year of excavations at Randall YACs with Lyn Palmer and Malcolm & organising the visit. Manor. Kate Kersey stepping down from their The Churches Committee is On the SW corner of the aisled hall we roles as Leaders. We would like to seeking new members, especially have excavated a possible second thank them all for their hard work and from West Kent. If you think you garderobe structure, with its own drain dedication. Lyn founded and headed might be interested, please contact feeding into our main drainage ditch. up the North Downs YACs for many Mary Berg (01227 450426 We have also identified a sequence of years and will be dearly missed as our [email protected]) to have occupation focused around the ornate leader and guiding light. a chat. On 16 April 2016, we will chimney added to the back of the visit two churches in Deal. See you aisled hall. then!

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 41 SCOTGROVE A Medieval Manor on the Border of Ash cum Ridley and Hartley Known for nearly 300 years as Chapel Wood Excavated between1972 and 1984

he site has never been ABOVE Chapel Custumale Roffense, published in discovered by A J Dennis in the ploughed and thus has Wood today 1788, tells us that his father visited back garden of his property which been preserved under the site of the chantry chapel at fronted Ash Road. At the time, coppiced woodland for Scotgrove in 1728 with the rector these were identified as a Roman Tover three hundred years. The of Ash. They saw the remains of the hypocaust by the rector of Hartley, medieval banks and ditches can chapel standing to a height of four the Rev Gerard Winstanley still be seen within their woodland to five feet at the west end, with a Bancks. In 1940, R F Jessup setting. Prior to the 1974 local gap in the south wall which could suggested that the remains could government boundary changes, have been a door. They noted that be part of a medieval tile kiln, a the site of Scotgrove was in the the whole site was enclosed by a view which was confirmed by Parish of Ash cum Ridley but is bank and ditch and that this excavations carried out by B J now in the Parish of Hartley. The wooded enclosure had been called Philp in 1963. Photographs from remaining members of the Chapel Wood since before Thorpe’s 1926 (see page 44) showed that archaeological group, Roger visit. Few locals at that time, the kiln comprised two series of Cockett, Pam and Ted Connell however, knew the name Scotgrove. arches constructed of roof tiles. In and Gill and Gerald Cramp are In the middle of the 19th century, 1963 the ground plan of the kiln working to make the results of the the remaining flint walls were was exposed, but unfortunately Group’s excavations since 1964 demolished, some used to fill a well the arches had disintegrated. The more readily available. RIGHT Plan of within the enclosure and others peg roof tiles from the kiln are Chapel Wood in incorporated in an outhouse of the similar to those found during the Earlier Interest in the Site 1967 by John Black Lion Inn on the other side of 1972 to 1984 excavations, The importance of Scotgrove has Caiger and Ash Road. including the more unusual nib been well known for many years. extended by Roger Interest in the site was revived in roof tiles which are discussed John Thorpe in his book, Cockett in 1984 1926, when remains were below.

42 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Between 1972 and 1984, members of the Fawkham and Ash Archaeological Group carried out excavations on the site of the medieval manor of Scotgrove. At that time the site was scheduled for destruction by the construction of a major road near . This road was never built. Initially, the excavations were directed by Roger Walsh and then by Ted Connell and finally by Roger Cockett.

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 43 In 1967, a major survey of the ABOVE Survey of earthworks was undertaken under 1984 - the bank the supervision of J E L Caiger and ditch on the which was published in north side of the Archaeologia Cantiana volume 87. enclosure The external boundary ditch and bank encloses a roughly rectangular area, approximately 100m wide. The enclosure was sub-divided by banks into three parts. The excavations took place along the northern edge of the central area. Unfortunately, Caiger RIGHT The stoke was unable to survey the eastern hole of the tile kiln part because it was occupied by as found in 1926 houses and gardens. These gardens were surveyed in 1984 by Roger 1897 edition, details are given of a Mabel’s gavelkind land which Cockett and showed that some of leading case in the reign of Edward avoided the custom of dividing up the eastern boundary bank of the II, Gatwyk v Gatwyk. The case lands between all the sons in a earthworks could be traced in the lasted from about 1313 to at least family. William started the front gardens along the Ash Road. 1316. The issue was whether all or settlement which became Its length of 250m was now part of the manor of Scotgrove was Scotgrove manor and built the first determined. The tile kiln held under Gavelkind, the ancient manor house about 1225. The discovered in 1926 lay about 20m form of the descent of land. The nearby manor of Fawkham outside the enclosure to the south. outcome of the case was that the belonged to his older brother manor remained a military tenure Waleran, so it made sense to start Documentary Sources but the details preserved in the up a new manor for himself and (courtesy of Roger Cockett) action provide much information his family nearby in Ash. In fact, The first major analysis of the on the families involved. Waleran de Fawkham died in documentary sources was carried After further research, Roger 1246 and William became owner out by W F Proudfoot and Cockett has written the following of Fawkham. After only 20 years published in Archaeologia history. The manor of Scotgrove use Scotgrove manor was surplus Cantiana volume 94. He noted appears in a charter roll in 1233. It to the family’s needs, but then in that Thomas Robinson published was held by William de Fawkham 1250, William de Fawkham died. a book in 1741 entitled ‘The from Mabel de Torpel, the widow William’s son, another William, Common Law of Kent, or the of Roger de Torpel. The charter inherited both Fawkham and Custom of Gavelkind’. In the created a military tenure out of Scotgrove manors.

44 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk William de Fawkham the son RIGHT Plan of had an amazing military career. excavated buildings From his first expedition with inside the northern Henry III to Gascony in 1253 until enclosure ditch the king’s death in 1272, William was always with the king. He was Constable of Rochester Castle in 1263 and later he became one of the marshals of the king’s household. William was married about 1270 to the Lady Lora de Ros of Horton and he sold Scotgrove manor about then to a Sussex man, Richard de Gatewyke. William died about 1290 and neither Fawkham nor Scotgrove had probably seen much of him over the years. The Gatewyke family were the major occupiers of Scotgrove manor and were there for over 60 years. Richard de Gatewyk rebuilt the manor house about 1270. more chaplains were appointed to Fulljames Survey formed the basis Richard and his wife Katherine had Scotgrove and if Joan followed her of the Tithe survey in 1839. three sons, John, Richard and husband to Canterbury the site William. By 1306 John de may have been abandoned, even The 1972 to 1984 Excavations Gatewyke had inherited Scotgrove, before the Black Death arrived in The excavations were centred but in 1313 John died, leaving his 1348. Neither the archaeological along the line of the projected wife Joan and three young evidence nor the documentary bypass for New Ash Green. In all, daughters. The girls’ uncles, sources suggest that Scotgrove was the ground plan of 6 buildings Richard and William, seized the inhabited after the Black Death were recovered – 3 were timber opportunity to claim one third had swept this part of Kent in framed with very slight flint share each of their father’s estate. 1348. foundations and the other 3 were The legal dispute recounted by By 1359, the Colepeper family more substantial with flint Thomas Robinson followed and had become tenants of this site and mortared walls and tiled roofs. was heard before the justices in then by 1381 had acquired Sections were cut through the Kent, and later the King’s Bench in ownership. With some gaps, northern bank and ditch and the London. Edward II intervened on ownership can be traced trough the cross bank which lay to the west of the side of the 3 daughters. The Fane (or Vane), Walter, Umfrey and the timber framed buildings. Over judges hesitated to decide and the Lance families. The 1792 the much of the site, stratification was case was adjourned several times Fulljames Survey of Ash, which either very limited or non existent. and in the end was dropped. comprised an extensive schedule Some medieval pottery together Thus Joan de Gatewyke and her and large map, showed that the with a little bone, oyster shell and daughters were left in possession of Lance family owned 75 acres, 12 of some iron work was recovered. Scotgrove. It seems that John de which were Chapel Wood. The Apart from a large number of roof Gatewyke had built a chantry chapel in the manor where prayers RIGHT The could be said for the soul of his southwest corner of father but that he died before the chapel (Building appointing a chaplain and then the E) in the foreground years of the court case delayed and the undercroft matters. In 1321 the Bishop of (Building B). These Rochester appointed a chaplain and were excavated in further chaplains are mentioned in 1972. The 1328, 1333 and 1342. Joan de undercroft was Gatewyke paid tax for Scotgrove in attached to Building 1334. She then married one William de Wavre of Canterbury B, not yet excavated and he paid the tax in 1347. No and under the trees

Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 45 that the site of the chapel lay on the line of the proposed road. The 1972 excavation showed that the bank in Caiger’s survey labelled ‘chapel’ was, in fact, the debris ABOVE The dwarf foundation of one of the timber framed ABOVE Rectangular base from the in undercroft buildings (Building B on plan) demolition of this building. A fragment of the west wall remained in situ and the outline of the building measuring 7m by 12m could be traced through robbed out trenches with the possibility of a south door. The walls were about 70cm thick and constructed of mortared flints with Reigate stone quoins. In the debris of the east wall, part of an Early English arch of Reigate stone was recovered. The east-west alignment and the absence of a tiled hearth suggest that this building was the chapel. A tile fall on its north side indicates the final roofing material and in addition a tiles and some worked stone, finds ABOVE The Hearth, tempered wares were found. These few small fragments of medieval were generally very sparse. of Building C are common in this part of Kent glass were found. The probable In total some 700 fragments of and have been found at the chapel was about 2.5m east of late 13th or early 14th century neighbouring medieval Fawkham the undercroft and at a slight pottery were recovered. Most Manor owned from about 1100 by angle to it. sherds were the grey sandy coarse the same De Fawkham family but wares typical of this part of Kent. are completely absent at Scotgrove. The Three Timber Framed The finer wares included some Buildings (A, B and C) BELOW The junction London green glazed wares of the The Probable Chapel The evidence for the earliest same date. No examples of the of the undercroft Building (Building E) timber framed building, perhaps earlier 12th century coarser shell and Building B Caiger’s survey of 1967 suggested the hall of a house, (Building A on the plan) was very slight and comprised lines of flints set in clay to mark the position of the walls. It measured 8m by 14m and was demolished to be replaced by another. The second (Building B) was similar to the first but overlaid it at its eastern end. It was approximately 8m by 13m with evidence of a possible central tiled hearth. The undercroft (Building D) described below was added to the eastern end of this second timber framed building. The third timber framed building (Building C) was situated along the north side of a courtyard

46 Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk LEFT Building F wide with a strongly built discovered as most of the site has looking towards the compartment, 2m square at its not been studied in detail. undercroft northern end. The walls were of Today, much of the enclosure mortared flint about 40cm thick. remains wooded with the There was some slight evidence for boundary banks and ditches still a 1m-wide door on its courtyard visible. During the 1920s, a side. Many peg tiles, several almost narrow strip along the edge of Ash complete, were discovered, Road was developed with the indicating that this building was construction of a few bungalows. heavily tiled. These tiles measured The site of the chapel and the about 16cm by about 24.5cm. In tile kiln are recorded on the Kent addition fragments of over 100 nib Historic Environment Record and tiles were recovered in and around the enclosure is shown by this building. Council as an about 120m north of Building B This building is a puzzle. Was it area of archaeological potential. which occupied the south side. a store house requiring ventilation Again the evidence for this building to the roof which may have been was slight, but enough of its provided by the nib tiles? Why was foundations remained to suggest its it so narrow; at only 3.5m wide? Discussion on Nib Tiles size was 8m by 20m. This building We would welcome any suggestions These tiles are larger than ordinary did contain a fine central hearth as to the purpose of this building. peg tiles, with a width of 18cm some 2m square with vertically RIGHT Roof tile placed peg tiles and was probably with one nib and another hall house. Immediately to one peg hole the north of this building was the northern boundary bank and ditch of the enclosure which was planned by Caiger in 1967.

The Undercroft (Building D) Added to the east end of Building B was a cross wing, presumably two It formed the eastern side of the and a length of 29cm. Each tile storied, over an undercroft courtyard, with two timber framed has one nib and one peg hole. The measuring 11.5m by 5.5m buildings on the courtyard’s nib is handmade and pulled up (Building D). The walls, northern and southern sides. It is from the top edge of the tile and constructed of mortared flint, were possible that the building had a protrudes about 1.5cm from the mostly about 60cm thick, with the door opening onto the court yard. upper surface and is about 2.5cm exception of the common wall with The western extremity of the wide. Also, Philp found several Building B which was 30cm thick. courtyard was marked by the cross fragments in his excavations of the The clay floor of the undercroft was bank sectioned in 1967. tile kiln as published in his book, about 1m below ground level and Excavations in West Kent, (1973). was entered from the courtyard Summary One suggestion is that these tiles through a door onto a flight of The site of Chapel Wood as the were for ventilation in the roof, steps. The door jambs were medieval manor of Scotgrove has the nib holding the upper tile constructed of squared Reigate been known for many years. proud and thus creating a gap. Is stone. In the middle of the east wall The documentary and pottery this correct? there was additional masonry, evidence supports a period of Nib tiles have been found on rectangular in shape and measuring occupation from about 1225 several other medieval sites, about 1m by 2m, possibly a to 1350. including a few at Battle Abbey, foundation for a first floor fireplace. Only a small part of the but not in such a quantity as at There is evidence that this building enclosure was excavated by the Scotgrove. Seven nib tiles are was also tiled. Fawkham and Ash Archaeological illustrated in Hare’s report (1985) group between 1972 and 1984. of the excavations at Battle Abbey. Building F attached to the The masonry and timber framed He discusses how they were made, Undercroft buildings can be interpreted as the their size, where else they have Added to the north east corner of core of the manorial complex been found and dates them firmly the undercroft was another developed during its period of to the thirteenth century, but does masonry building with a tiled roof. occupation. It is almost certain that not suggest their purpose. It was about 9.5m long by 3.5m other buildings remain to be Winter 2015 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 47 his new online pack from with Kent Archaeological Society as www.canterburytrust.co.uk/learning/ Canterbury Archaeological project partner (see Newsletter, resources/what-was-it-like-to-live-in- Trust Education Service will Winter 2014). anglo-saxon-lyminge-a-cat-curriculum- appeal to Kent teachers Written by Andy Macintosh, member pack/ Tlooking for history resources for the of the CAT team working with the If any KAS members are teachers, or coming year and we hope will be of project each year and who also delivers friends and relatives of teachers, do give interest to others as an introduction workshops in Kent schools, ‘What was it this a look and pass the word around. to the growth of this important like to live in Anglo-Saxon Lyminge?’ tells As always, any feedback from happy users Anglo-Saxon settlement. a rich story, drawing together evidence would be welcome. The pack is a result of the highly from excavations, beginning in the 19th productive Lyminge Archaeological century, and documentary sources. There Marion Green Project led by Dr Gabor Thomas and his are linked classroom activities (including KAS Education Committee Hon Sec assistant Dr Alexandra Knox of the role play for an attempted murder!) to [email protected] Department of Archaeology, University help children develop history, geography of Reading each summer from 2007 to and literacy skills. 2014. The project was funded by the You can find ‘What was it like to live Arts and Humanities Research Council in Anglo-Saxon Lyminge?’ here http://

If undelivered, please return to The editor wishes to draw attention to the fact that neither EDITOR: LYN PALMER S. Broomfield, 8 Woodview Crescent, she nor the Council of the KAS are answerable for opinions 55 Stone Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2QU Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent TN11 9HD which contributors may express in their signed articles; Telephone: 01892 533661 each author is alone responsible for the contents and Email: [email protected] Copy deadline for the next issue is 1st Feb 2016 substance of their work.

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