KE N TA RC H A E O LO G I C A LS O C I E T Y newnewIssue number 56ss ll ee tt tt ee Springrr 2003 HO L L I N G B O U R N E Inside 2-3 New Books Library Notes FOUNDER’S HOARD 4-5 n Sunday 12th January 2003, artefacts might remain to be recovered, Lectures, Courses, David Button, a metal detec- and in the hope that part of the hoard Conferences & Events torist from Sittingbourne, might remain in situ, an excavation of 6-7 was detecting on farmland the findspot was organised. This took Saxon Stirrup near Hollingbourne. As the place on the weekend of 1st to 2nd light was fading he recovered March, and was led by Andrew Roman Shipwrecks a length of copper alloy Richardson and Simon Mason of 8-9 blade, and then, about 12m away, a KCC Heritage Conservation. Stuart Notice Board large socketed axehead, also of copper Ca kebread, SMR officer with Heritage 10-11 a l l o y. Both were clearly of Bronze Conservation, also assisted, along ‘Ideas & Ideals’ Age date. with volunteers from KC C, Laud’s Aspiritions & The scope of the Treasure Act had Maidstone Area Archaeological Group, Puritan Convictions been extended on January 1st to the Kent Archaeological Society, 12-13 include two or more associated prehis- the Lenham Archaeological Society and YAC toric base metal finds. Realising that Giles Guthrie, curator of Maidstone New Screen for the blade and axehead were possibly Museum. David Button also took part, part of a dispersed hoard, and therefore along with fellow detectorist Te r r y St Marys, Eastwell could constitute treasure, David tele- Bo d i l y. The excavation was filmed by the 14-15 phoned Andrew Richardson, the Finds BBC as part of their forthcoming series Sandhurst Stained Liaison Officer for Kent, who is based “Hidden Treasure”, which is due to air Glass Windows with Kent County Council. It was Top: The BBC crew film as the hoard (below) in September. Letters to the Editor agreed to meet at the site the following begins to emerge. An area 4m by 4m was excavated by 16 Wednesday afternoon, along with the hand in the centre of the zone where Paul Ashbee fa r m e r, Michael Summerfield. Upon arrival ty. The regularity of the breaks, combined most of the finds had been made, but no fur- the positions of the two findspots were with the presence of the cakes, suggested ther artefacts were recovered from this located and marked, and a sweep of the area a smith’s (founder’s) hoard of scrap trench, and no features were noted. Sweeps around these was made by metal detector. metal. The finds were deposited in the across the general area by the four metal Further signals were immediately noted, British Museum the following day, and it detectorists present revealed only a few and these were plotted and then dug. This was confirmed that this hoard represent- finds, notably a silver coin of Elizabeth I in resulted in the finding of a further 11 ed the first find in the country to fall with- very good condition, but no further Bronze Bronze Age artefacts, consisting of 4 socke t- in the scope of the extended Treasure Act. Age artefacts were found until about 3pm on ed axeheads, 4 lengths of double-edged A further sweep of the area some Saturday 1st, when Gill Davies located a blade, 2 ‘cakes’ and part of one sword or days later, using a more powerful detector, so c keted axehead downhill from the scatter dagger handle. All the objects were of cop- resulted in the finding of one further found previously. Further finds were then per alloy, and all were incomplete, the axe- ingot and part of a sword handle, bringing located in a very concentrated area, and heads having either the end of the blade or the total number of artefacts recovered to more signals were noted. It seemed probable the end of the socket broken off in antiqui- 15. These were all found within the that the source of the hoard, or indeed a sec- ploughsoil, which consists of heavy grey ond hoard, had been located, and the fol- clay no more than about 30cm deep. The lowing day a trench was opened around the finds were distributed across a roughly area of these finds. In addition, the first Your AGM information cr e s c e n t-shaped area about 15m by 10m trench was extended in the hope that more (and Annual Report) is inside across, and clearly represented a hoard material might be recovered from this area. that had been dispersed by the action of In the event, no further Bronze Age artefacts - we hope to see you there! the plough. where recovered from the latter trench, but Given the possibility that further continued on page 2 Spring 2003 www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 1 continued from page 1 consisted of three socketed axeheads, all Bronze Age, circa 800 BC. It is hoped that placed vertically, blade downwards, with a further fieldwork on the site will be carried the articulated burial of a small horse, asso- complex of cakes, spearheads and a blade out in the near future, and it is expected ciated with prehistoric pot sherds and an wedged in between them. These were that the finds will eventually be acquired by iron object, was located. At the site of recorded and photographed before lifting, Maidstone Museum under the Treasure Act. Saturday’s finds, however, three cakes and and the soil from the small pit that they The credit for the discovery of this an axehead which had been disturbed by were placed in was collected and bagged for important find lies with David Button, ploughing, were found distributed around later analysis. It was not until about 8pm whose decision to call for archaeological an in situ group of metal work. The latter on the Sunday night that the in situ hoard assistance after making the initial finds BOOKS & was eventually lifted, and the exca v a t i o n allowed the recovery of the in situ material, LIBRARIES could not have continued without the and the accurate plotting of all find spots. assistance of local resident Mr Gordon This was a text-book example of the bene- BOOKS & Reeves, who kindly provided lights and a fits to be gained by all from co-operation LIBRARIES ge n e r a t o r. between metal detectorists and archaeolo- A total of 35 late Bronze Age metal gists, and shows the value of the work of BOOKS & artefacts have now been recovered from the the Portable Antiquities Scheme in foster- LIBRARIES site, comprising 12 axeheads or parts of ing such co-operation. The excavation was BOOKS & axeheads, 6 lengths of blade, 2 spearheads, also an exemplary piece of community 2 sword/dagger handles and 13 cakes. The ar c h a e o l o g y, with individuals from several LIBRARIES finds are comparable to the material recov- different groups giving up their time and BOOKS & ered from the Monkton hoard in Thanet, working together for the benefit of Ken t ’ s and fall within the Carp’s Tongue Complex heritage. LIBRARIES Stray socketed axe near the in situ hoard. in d u s t r y, which dates to the very end of the Andrew Richardson BOOKS & LIBRARIES A Journey to Medieval Canterbury of special local interest. Contains the BOOKS & has been written primarily for young complete text of 70 poems all compre- LIBRARIES NE WB O O K S readers (11 to 14 year olds). It is also hensively annotated on content and con- BOOKS & A Journey to Medieval Canterbury - sure to appeal to the interested adult text with a substantial historical and crit- Andy Harmsworth and Canterbury looking for a reliable, lively introduction ical Introduction. LIBRARIES Archaeological Trust. £4.95 (plus 50p to the subject. ’This is a MS. collection of enormous BOOKS & p&p per copy if ordering from Teachers - A Journey to Medieval interest to all scholars of the early mod- Canterbury Archaeological Trust) Canterbury will be a valuable resource ern period, historians as well as literary LIBRARIES This latest publication for your teaching programmes; in par- specialists. The poems are of an intrinsic BOOKS & from the Tr u s t ’ s ticular for those at Key Stage 2 quality that justifies publication even if Archaeology in involved in Local History studies one disregards their political and social LIBRARIES Education Service and Key Stage 3 teachers engaged significance. It is the latter, however, BOOKS & takes you on a jour- in The Medieval Realms. that provides the most compelling reason ney back in time, 52 pp B&W, 2 colour lami- for publication. St Nicholas’s poems con- LIBRARIES telling a story created nated soft back, A4. stitute a meditative journey covering one BOOKS & from a wealth of sur- Available from of the pivotal periods of English history, LIBRARIES viving buildings, arte- Canterbury Archaeological from Civil War to Restoration and facts and documentary Trust, 92a Broad Street, beyond’. BOOKS & sources. It begins with a Canterbury CT1 2LU Tel: Prof. Tom Cain, University of LIBRARIES taste of Anglo-Saxon life 01227 462062 Fax: 01227 Newcastle upon Tyne preceding the arrival of Duke 784724 email: BOOKS & William of Normandy in 1066. [email protected] LIBRARIES You then witness the impact on Copies also available from the city made by the Canterbury Museums and BOOKS & Norman Conquest and how Canterbury local bookshops.