Archaeological and Historic Landscape Survey
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Archaeological and Historic Landscape Survey SMALLHYTHE PLACE Kent NGR TQ 893 300 Commissioned by THE NATIONAL TRUST Project No. 1967 By Richard James BA, AIFA Dr. Gill Draper PhD, MA, BA (Hons), Dip. Loc. Hist. David Martin FSA, IHBC, MIFA April 2005 Archaeology South-East Smallhythe Place HLS Archaeology South-East Archaeology South-East is a division of University College London Field Archaeology Unit. The Institute of Archaeology at UCL is one of the largest groupings of academic archaeologists in the country. Consequently, Archaeology South-East has access to the conservation, computing and environmental backup of the college, as well as a range of other archaeological services. The Field Archaeology Unit and Archaeology South-East were established in 1974 and 1991 respectively. Although field projects have been conducted world-wide, the Field Archaeology Unit retains a special interest in south-east England with the majority of our contract and consultancy work concentrated in Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Greater London and Essex. Drawing on experience of the countryside and towns of the south east of England the Unit can give advice and carry out surveys at an early stage in the planning process. By working closely with developers and planning authorities it is possible to incorporate archaeological work into developments with little inconvenience. Archaeology South East, as part of the Field Archaeology Unit, is a registered organisation with the Institute of Field Archaeologists. i Archaeology South-East Smallhythe Place HLS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Archaeology South-East, a division of University College London Field Archaeology Unit, were commissioned by the National Trust to carry out a Historic Landscape Survey of Smallhythe Place, a small property centred around a 16th century timber- framed building, near Tenterden in Kent. The aim of the work was to produce a definitive and up-to-date review of the archaeological and historical development of the property, and was intended to inform future management plans and produce information for use in educational and interpretative formats. The work involved a comprehensive review of existing primary and secondary historical and archaeological sources, a landscape survey to identify and record features of archaeological significance, and a thorough standing buildings survey of four historic buildings within the property boundary (Smallhythe Place and Barn, Priest’s House and Yew Tree Cottage). The data is presented in text, gazetteer and map form. Each archaeological feature was described and photographed, and a statement of its current condition made. Five main categories of archaeological site were identified (archaeological significance rating in brackets): Medieval earthworks representing evidence of former shipyard activity (Major) Medieval/early post-medieval land boundaries, comprising lynchets and drainage ditches (Moderate) Post-medieval buildings (16th-18th centuries)(Moderate) Post-medieval garden features (early 20th century)(Minor) Post-medieval ponds (Minor) The study concluded that the following earthworks are of national importance, representing a new class of field monument - Deserted Medieval Shipyard. ii Archaeology South-East Smallhythe Place HLS CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. INTRODUCTION Introduction Aims and Objectives Methodology Topography, landuse and geology Previous archaeological work 2. STATEMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE 3. ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 4. THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SMALLHYTHE FROM THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY by Dr. Gill Draper The Sources Early settlement history in Smallhythe area, eleventh to thirteenth centuries The River Rother, the Reading Sewer and features on the ground at Smallhythe Shipbuilding at Smallhythe The economy and society of Smallhythe in its period of greatest prosperity as shipbuilding settlement, fourteenth to sixteenth centuries Smallhythe, Tenterden, Rye and the Cinque Port confederation Houses, the ferry house, and other buildings at Smallhythe Shops at Smallhythe in sixteenth century The religious and cultural history of Smallhythe, fourteenth to seventeenth centuries The lands of Smallhythe Chapel from 1308 and the landscape around Smallhythe Place Smallhythe Chapel Lands in 1546 Smallhythe’s ‘decline’, sixteenth to seventeenth centuries Smallhythe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries 5. GAZETTEER OF SITES 6. GLOSSARY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL TERMS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS REFERENCES iii Archaeology South-East Smallhythe Place HLS Illustrations Fig. 1 Site Location Fig. 2 NT Property showing sites of archaeological importance Fig. 3 Location of previous archaeological work Fig. 4 Tenterden Tithe Map, 1843 Fig. 5 Wittersham Tithe Map (provided by Terry Burke) Fig. 6 Field names and land-use, 19th century Fig. 7 Chapel lands in Tenterden Parish Fig. 8 OS 25” Sheet LXXIX.8, 1870 Fig. 9 OS 6” Sheet LXXIX, 1870 Fig. 10 OS 6” Sheet LXXIX.NE, 1899 Fig. 11 OS 25” Sheet LXXIX.8, 1908 Plates 1-35 iv Archaeology South-East Smallhythe Place HLS 1. INTRODUCTION Introduction Archaeology South-East (ASE), a division of University College London Field Archaeology Unit (UCLFAU) was commissioned by the National Trust (NT) to carry out an archaeological assessment and historic landscape survey of Smallhythe Place, near Tenterden, Kent (Fig. 1). The area of study comprises Smallhythe Place, a late 15th/early 16th century timber framed house, together with 8ha of surrounding land, including two further dwellings (Yew Tree Cottage and the Priest’s House) and a barn (Fig. 2). The field names used in this report (Elfwick Field and Forstal Field) are those ascribed in the interim report on the 1998 Time Team excavations published in Volume 123 of Archaeologia Cantiana, and appear to be of relatively recent usage. They are used here for the sake of consistency. The purpose of the survey was to present a full archaeological and historical assessment and analysis for the whole of the property, including buildings. The three main elements were to be a co-ordinated study of primary and secondary historical sources (G. Draper), field survey of the extant landscape archaeology (R. James) and an enhanced interpretative assessment of the significant standing buildings (D. Martin). The first two elements are detailed in the present report, while the standing buildings are covered by four supplementary reports (see separate interpretative volumes by David Martin). All fieldwork and research was carried out in January and February 2005. Aims and Objectives The main aims of the project were: To produce a comprehensive archaeological and historical statement on the property to inform any future management plan revisions or conservation plan proposals. More specifically, this would inform proposals for the treatment and management of the ponds on the property, and the location of a new septic tank. To produce up-to-date archaeological and historical information that can be drawn on for educational and interpretative use. In particular, this would enable the preparation of a new interpretative package for the property, including a guidebook. Methodology The methodology used in the project was detailed in a Brief prepared by Caroline Thackray (NT Territory Archaeologist) (Thackray 2004). A Project Design was compiled by Ian Greig of Archaeology South-East and, after due modifications to take account of budget revisions, agreed with Caroline Thackray, National Trust Territory 1 Archaeology South-East Smallhythe Place HLS Archaeologist (Greig 2004) prior to the commencement of this project. The work was to conform to a ‘Level 3 survey’, as laid out in Historic Landscape Survey Guidelines (The National Trust, 2000), and to the recommendations set out in Standards and Guidance for Archaeological Desk-Based Assessments (Institute of Field Archaeologists, 1999). The project comprised four main elements: Analysis of existing primary and secondary documentation to determine historical development of the site (Dr. Gill Draper, independent historian); Walkover survey of the property to identify and record landscape features of archaeological importance. This involved identifying and recording sites on proforma record sheets supplied by the National Trust, plotting the location of all sites with a GPS plotter and recording all sites by digital photography (Richard James, ASE); Analysis of existing archaeological data, including examination of Air Photographs (APs) held by NMRC, Swindon, consultation with Kent County Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) and National Trust SMR, examination of historic maps held at Centre for Kentish Studies and review of archaeological literature (Richard James, ASE); Archaeological survey of standing buildings (Smallhythe Place, Theatre Barn, Priest’s House and Yew Tree Cottage) (David Martin, ASE). The results of the survey and associated data searches were to be presented in text, gazetteer and map format in the final report. A full description of the methodology used in the historical section of the report is included in Section 4. Topography, landuse and geology Smallhythe Place (Fig. 1) lies to the north-west of Romney Marsh, within the former valley of the River Rother, which now flows to the south of the Isle of Oxney. The river originally flowed to the north of Oxney until re-routed in 1635. The river valley floor is now occupied by reclaimed levels, drained by the Reading Sewer and its tributaries, and largely utilised for arable cultivation. Smallhythe Place sits at the point