Annual Report and Accounts 2013

KENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR 2013

The Council of the Society presents its report and statement of accounts

for the year ending 31 December 2013.

administrative details of the charity, its trustees

and advisers

The Society is a charity registered with the Charity Commission under number 223382. The principal address of the Society is The Museum, St Faith’s Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1LH. However, correspondence should be addressed to the relevant officer.

The members of the governing body of the Society (usually called ‘Council’ and whose members are charity trustees) during the period covered by this report were:

I.A. Coulson	President	H. Basford****
P.W. Stutchbury	Hon. General Secretary	M. Berg
B.F. Beeching	Hon. Treasurer	P. Burton****
S. Broomfield	Hon. Membership Sec. & Vice-President	M. Clinch
F.H. Panton	Hon. Librarian & Vice-PresidentU	E.C. Edwards
T.G. Lawson	Hon. Editor	K.J. Fryer
A. Richardson	Hon. Curator	J.M. Gibson*
E.P. Connell	Vice-President	D.J. Goacher*
P.E. Oldham	Vice-President*	G. Cramp****
R.F. LeGear	Vice-President**	P.A. Harlow
P. Richards	Hon. Librarian	P. Jardine-Rose****
		K.H. Kersey***
		P.M. Reid
		P. Richards****
		J. Saynor
		S.M. Sweetinburgh
		C.P. Ward
		S.H. Willis

* Retired at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 18 May 2013.

** Elected Vice-President at the AGM.

*** Re-elected at the AGM .

**** Elected at the AGM .

U Deceased 8 April 2013

The officers (other than the Vice-Presidents) hold office for one year, the Vice-Presidents hold office for seven years and the other members for four years.

The Society’s main agents and advisers are:

Bankers: National Westminster Bank plc, 3 High Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1XUU

Auditors: MHA MacIntyre Hudson, 31 St George’s Place, Canterbury, CT1 1XD

Stockbrokers: UBS AG (London Branch), 1 Curzon Street, London, W1J 5UB

Stockbrokers’ nominee company holding the Society’s investments: Productive

Nominees Ltd, 1 Curzon Street, London, W1J 5UB

Structure, governance and management

The Society is an unincorporated association governed by its rules copies of which can be obtained from the Hon. General Secretary. It is also registered as a charity with HM Revenue & Customs which has made a direction under section 201 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988. This permits certain members (generally those whose employment is related to the Society’s activities) to obtain income tax relief on their subscriptions to the Society; further details can be obtained from the Hon. General Secretary.

The governing body of the Society is the Council whose members are its charity trustees and are elected by the members of the Society at its annual general meeting in May each year. A list of them is set out above.

The Society’s activities are undertaken throughout the ancient county of Kent. It has no staff and its officers are only paid out-of-pocket expenses. It co-operates with its affiliated societies and the organisations to which it is affiliated, or of which it is a member. In particular, it co-operates with the Canterbury Archaeological Trust in the promotion of education. Its activities are carried out by the Council, committees and officers.

Members of the Council are nominated by the members of the Society and elected at its annual general meeting. The Council does not consider it proper for it to be involved in this process beyond advising members of their right of nomination.

Objectives and activities

The Society is established to promote the study and publication of archaeology and history in all their branches, especially within the ancient county of Kent. The Society’s area of benefit is mainly (but not exclusively) the ancient county of Kent which is considered to be the administrative County of Kent, Medway Council and the London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and part of Lewisham.

Achievements and performance

Annual General Meeting: the Society’s annual general meeting was held at Maidstone on Saturday 18 May 2013 when the Council’s annual report and accounts for 2012 were accepted and Larkings (S.E.) LLP were appointed as auditors. The officers and members of the Council were elected; details are set out above under Administrative Details. After the formal meeting there were presentations by Dr Melanie Caiazza on interpreting the Sir James Hales monument (a project which received support from the Allen Grove fund) and Keith Parfitt, who reviewed excavations at Folkestone villa.

Fieldwork: a variety of fieldwork projects, activities and reports have been under-taken, continued, and supported, by the Committee and Society throughout the year. These have included a landscape survey at Bishopsbourne and significant Anglo-Saxon excavations at Lyminge. As the Romney Marsh Research Trust has been wound up, it is planned to set up sub-committee with a remit of Kent marshland areas. A second highly successful field study day was held at Brook in association with the Canterbury Archaeological Trust and the Wye Rural Museum Trust, and offered a variety of training workshops. A project to collect data concerning the location of old excavation archives and finds collections continues. The Committee is to produce a paper on ‘Finds - Disposal and Storage’. Methods of organising community projects and fieldwork are being researched.

Publications: 2013 saw the publication of Archaeologia Cantiana volume 133 and a variety of items on the website. Work progresses on the cumulative index of volumes 121-130. The committee helped promote two conferences. Research and its publication by commercial publishers is encouraged. A volume of essays on migration is in preparation. Seven theses were submitted for the biennial Hasted Prize. Two previous winners, Alison Klevnäs and Toby Huitson, have accepted publication (BAR and Oxbow, respectively). A proposal for an annual prize of £250 for a Master’s thesis is under development. A grant of £1,000 from the Kent History Fund was made towards publication of Archaeology and land-use in the south-east of England to 1066 (Oxbow).Work continues on revising the Historical Atlas of Kent (2004). A cumulative annual sum of £2,000 to support academic research was accepted by Council. With sadness we record the loss of two distinguished committee members: Dr Frank Panton and Dr Joan Thirsk.

Churches: the established series of church visits continued to attract considerable support despite rising travel costs. There was no Study Day in 2013 but a members’ survey was undertaken to establish criteria for visits and participation. The Churches Committee webpage continues to expand and can be accessed from the main KAS website.

Historic Buildings: the Committee held a successful Annual Conference in October; the theme was Kentish Fortifications. Although the number in attendance was reduced, the event was very much enjoyed. The committee is reviewing the arrangements for the conference. Survey work in Wateringbury has continued, and completion depends on available dates suitable for all parties concerned. Taylour House in Edenbridge was also inspected and proved an interesting subject for further survey.

Historic Defences Committee: Council agreed to form a new committee. Its aims are to promote and, where possible, undertake the discovery, recording and study of the historic defences of Kent and associated sites as well as their social context, to promote conservation in appropriate cases, and to cooperate with organisations having compatible aims.

Industrial Archaeology: the Committee organised a highly successful conference at Dartford Grammar School attended by over 200 members of the public, highlighting some Kentish industries. We are hoping to compile a data base of other industrial preservation and history groups and plan to hold a study day devoted to Kent paper manufacture. The Committee has a wide remit and welcomes new members.

Library and collections: the Library has continued to enlarge its holdings and its unique collection of books, pamphlets, journals, ephemera and visual records of Kentish archaeology and history, though donation, purchase and a mutual exchange scheme with other local, national and international Historical and Archaeological Societies. An increasing number of enquiries have been received via the website. Groups of volunteers meet in the Library on Wednesday and Thursday mornings to investigate, catalogue and digitally record the Society’s images. Courses, classes, talks and lectures on a variety of subjects have been held, some generously given by members of the Society. There was a successful Open Day and an exhibition during the Festival of Archaeology. The Library continues to provide the Society’s venue for committees and for meetings or courses available to members and for the general public.

Hon. Curator: conservation of artefacts from the Society’s collections has cont-inued at CSI: Sittingbourne, under the supervision of Dana Goodburn-Brown. This work has addressed immediate concerns about the condition of the artefacts in the collections, and revealed new information, before work starts on a revision of the Society’s collections catalogue by the Collections Working Group, under the direction of the Hon. Curator and Hon. Librarian. The Society’s Bronze Age gold ornaments have now returned after inclusion in the ‘Beyond the Horizon’ exhibition which accompanied the ‘BOAT 1550 BC’ project and attracted 24,000 visitors. Further plans are under development to exhibit a selection of Anglo-Saxon items as part of the continuing effort to raise the profile of, and access to, the Society’s collections.

Websites: the Society’s two websites continue to provide valuable resources for researchers and all interested in the history and archaeology of Kent:

www.kentarchaeology.ac: further reports and extracts from books were added to the website. Denis Anstey, who initiated the website in 2004 and built up its content has retired; the Society gratefully acknowledges his work. The website content will be relocated to a new hosting service.

www.kentarchaeology.org.uk : the new content managed front end of the website has provided a useful platform for publishing an increased number of Press Releases and notifications of events during the year. Further developments are under discussion. The Research Section continues to grow and material has been added throughout the year.

Education: The Committee has supported a wide variety of activities and projects, particularly through the Canterbury Archaeological Trust (CAT). The Society is well represented through CAT, encouraging development of resources, workshops and a new collection of Archaeological Resource Kits. The Committee has also supported resources for the refreshed Beaney Art Museum and Library (in partnership with CAT and the Canterbury Museums service), activities and workshops for Kent and European school groups, participation in Bigbury Revealed (a partnership event with the Kent Wildlife Trust) and, in association with CAT and Canterbury Christ Church University, staged special events at Canterbury Roman Museum. CAT has provided workshops for international visitors and continued to work with ‘Boat 1550 BC’ partners in France and Belgium to produce further resources for schools in Kent, Pas de Calais and Flanders. CAT continued to support educational elements of the Lyminge Excavation Project. The Schools History Project supported Kent secondary school History teachers and included a lecture at the Institut Catholique d’Etudes Supérieures in France. Other activities included those undertaken by The Trust for Thanet Archaeology; delivering a number of workshops at Bradstow School, developing a handling collection particularly suitable for the visually impaired, and a Virtual Museum of Thanet’s archaeology. The North Downs and Canterbury branches of the national Young Archaeologist Club receive support from the Society.

Place names: instances and records of Kent place-name spellings in documents, including a 1327 subsidy roll, previously noted by English Place-Name Society researchers, are proving an excellent resource for further development of the Survey of the Place-Names of Kent. Work continues to enter the transcripts onto a database, in order for Dr Paul Cullen, Academic Advisor to the committee, to analyse the development of language under the influence of pronunciation, and achieve an accurate etymology. The committee has continued to support this work, monitoring and advising on opportunities for collecting data and offering talks to the public.

Membership: total membership at 31 December 2013 stood at 1,166 (excluding institutional subscribers and corresponding societies); a small decrease on the pre-vious year, reflecting the loss of 109 members and the addition of 43 new members.

Communications: new membership software is now being used. The websites are being reviewed and updated. The distribution of the newsletter to all members of the Society is now being undertaken by the membership secretary and the purchase of a franking machine has already achieved great savings in postage costs. The newsletter was published three times in print and once electronically; the content and frequency of the newsletter is under review.

Other activities for members

Courses in History: several courses in history have been offered by Dr Jacqueline Bower on behalf of the Society in the Library: Anglo Saxon England until 1066; England 1066-1381; European History until 1400; The History of the Thames and The History of America. All courses have been well attended by both members and the general public.

Press Releases: a close relationship between Committees and our Hon. Press Officer has continued in 2013 with a resulting high level of media coverage achieved. This has promoted the Society giving details of exhibits, projects, research and achievements to communities beyond KAS membership. Material now freely available on our websites, also gained considerable media coverage.

Relations with other bodies: the Society appoints members or representatives to a number of other organisations. Regular reports have been received from the Council for British Archaeology: South East and the Council for British Archaeology: London. The Society has regularly been represented at meetings of the Kent History Federation.

Future Plans

Challenges and Opportunities for 2014: the immediate future continues to provide challenges and opportunities to improve communications with members whilst improving administrative efficiency. All committees are encouraged to recruit new members whilst ensuring the continuity of expertise provided by long-standing members. Succession planning for Officers of the Society is now under development.

Business Planning: the Society continues to explore the potential of new media to modernise its image; increase public benefit and membership; to generate income and contain the costs of publishing the Newsletter and Archaeologia Cantiana. By reducing overall costs it is hoped to continue a full programme of activities without the need to increase the annual subscription.

financial review

The accompanying financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2013 show the current state of the Society’s finances, which its Council considers to be sound. They comply with the Council’s understanding of the current statutory requirements and the requirements of the Society’s rules.

Investments: the trustees seek, in the management of their investments, a bal-ance between income and capital growth. The Finance Committee oversees the management of the Society’s investments. The portfolio, managed by UBS AG (London Branch), increased by 15.1% and now stands at £1,436,761. They currently yield 3.0%. The C.O.I.F. investments, which currently yield 4.7% increased in value from £79,299 to £88,733.

Investment powers: the Society’s investment powers are those given by the gen-eral law; its rules do not give it any special investment powers. The Council has delegated some of its investment powers to UBS AG (London Branch) in accordance with a scheme made by the Charity Commissioners on 18 April 1994.

Allen Grove Local History Fund: the Society administers the Allen Grove Local History Fund given in the will of the late Allen Grove. Its objects are to promote research, preservation and enjoyment of local history. These objects are consistent with those of the Society. It is a restricted fund and is invested separately from the Society’s other investments. In accordance with the terms of the legacy, decisions on how the fund is to be spent are taken by the Society’s officers. During the year, nine grants were made with a total value of £2,520.

Policy on reserves: the Council budgets each year to spend a sum considerably in excess of current income, striving to maintain reserves appropriate to allow this to continue.

Risk Management: the Council considered risk management in accordance with the recommendations of the Charity Commission. It was satisfied that it had appropriate precautions and procedures in place to manage risks and will keep them under review.

Public benefit: the Council has paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guid-ance on public benefit in deciding what activities the Society should undertake. Council considers that some benefits can be more effectively and efficiently delivered through a membership structure which also provides personnel to carry out its work. The main activities undertaken by the Society in order to carry out its objects for the public benefit comprise:

Publication of its annual journal Archaeologia Cantiana, the Newsletter, and other occasional publications.

Publication of papers and information on historical and archaeological research on its websites.

Making information available in its library and by conferences, study days and lectures to members and non-members.

Granting aid to others to undertake research or publish research results, pro-vide educational programmes, and promote interest in local history and archaeology.

The Society relies on its officers and other members giving their time freely to organise its activities. Without those contributions a substantial sum would be spent on salaries.

Auditors

On the 1 July 2013, our auditors Larkings (S.E.) LLP merged with MHA MacIntyre Hudson (Kent) LLP, trading under the name MHA MacIntyre Hudson. MHA MacIntyre Hudson has expressed their willingness to continue in office.

Trustees’ responsibilities statement – unincorporated charity

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Pract-ice).

The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. ln preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently

observe the methods and principles in the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice

make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent

state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements

prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inapp-ropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

P.W. Stutchbury

Hon. General Secretary, on behalf of the Council 22 February 2014

COMMITTEES OF THE SOCIETY

Churches Committee

Mrs M. Berg (Chairman), Dr P. Lee (Secretary), B.F. Beeching, D.E. Carder, Major I. Corrigan, Mrs J. Davidson, K.J. Fryer, Mrs D.J. Goacher, R. J. Hedley Jones, Dr T. Huitson, Mrs C. King, Mrs J.M. Saynor, Dr S.M. Sweetinburgh, Hon. General Secretary

Communications Committee

Hon. Membership Secretary (Chairman), Dr D.J. Cole (Secretary), C. Broomfield, E.P. Connell,

C. Drew, Mrs K.H. Kersey, Mrs M. Lawrence, Mrs E.A. Palmer (Vice Secretary), Mrs J. Sage,

Hon. Librarian, Hon. General Secretary, E.P. Tritton (Press Officer)

Education Committee

E.P. Connell (Chairman), Miss M. Green (Secretary), Dr P.B. Bennett, M. Crowther, A. Guinness, A. Harmsworth, Mrs C. Hodge, G. Moody, Mrs E.A. Palmer, C.P. Ward, Hon. General Secretary

Fieldwork Committee

K. Parfitt (Chairman), Mrs S.B. Broomfield (Secretary), N.R. Aldridge, C. Blair-Myers,

Miss E. Boast, D.J. Britchfield, G. Burr, V. Burrows, E.P. Connell, Dr G. Cramp, A.J. Daniels,

Miss E. Dyson, Dr M.R. Eddy, R. Emmett, Ms J. Jackson, R.F. LeGear, A. Mayfield, Dr P.M. Reid, C.P. Ward, I.M.T. Wigston, D. Williams, Dr S.H. Willis, Hon. Curator, Hon. General Secretary

Finance Committee

Hon. Treasurer (Chairman), Mrs S.B. Broomfield, Dr C.W. Chalklin, A.B. Webster,

Hon. General Secretary

Historic Buildings Committee

J.H.C. Proudfoot (Chairman), M.L.M. Clinch (Secretary), E.F. Bates, D. Brooks, D.E. Carder, Dr C.W. Chalklin, Mrs M.E. Connor, Ms A.D. Davies, Dr P.H.G. Draper, Ms B. Gillow, Mrs D.J. Goacher, P. Lambert, Mrs J.M. Saynor, Hon. General Secretary

Historic Defences Committee

V.T.C. Smith (Chairman), Ms A. Adams, A. Anstee, M.L.M. Clinch, Dr P. Cuming, R. Emmett,

A. Fyson, J. Iveson, Mrs S. Soder, Hon. General Secretary

Industrial Archaeology Committee

J. Preston (Chairman), M.L.M. Clinch (Secretary), Dr P.H.G. Draper, R. Howells,

Mrs P. Jardine-Rose, R.F. LeGear, Hon. General Secretary

Library and Muniments Committee

Hon. Librarian (Chairman), Mrs H. Orme (Secretary), E.P. Connell, J. Dickson, M.A. Perring,

R.N. Rolinson, Mrs J. Sage, P. Titley, J. Walters, C.P. Ward, Dr D. Webb, A.G. Webster,

Hon. Curator, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. General Secretary

Place Names Committee

Dr M. Bateson (Chairman), Ms V. Barrand-Davies (Secretary), Mrs Z. Bamping, Mrs M. Burchell, E.P. Connell, Dr G. Cramp, Dr P. Cullen, P.A. Harlow, Mrs M. Lawrence, Miss E. Melling,

Ms I. Shrub, Mrs A.L. Thompson, C.P. Ward, Hon. General Secretary

Publications Committee

Prof. D. Killingray (Chairman), P. Tann (Secretary), Mrs M. Bennell, Dr C.W. Chalklin, P.R. Clark, E.P. Connell, Dr P.H.G. Draper, Dr M.R. Eddy, Dr E.C. Edwards, Ms E.A. Finn, Mrs D. Saunders, Hon. Editor, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. General Secretary

Kent Archaeological Society

Statement of Financial Activities

for the year ending 31 December 2013

Kent Archaeological Society

Balance Sheet

at 31 December 2013