Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1974 Council presents its One Hundred and Sixteenth Report and Statement of Accounts for 1973. OBITUARY Council records with great regret the deaths of Sir John Dunlop, K.B.E., C.M.G., M.C., T.D., President of the Society, 1967-8, of Mr. J. H. Evans, F.S.A., F.R.G.S., Vice-President and Hon. Editor of Archooologia Cantiana from 1950 to 1969, and of Mr. P. C. M. Dickinson, F.S.A., and Mr. A. R. Martin, F.S.A., our members since 1921. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting was held at Christchurch College, Canterbury, on Saturday, 18th May, 1974, when the Council's Annual Report and Accounts for 1973 were received and adopted. Mr. K. A. Pollock, F.C.A., was re-elected Honorary Auditor of the Society. In the afternoon Mr. D. l\foLees, of the Ancient Monuments branch of t,he Department of the Environment gave a most interesting talk on the nave of Canterbury Cathedral. CoUNCIL At the Annual General Meeting the following were elected to Council: Lt.-Col. R. F. H. Drake-Brockman, Mr. N. H. MacMichael, F.S.A., Mr. A. l\files, Mr. J. H. Money, M.A., F.S.A., Mr. C. P. Ward and Mr. D. E. Wickham, M.A. LOCAL ORGANIZATION Mr. M. J. Fuller has taken over the vacant Local Secretaryship of Malling. A meeting of Local Secretaries was held on 27th April in Canterbury when there was a useful exchange of views. BRANCH REl'ORTS Maidstone Branch. Reported by Mr. P. E. Oldham, B.A. The 1974 programme consisted of three lectures and one excursion. The lectures were '1'he Iron Age in Kent' by Mr. D. B. Kelly, B.A., A.M.A., 'Vernacular Buildings of Kent' by Mr. J. A. Newman, M.A., F.S.A., and 'Local Tokens of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century' by Mr. V. J. Newbury. A perambulation of Maidstone was organized by Mr. L. R. A. Grove, B.A., F.S.A., F.M.A. The membership of the Society in the Maidstone area continues to increase and the activities of the Branch are seen to be an effective means of membership promotion. Sevenoaks Branch. Reported by Mr. P. E. Leach. Lectures. A series of lectures has been given during the year on archaeological subjects relating particularly to Kent; these have been well attended. Sevenoaks Parish Church. The older part of the gra.veyard may well soon be cleared of the gravestones. The Archaeological Group of Sevenoaks School have accordingly undertaken a survey of these which will be continued next summer. l REPORT, 1974 Otjord Palace Site. Work has continued and a survey was prepared of one of the underground water courses; at the same time, the Otford Group cleaned out Becket's Well and hope to assist the owner, Mr. MacDowell, in undertaking restoration work including possible roofing-in of the water chamber itself. The Otford Group also nndertook an emergency exploratory dig on part of the site being developed for housing and were assisted by the Fawkham and Ash Group when it became clear that the site was important. A full report appears elsewhere in this volume. Wickham Field. The Otford Group resumed excavation for a short time but little was discovered other than some first- and second-century finds. Tunbridge Wells B1·anch Report for 1974. Reported by Mrs. M. E. Davies, B.A. Vi8its: Broadwater Collection of Domestic and other Bygones; Greenwich; Arlington, Alfriston and Wilmington; Woods Mill, Hen.field, and Shoreham-by-Sea. Meetings: Domestic Bygones (Mr. B. Jewell); Old Tnnbridge Wells (Mr. H. Page); Contents of a Victorian Workbox (Mrs. C. and Miss J. White); David Salomons' House as a possible museum for musical instruments (Mr. F. W. Holland). N.B. Many of the above events were arrangedjointl,y with other organizations. Miscellaneous: Visits were made, at the request of the owners, to a number of houses of historical and/or architectural interest in the area, usually when new features had been revealed or were threatended, viz. Bentham Fann (smoke bay and pargetting); Smockham Fann (seventeenth century fireplace and earlier wood-framed and mullioned window formerly in an outer wall); Wagons, Bidborough (well, etc.); Broad.field, Bidborough, with Mr. K. W. E. Gravett, F .S.A. Talks were given by the Branch Secretary on archaeological and histor• ical aspects of Kent to Rotary Club, Youth Club, Townswoman's Guilds, Southborough Society and students at the Ridgewaye School. Articles written for local press included reports on K.A.S. events, local history, and a series on the Salomons family and Broomhill. MEJl,IBERSHIP The Society's membership continued to increase in 1974 and now stands at just under 1400. In view of ever-rising costs it is essential that this increase should continue and all members are asked to do their utmost to recruit new members in 197 5. FINANCE The Accounts for 1973, adopted at the Annual General Meeting, are published with this Report. It would assist in the smooth running of the Society if members would pay their subscriptions by Bankers' Order and, if possible, enter into SevenYear Covenants to enable the Society to 1·ecover Income Tax on their subscription at no cost to themselves. Forms for this purpose can be obtained from the Hon. General Secretary, the Hon. Membership Secretary, or the Hon. Treasurer. ARcJilEOLOGIA C.ANTIA.NA Publication of volume lxxxviii was delayed owing to circumstances outside the Society's control until September. The volume maintains its li REPORT, 1974 unbroken high standard, under the editorship of Mr. A. P. Detsicas, M.A., F.S.A., a.nd, as usual, covers a widefield of Archaeology a.nd History. ExcA V ATIONS COMMITTEE The following grants were made to assist exca.va.tions in the County during 1974: Eccles Roman V ilia ..................................... . Eccles Training School ................................... . HortonKirbyTra.ining School .......... ................. . Leeds Priory ........................................... . £50 £50 £50 £100 £250 A report on the second season of the Society's work at Leeds Priory appears elsewhere in this volume, together with notes on other excavations to which K.A.S. support ha.s been given. Applications for grants to assist excavations to be undertaken in 1976 should be ma.de to the Hon. Genera.I Secretary before the end of October 1975. Forms for the purpose a.re available. It is requested that details should be given as to how the money is to be spent and also what other financial support is anticipated. A Field Archaeology Meeting was held under the auspices of the K.A.S. on 23rd November, 1974, at the Maidstone District Library. Mr. A. C.H ogarth, M.A., spoke on 'The Identification of Surface Finds'; Mr. A. P. Detsicas, M.A. , F .S.A., on 'The Publication of Archaeological Material'; a.nd Mr. G. Hewlett, on 'Methods of Hedge Dating'. An interesting exhibition of archaeological material waa displayed in the lecture room and was examined by the audience during the interval. The Society is grateful to the speakers, and also to Mr E. P. Connell and his helpers, who undertook the arrangements of the meeting. The Committee would be grateful for suggestions as to the form and content of similar meetings in the future. EXCURSIONS FOR 1974 Four excursions were held as follows: Saturday, 4th May Aspdin's Kiln at Blue Circle Cement Works, Northfleet. Mr. G. S. Evett. Nurstead Court. Major R. Edmeades. New Tavern Fort, Gravesend. Mr. V. T. C. Smith. Cobham Church and College. The Rev. M. Hodge and The Warden. The Medieval Defences of Rochester. Mr. A. C. Harrison, B.A., F.S.A. Saturday, 15thJune N ewington Manor. Mr. J. M. Clark. Newington Church. Mr. R.H. Hiscock, LL.B., F.S.A. Sheerness Dockyard a.nd Fort. Cdr. S. Dixon, R.N. Harty Church. The Rev. P. E. Blagdon-Gamlen. Saturda,y, 13th J'Ul!y Ingatestone Hall. Staff of Essex Records Office. Bradwell Church & the Cha.pal of St. Peter'e-on-the-Wall, The Rev. Canon S. J. Burling. Bradwell!Lodge. Mr. J. Mann. Iii REPORT, 1974 Saturday, 7th September Stonepitts. Mrs. Dudley Comonte and l\i!r. K. W. E. Gravett, M.Sc., F.S.A. Seal Church. Canon J. Barnard. Combe Bank. The Headmistress. Squerryes Home Farm Dovecot. Mr. Steven. Oldbury Iron Age Fort. Mr. D. B. Kelly, B.A., A.M.A. The Society would like to record its grateful thanks to the ladies and gentlemen mentioned who gave either their kind permission or considerable help to make the excursions successful. 0RURCB:ES COMMITTEE As a first step in the restoration of the Roper and Hugessen memorials in Lynsted Church, the tomb of Christopher, Lord Teynham, has been repaired and cleaned and the painting touched up. Authorization has been given for work to commence on other monuments, and it is hoped also that the fine series of hatchments may be included in the scheme. The total cost is estimated at a.bout £2500, of which about £900 is still to be found. The Committee were successful in opposing plans for the demolition of Murston Old Churoh, and agreement has been reached in principle for ownership of the church to be transferred to a charitable trust, for repair and maintenance. So far, legal complications have prevented this plan being put into practice, but the Committee are hopeful that their efforts to ensure the preservation of this attractive little building will eventually be successful. Other projects discussed have included the possible protection and restoration of the Whitfield monument in the tower of St. Mary Magdalene Church, Canterbury. A watchful eye is being kept on the future of other redundant church buildings, notably Allington and Holy Cross, Canterbury. REoo:an PUl3LIOAT!ONs COMMITTEE It is hoped that the MSS. of Kent Feet of Fines, Edward 1-11, edited by Mr. N. H. MacMicha.el, F.S.A., and Lost Glass from Kent Churches, edited by Mr. C. R. Councer, F.S.A., will be ready for the publishers in 1975, while the MS. of the Medway N