Reports

( 204 ) REPORTS. REPORT OF SOCIETY'S CURATOR, MAIDSTONE, 1939. BBONZE AGE. I am indebted to Mr. A. L. Congreve of Cranbrook for the fohowing information: During levelling operations in the grounds of Benenden Sanatorium in February, a bronze palstave was discovered by one of the workmen. It was submitted to the British Museum authorities, who assigned it to the Middle .Bronze Age period, c. 1000 B.C. EAELY IBON AGE. Mr. D. C. Keef has deposited in the Maidstone Museum the finds from a site at Hartley, near Longfield. In 1931 when a cesspit was being dug at the Old Downs, Hartley (Kent 6-hieh sheet XVIII, N.W., 0° 18' B., 51° 23' 15" N.), a section was made of a pit about 8 feet deep in the chalk. At the bottom was an old hearth with some calcined chalk, a roedeer antler, and a piece of sharpened bone as well as two very small pieces of pottery. Though the evidence is fragmentary, an Early Iron Age date seems probable. ROMANO-BBITISH. In December 1938, some foundations were uncovered during the cutting away of a bank in a field at Combe Street, East Farleigh (Kent 6-inch sheet, XLII, S.W., 51° 15' 12" N., 0° 28' 40" E.). No considerable excavations were possible, but it could be seen that a part, perhaps the major portion, of the site had been destroyed at some previous date. Numerous tile fragments were found, but no pottery. It seems certain that this site is the same as that referred to in Smith's Topography of Maidstone and its Environs, 1839, p. 57, where a plan is also given. The foundations of a villa were discovered in the years 1830 and 1838 and were doubtless removed after a cursory examination, so that the exact locality of these finds had been lost. REPORTS. 205 Without doubt the new discovery ahows us to fix the site of these earher finds. ANGLO-SAXON. Mr. John Evans of Rochester reports that he inspected the finds from a grave found at the south end of Messrs. Short Brothers' aeroplane works early in the year. They consisted of a lower jaw probably of an elderly man, an iron shield umbo, two spearheads, and a long, weh-preserved sword. The objects were of Anglo-Saxon (Jutish) type. Taken in conjunction with the previous discoveries of Anglo-Saxon inhumation burials in this district,1 there seems but httle doubt that an extensive cemetery existed here. C. E. FISHEB. RESEARCH ABOUT DEAL IN 1939. PBE-BELGIO, BELGIO AND ROMAN. The excavation of a cesspit for a new house on the slope above the road leading to Great Mongeham Church, about 90 feet O.D., E. by S.E. of it and S. of Swiss Cottage (6-inch Ordnance Survey Map, Sheet 58 N.E.) cut into an area of hearths at a depth of 4 ft. to 4 ft. 6 in. from the surface. The pit was in loam, as chalk had not been reached at this depth. The occupation material was scattered through dark soil up to 2 ft. from the surface, and lay roughly on a N.W. and S.E. line. The general downward slope of the surface is towards the S.E. The material turned out, with bones of ox and teeth of horse, included various fragments of bases of hand-made and roughly-turned coarse ware cooking pots, a sherd of a bead rim and one other rim with a small bead recessed inwards, a fragment of the reeded flange of a bowl (Verulamium Report, Society of Antiquaries, No. 69, p. 196), a sherd of the side of a pot with fine combing; and other sherds—seventeen in ah. All these are worn pre-Belgic and Belgic types of the first century B.o. to first century A.D. 1 G. Payne, Collect. Oant., pp. 121-2 ; Arch. Oant., XXI, p. Iv.; XXII, p. liv; XXXV, p. liv. 206 REPORTS. With these there is most of the lower third of a thin wellturned pot of grey fabric with a flat base with a groove (base 2 | in. diameter), a part of the base of a Samian platter, Form 18, with traces of the potter's mark, and a scrap of its rim. The material from the worn state of the earher ware seems to indicate that a Native and Belgic site had been cut into and occupied in the late first century. POST-ROMAN. The excavation of an ah raid shelter in loam early in September, in the garden of No. 7 Redsull Avenue, Mill Hill, Deal, exposed a burial at a depth of 5 ft. from the surface. The grave itself was just in the chalk, as seems to be usual for burials in this district. The depth of loam shows a considerable accumulation on the gentle slope since the date of the burial. The occupant of this grave had the worn molars of manhood, but as the thhd molar (wisdom tooth) was not erupted, was probably under 25. The site of the grave, its orientation—S.W. and N.E.—and the burial presupposes that of a Jute, but as no associated objects were found nothing more definite can be said. A second inhumation burial of a young individual with a very thin skull and shghtly worn teeth was partly exposed on September 18th while cutting a trench for electric hght cables. The grave with a general W. and E. orientation was 19 in. below the footpath on the western side of London Road, Upper Deal, opposite the bridle path to North Deal. The grave had been cut in the chalk but close to the edge of a loam-filled hollow. The condition of the bones, the site, and the depth indicated a burial of much the same date as the above. MEDIEVAL AND MODEBN. Work on the medieval horizon lying on the shingle ridge at Stonar has been continued at intervals during the year. It is hoped to be able to submit a detailed report on the site, with a historical survey of what is known of the place, in Volume LII. Large quantities of pottery continue to be REPORTS. 207 obtained along the long exposed face which is being cut back as dredging proceeds. In this way various hearth sites have been exposed with blocks of chalk which seem to have been set in position. Nothing, however, has been seen of the nature of foundations. The more important finds include a chequer-ornamented laton badge—probably from the peytral of a horse—a second pottery spindle whorl, keys and knives, and hones. The pottery includes many important fragments of polychrome and fine pale green glazed ware, glazed and decorated jugs, ornamented glazed and plain jug handles, and the fragment of a green glazed aquamanile or ewer. The layer has also yielded up pieces of Roman brick and tile, a piece of white marble shafting, turned stone bowls and Neidermendig lava querns. These confirm the earher statements that there was a Roman occupation of Stonar. The excavation of a shelter trench in stiff brown silt at the back of the Fire Station and behind the Town Hall in the High Street, and N.E. of St. George's Church, Deal, exposed two skeletons. No associated articles were found in the graves. From various other chance burials that have been found on the west side of High Street (Arch. Cant., XLIX, p. 288) the probability is that within the last 300 years two bodies had been washed up on the shore, and been buried on the nearest open ground, on which surface soil was rapidly accumulating. GENEBAL. The small local collection of prehistoric, Roman and later antiquities in the Town Hah at Deal has been enriched by Captain C. F. Newington's gift of his collection of finds from the district. This valuable addition includes examples of the Neohthic, Bronze and Early Iron Ages, Belgic, Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods. In addition he has handed over to the Borough an almost complete set of seventeenth century tradesmen's tokens. The whole gift makes the coUection of great importance for the study of the past cultural history of the area. W.P.D.S. 208 REPORTS. REPORT OF THE CANTERBURY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 1938 AND 1939. THIS report of the Canterbury Archseological Society covers two years' activities. Numbers have kept up well, to about two hundred, and the summer fortnightly excursions and winter lectures have been much appreciated. All-day outings to Cranbrook, under Mr. Druce's guidance (1938), and to Rye and Winchelsea (guided by Mr. Ray, 1939) were memorable. Both were preceded by introductory lantern lectures. A great number of old East Kent houses have been visited and much hospitality received. The winter programme of 1938 included lectures by Miss Margot Eates on " Maiden Castle ", Mr. Francis Wormald of the British Museum on " Medieeval Service Books ", and a delightful symposium of " Personal Recollections of Old Canterbury " by members of the Society. The oldest member, an octogenarian, gave a lively description of the city personalities of her youth, while Mr. Arthur Wood's witty reminiscences wih not be forgotten. His recent death is a great loss to the Society, for his knowledge of the byeways of Canterbury history was unique. Other severe losses have been suffered by the death of Surgeon-Captain K. H. Jones and Sir Reginald Tower, and more recently of Dr. Charles Cotton ; ah three the Society's untiring supporters since its foundation twenty years ago. Mr. Daniel also, a sufferer from severe physical disabilities, who yet managed to accompany the summer excursions, will long be remembered for the gifts of examples of his fine craftsmanship he made to various of the churches he visited. To Hothfield Church he presented a carved font cover. Mr. Mead's retirement from the City Librarianship was the occasion of a presentation from the Society at a party given in his honour; he continues to act as Treasurer of the Society. Miss Barbara Leaver has succeeded Mr. C. R. Councer as Assistant Secretary. During 1938 the Society noted the widespread demolition of ancient cottages over the northern area of the city ; the destruction by fire of an old house near the West Gate, prominent in the street-vista; and the disappearance of REPORTS. 209 old gardens in the Green Court to give place to handsome new buildings of the King's School. A correspondence in the local paper initiated by Mr. W. S. Cozens (Vice-President) led to the reconditioning rather than destruction of seventeenth century cottages on Oaten Hill. To him the rediscovery of St. Radegund's Hostel in Church Lane is due. The effective reconstruction of the bridge in the Friars revealed, in the river-bed, the foundations of earher bridges ; also certain lost property reappeared—a buckle and spur, a clay pipe and latch-keys of varying date. On the Society's behalf a protest was made against the digging of trenches for A.R.P. in St. Augustine's Cemetery, where burials took place, both of monks and lay-folk, from A.D. 600 to 1883. During 1939 the purchase of the old Kent and Canterbury Hospital buildings was carried through, on the initiative of the Warden of St. Augustine's, Canon Tomlin. For the next twenty years the buildings are leased to the City Council and wih be in use as a Technical Institute. Ultimately it is hoped to clear the whole site, re-unite once again the old graveyard with the Abbey precinct, now in charge of the Office of Works, and make a public garden of great historic interest. During this year also the modern Church of Ah Saints, on the King's Bridge, of no architectural merit or age, was pulled down; the site is still unoccupied. The Society also learnt regretfully that both Pollard's shop in St. George's Street, with a fine though reconstructed gable, and the historic Rose Hotel, were threatened by ubiquitous multiple firms. The erection of a large iron store-shed in Stour Street has unfortunately disfigured the river-bank bounding the Franciscan Gardens. Roman, mediaeval and later pottery was found during excavations for extension at the rear of Marks & Spencer's establishment, St. George's Street, in May 1938. The finds consisted of fragments of the period A.D. 150, including necks and bases of bottles, bowls, etc., of a domestic character. The mediaeval and later pottery sherds of a domestic type included pieces of early " Lambeth blue ". A good deal of mediaeval pottery was found about the same time during Post Office works in Watling Street. AU are preserved in the Royal Museum. 210 REPORTS. Throughout the city, before and since the outbreak of war, there has been much disturbance of the soh, but trench-digging by means of a mechanical excavator had to be done so hurriedly that observation was exceedingly difficult. This was specially regrettable in the case of the Simon Langton School playground, where considerable Roman remains were known to exist. A report of the finds in The Times of September 26th, 1939, may be quoted : " The Simon Langton Schools are on the site of the former buildings of the Austin Friars. . . . Among the discoveries have been a brick-lined well, thirty feet deep, a sixteenth century German jetton bearing the inscription ' Hans Schultes zur Nurenberg ' ; pieces of worked stone with Gothic moulding, evidently from the old Friars' buildings, one of which seemed to be a fragment of Norman work re-used ; a glass bottle 7 in. long, probably of the seventeenth century ; a Roman kitchen midden containing a bed of oyster shells, much broken coarse-ware pottery heavily coated with soot, some fragments of Samian ware, and quantities of burnt wood. Two massive foundations of mediaeval date, composed of chalk blocks, extended from 3 feet below the surface to a depth of at least 11 ft. 6 in. One of them had a lateral thickness of 10 ft. . . . A quantity of human bones in no particular order were found 6 ft. below the surface, and in one spot a skeleton lying east to west indicated a hitherto undisturbed Christian burial." In the further progress of the work many more foundations have been disclosed and it is hoped that sufficient data have been secured for a plan of the Friary buildings to be possible. Trenches also in the Green Court of the Precincts produced a Roman vessel. Mr. Graham Webster, Assistant City Surveyor, has kept observation on the various excavations in the course of his work and kindly supphes the fohowing interim report: In April 1939, when excavations were carried out for the construction of the A.R.P. Control Room behind the Municipal Offices, Canterbury, a Roman pottery kiln was discovered. The kiln was oval in shape and worked on the up-draught principle and is probably comparable with those REPORTS. 211 investigated by R. F. Jessup, F.S.A., at Hoo Junction, Higham and Springhead. A distinctive feature of the site was the great quantity of pottery unearthed. The majority of it consisted of flagon tops displaying great variety in size and shape. A detailed report is being prepared on this pottery, but it can be stated here that it generally displayed second century characteristics. In the course of excavations for A.R.P. trenches in the Dane John gardens during September 1938, signs of Roman habitation were discovered. There were many fragments of pottery, none of which were later in date than the second century. There were also thick layers of oyster and other shells and evidences of heat. The only sign of any structure was a small concrete foundation about four feet from the surface. The maximum depth reached was seven feet. In converting the Norman Castle into an A.R.P. shelter slight excavations were undertaken both inside and on the outside of the keep. The maximum depth reached was inside and was approximately four feet below the present pavement level. Pottery of various dates was discovered, including several sherds of Samian and other Roman wares and a quantity of animal bones. In digging on the outer side of the structure a dressed masonry course was revealed on the S.E. side. DOBOTHY GABDINEB. REPORT FROM DOVER FOR 1939. Mr. E. G. J. Amos, reports as foUows :— Barrows on Whinless Down. The Dover College Field Club, with the permission of the Town CouncU, opened one of the two barrows but failed to find an interment. It is possible that the excavations were not carried deep enough. A Dug-out in Buckland Avenue came upon tufa 3 feet down, while at another in Brookfield Avenue a denarius of Septimius Severus was found lying between two flints. 212 REPORTS. Dover Castle. Work has continued on the Crevequer Tower. The interior filling has been partly dug out but the floor had not been reached when the tower was last visited. Work on the passage with a left-hand turn leading to a possible garderobe was also being carried on. At the Fitzwilham Tower considerable cleaning and reparation has been in progress and this has meant the removal of much eighteenth century brickwork, but this outwork is not open for inspection. The Green Dragon Inn, Strand Street. This house had a timber-framed gable end with the panels filled in with Dutch clinkers. The junctions of the framing had been marked with arrows to facilitate erection by the btdlders. Over a fireplace on the first floor there was painted moulded phaster and panel work, with smaU moulded brackets supporting a frieze. The work was possibly of early seventeenth century date, with very shaUow carving, and was of thin fir, not oak. An excavation on the north side of the Paper MiU at Crabble exposed the rubble foundations of walls and a floor of red tiles, 8 | inches square, and bricks, 9 by 4-|- by 2 inches. The occupation could have been of no great age as a quoin of a waU was built of Dutch clinkers. Pear Tree Lane. Work here brought to hght a 13 inch square block of Hythe Stone, 10 inches high and with the lower 8 inches of the corners chamfered off. Sunk in the top was a hoUow 10 inches in diameter, and 6 inches deep. It was probably a mortar with the top 2 inches of the angles left to act as handholds. It was unfortunately broken up by the navvies as " hard core ".