Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1977. Council presents its One Hundred and Nineteenth Report and Statement of Accounts for 1976. OBITUARY Council records with great regret the death of Brigadier E. V. Bowra, O.B.E., a member of the Society for thirty-two years and a member of Council from 1966 to 1971. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting was held at the Maidstone Grammar School on Saturday, 21st May, when Council's Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for 1976 were adopted. Mr. K. A. Pollock, F.C.A., was re-elected Honorary Auditor of the Society with a unanimous vote of thanks for his services. The amendment to Rule 5(h) whereby any member who is over 65 years of age and who has been a member of the Society for five years or more may claim to pay a subscription of £2.50 was passed nem. con. In the afternoon Mr. B. J. Philp, Director of the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, gave a most interestin􀃙 lecture on 'The Discovery of the C/assis Britannica Fort at Dover' to a large and appreciative audience of members and friends. OFFICERS The President, Vice-Presidents and Officers of the Society were re-elected unanimously. COUNCIL The followin􀃚 were elected to Council: ?11r, E. P. Connell, Mz:. P. E. Leach, F.R.I.B.A., Mr. S. E. Rigold, M.A., F.S.A., F.R.Hist.S., Mr. R. J. Spam, Mr. T. W. T. TattonBrown, B.A., and Mr. P. J. Tester, F.S.A. In addition, Mr. B. J. Philp was elected for a two-year period. LOCAL ORGANIZATION Mr. D. T. Jones, B.A., has assumed responsibility for the London Borough of Greenwich in place of Mr. D. E. Wickham, M.A., Mrs. M. Lawrence for Tonbridge in place of Mr. A. P. Detsicas, M.A., F.S.A., and Mr. D. Thomewell for Malling in place of Mr. M. J. Fuller. The thanks of the Society are due.both to those who have resigned for the work they have done and to their successors for taking their places. CALENDAR Council have decided that the Calendar will appear in future in January, April and October. Material should therefore reach the Hon. General Secretary by March 1st, September 1st and December 1st for inclusion in each of these issues. MEMBERSHIP Although the Society continued to attract a steady flow of new members in 1977, this was offset by a larger number of resignations during the year. The total membership stood in December at 1,256, a reduction due partly no doubt to the increased subscription and partly to the general financial stringency. xlvi REPORT, 1977 . Mem1?ers are therefore aske􀃪 to do eyerything they can to approach people with an interest m Archaeology and bnng them mto the Society, such personal contact being far the most efficient method of recruiting. FINANCE Thanks to the generosity of the late Mr. Ivan D. Margary and of Mrs. Margary the Society's annual income will probably be more than doubled in 1978 and subsequent years; the final figures will appear in Mr. Margary's executors accounts in due course. On the advice of the Finance Committee, Council have placed the management of the Society's investments in the hands of Messrs. Hoare Govett Ltd. A conservative investment policy will be followed since the long-tenn interests of the Society in an age of inflation must be considered. As well as supporting the ordinary work of the Society and adding to capital, it has been decided to select one major project each year to which surplus income will be devoted; the first such project will be the improvement of the Library which is being reconstructed after the fire m June 1977. Members are urged to pay their subscriptions as soon as possible after 1st January and, in some cases to revise their Banker's Orders to the new rates which are:- Institutional Members Individual Members and Affiliated Societies Joint Members Junior Members £6.00 £4.50 £5.50 £2.00 Members who wish to help the Society at no cost to themselves are urged to enter into a Seven-Year Covenant, fonns for which are obtainable from the Hon. General Secretary, the Honorary Membership Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer. PUBLICATION Volume XCII was published in 1977. The volume, in its new printing process, maintains its high standard under the editorship of Mr. A. P. Detsicas, M.A., F.S.A., and its contents cover a wide field of Archaeology and History. A volume of Kentish Miscellany is now in the press; it is hoped that this records volume will be published in the near future. EXCAVATIONS COMMITTEE Grants have been made in 1976-7 to assist the following excavations in the County: Otford and District Archaeological Group £AO Mr. D. Williams (Rochester) £30 Thameside Archaeological Group £25 Applications for grants by the Society should be presented to the Hon. General Secretary by 1st November, 1978. The Committee for Rescue Archaeology in Kent has continued its function of making recommendations regarding these matters in the County and has held regular meetings at Faversham, the K.A.S. being represented, as fonnerly, by Messrs. A. C. Harrison, R.H. Hiscock and P. J. Tester. Substantial grants have again been made during the year by the Department of the Environment to organizations engaged in rescue archaeology in Kent. The President took the chair at the annual Field Archaeology Meeting held on 3rd December, 1977, at Maidstone Library, the subject being Manorial and Moated Sites. Mr. T. W. T. Tatton-Brown, B.A., spoke on 'Kent Moats - Their Distribution and Sites'; Dr. H. Lansberry dealt with 'Documentary Evidence relating to Parsonage Farm and other moated Sites'; Mr. A. Miles described 'Some moated Sites of the Marine Plain', and Mrs. N. Caiger gave an account of 'The manorial Site at Fairseat, near Wrotham'. As usual, there was an exhibition of material relating to the subject, and this was viewed with interest by members during the tea interval. Again, the arrangements of xlvii REPORT, 1977 the meeting were in the capable hands of Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Connell, assisted by Miss S. Bishop, Mr. R. Cockett and Mr. M. Jesson, to all of whom and to the four speakers the Society extends its grateful thanks. At a meeting of the Committee in November, it was decided to recommend a continuation of the present programme of investigating selected monastic sites, as and when opportunity allows, and also to undertake a small excavation at Cliffe where the Rector has requested the Society's assistance in tracing the foundations of a chapel known to have been formerly attached to the church. It was felt that assistance should also be given to the investigation of threatened moated sites. Concern has been expressed about the mis-use of metal detectors in the hands of treasure hunters and the Committee have received accounts of archaeological sites being looted by this activity. The Committee unreservedly condemns this unscientific treasurehunting and will exert its influence to channel the interests of those using me􀄏! 1etectors - particularly young persons - towards more acceptable archaeolog1cal act1v1t1es. EXCURSIONS REPORT, 1977 Darent Valley, 7th May. Visits were made to Darenth Church, St. John of Jerusalem; Sutton-at-Hone, Famingham Church, Lullingstone Roman Villa, and Otford Church and Palace. The Society's thanks are due to Mr. C. Councer, Mrs. T. C. Mallik, Mr. P. J. Tester, Mrs. L. Paternan, Mr. A, D. Stoyel and Mr. C. Ward, for their assistance in organizing and the management of this excursion. Special thanks are due to Mrs. GidleyKitchin for her help in overcoming the crisis at Famingham Church. Maidstone and Hollingbourne.11th June. The following sites were visited. Boxley Abbey, The Carriage Museum; Maidstone, The College; Maidstone, Hollingbourne Church, Eyhorne Manor. The Society are grateful to Sir John Best-Shaw, Mr. A. C. Harrison, Mr. K. W. E. Gravett, Mr. Hargreaves, Mr. E. Smith, and Mr. and Mrs. Simmonds, for their help in this excursion. Special thanks are due to Mr. L. R. A. Grove, for his help in both the running of the excursion and its conception and organization. Essex. 16th July. Visits were made to Layer Marney Tower, Lower Marney Church, the Castle Museum, Colchester, and Copsford Church. Again special thanks are due to Mr. L. R. A. Grove, for his help with the planning of this excursion. Medway Barge Trip. 3rd September. As a new venture the Society chartered the Medway barge 'Cabby' for the day and this proved to be successful. Mr. and Mrs. James are very grateful to those Society members who gave their help with the refreshments. The Hon. Excursion Secretary would like to express his personal thanks to an those mentioned above for their help and to all those members who continue to support the excursions. REPORT ON THE FOURTEENTH CONFERENCE OF BUILDING RECORDERS, HELD IN THE MUSEUM, MAIDSTONE, ON SATURDAY, 1st OCTOBER, 1977 All the papers at the fourteenth conference were concerned with east Kent. The first speaker, Mr. E.W. Parkin, summarized his discoveries over the past few years, including early houses at Ratling Court, Dene Chantry and Chartham Deanery. Then Mr. T. Tatton-Brown talked about the little known Palace of the Archbishops at Bekesboume and included slides of his emergency excavations. Finally, Mr. K. W. E. Gravett spoke on the influence of Cardinal Morton in bringing red brick into Kent, before I 500 and showed parallels between his work at Hatfield and the north-west transept of Canterbury Cathedral. There was an enthusiastic audience of some thirty-five members and a lively discussion ensued. Finally, the Chairman, Mr. R. H. Hiscock, thanked the speakers, the Bentlif Trustees for the use of the room and Mr. Lambert for operating the projector. The next conference of Building Recorders will be held on Saturday, 7th October, 1978. xlviii REPORT, 1977 REPORT OF THE KENT HISTORIC BUILDINGS COMMITTEE 1976-77 Membership. In the course of the year Mr. C. L. Sinclair Williams resigned and Mr. H.J. Dicketts, Mr. P. Lambert and Mr. T. Tatton-Brown were co-opted. At the May meeting the Chairman and Hon. Secretary were confirmed in their appointments for a further year. Buildings which the Committee has helped to save from demolition. At the November meetin􀃑 Colonel R. F. H. Drake-Brockman presented a list of 33 such buildings, restricting himself to cases where the Committee had played a decisive or major part. Plaques. (a) 16 applications for Historic Building of Kent plaques were considered and 10 plaques were awarded. (b) Mr. K. W. E. Gravett headed a sub-committee which produced Notes for Guidance on the Issue of 'Historic Building of Kent' plaques. Kentish Barns Survey. Mr. E.W. Parkin has produced a questionnaire for the guidance of helpers in this projected survey, and a pilot survey has been carried out in the parish of Boxley by pupils of Maidstone School for Girls. Since the last quarterly meeting Mr. K. W. E. Gravett has proposed that the survey be extended to cover all farm buildings. A week-end seminar on farm buildings is to be held at the University of Kent on 23rd-25th September, and it is hoped that persons interested in helping with the survey will attend. Mr. S. E. Rigold, Mr. K. W. E. Gravett and Mr. A. Cronk will be among those lecturing at the seminar. Ash, Canterbury - Barn at Westland Nurseries. The proposed development has been permitted, but the barn in which we were interested has been preserved. Ashford - Kent Messenger Offices. We have opposed applications for Listed Building Consent for demolition, and this has been refused. We are informed that an application for alteration and extension is about to be made, under which the original structure of the main building would be retained but would be provided with a modern shell. Eastwe/1- Lake House and Estate. Early in 1977 the Eastwell Park Estate was sold for a large sum to a firm of contractors and farmers in Essex. Col. R. F. H. Drake-Brockman immediately wrote to them explaining steps taken over the years by the Committee to seek to save this very interesting old building from further deterioration. He also informed a member of the Kent Building Preservation Trust, which was formed by the Committee, who was anxious to acquire and restore Lake House. In their respective replies the new owners said that they were 'not interested in disposing of the Lake Cottage', and that they had enquired from the Department of the Environment as to 'what capital sum of money they would be prepared to grant towards the refurbishing of this property'. Folkestone - Manor House, Earls Avenue. We objected strongly to a proposal for the demolition of this fine Grade II house, and permission was refused. Hunton-Barn at Euston Manor. The Planning Officer has informed us that the barn roof is stilJ in position and the owner has been told that if he wishes to remove it he must seek Listed Building Consent. He has been told that certain urgent repairs should be carried out. Kearsney, Dover - Bushy Ruff House. We wrote to the Dover District Council expressing concern about the state of repair of this fine regency colonial house (Grade Il), which had stood empty since its purchase (together with 25 acres of grounds) by the Council in 1974. Since then urgent repairs have been carried out and the house has been leased as a Guest House for elderly persons. Market Hall- Dover. We expressed concern about the state of the Market Hall (Grade II) and £1,000 was shortly afterwards allocated for urgent repairs. xlix REPORT, 1977 St. Nicholas-at-Wade - Netherha/e Farm House. The Secretary of State has allowed the appeal of Corpus Christi against Thanet District Council's refusal of Listed Building Consent for demolition of the Farm House. In doing so he has gone against the advice of the Inspector who conducted the Local Inquiry. Corpus Christi have arranged for demolition to be supervised by the Weald/Downland and Open Air Museum. Thanet District Council have, however, appealed to the High Court, so that demolition cannot take place until the appeal is heard. Sandgate - Church of England School, High Street. Following a Local Inquiry at which we were represented by Mr. A. W. Swaine, the Secretary of State has granted permission for demolition of extensions at the side and rear, the main body being preserved. This permission has not yet been taken up. Sheerness Dockyard - Quadrangle Store House. A Local Inquiry was held at the Dockyard on 28th July into the proposal to demolish this large and handsome store house, which was built in the early nineteenth century, probably from designs by Rennie. We were represented by Mr. A. W. Swaine, who urged that the store house be preserved if at all possible, but the Medway Ports Authority say the site is required for container traffic, and are supported by the Swale District Council. Whitstab/e - Pye Alley Farm. The Canterbury City Architect has told us that this Fann is to be upgraded to Grade II when the new list for Whitstable is issued. He is to report to the Town Plannin􀂹 Committee on 14th September concerning this and other listed properties with a view to the possible serving of repairs notices. CHURCHES COMMITTEE The restoration of Murston Old Church has been completed and the building is now held by a registered Charity, the 'All Saints Church Murston Charity'. The restoration of the Whitfield Monument at Canterbury is also now complete and work has been restarted at Lynsted, where Mr. Keevil is working on the tomb of James Hugesson. The Committee has represented the Society at the Consistory Court considering the proposal to move the Oxenden Monument at Wingham. In the event of a Trust being formed to secure the preservation of the monument in its present position, the Society has agreed to nominate one of the Trustees. Mr. L. R. A. Grove, B.A., F.S.A., F.M.A. and Mr. J. A. Newman, M.A., F.S.A. have been co-opted to the Committee. BRANCH REPORTS Medway and Gillingham Branch. The 1977 programme comprised three lectures: these were 'Kentish Megaliths', by Mr. P. J. Tester, F.S.A. on 22nd February; 'Ancient Trackways in West Kent', by Mr. P. Thombill, B.A., on 19th April; and 'Aerial Photography' by Mr. J. Bradshaw on 25th October. In addition there was a Members' Evening on 14th June when several short talks were given. Maidstone Branch. Report by Mr. P. E. Oldham, M.A. The 1977 programme consisted of two lectures and an evening visit organized jointly with the Maidstone Area Archaeological Group. The lectures were 'The Bridges and Castles of Rochester', by Mr. A. C. Harrison, B.A., F .S.A., and 'Otford Palace and other archaeological sites in the Sevenoaks area', by Mr. C. P. Ward. The evening visit to Rochester was led by Mr. A. C. Harrison. LIBRARY REPORT 1977-78 The Report of the Inaugural Meeting of this Society in 1857 contains references to the Library which since that date had been housed in the Museum, Maidstone until a serious fire broke out in the Natural History Store, adjacent to the Society's Room, between 2 REPORT, 1977 and 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 4th, 1977. An attendant al the Museum was subsequently found guilty of arson in starting the fire and sentenced lo four years' imprisonment. The damage to the structure of the museum was substantial and a considerable part of the collections especially in natural history, was destroyed. The fire broke through a door and an area of wood panelling into our Library. Prompt action by the Museum staff and the Fire Brigade cut the loss to about 10% of the value of our books, furnishings etc. which had only recently been revalued and reinsured. A number of the most valuable and rare items were removed as the fire continued and it is worth recording that the slow burning of the shelf set of Archaeologia Cantiana, standing against the wood panelling materially aided the preservation of the rest of the volumes. Fortunately many of the items destroyed are replaceable, albeit with difficulty, but a small collection of eighteenth century Kent newspapers and a number of slides which were lost are probably now unobtainable. The contents of the Library were first removed to the Museum Hall and elsewhere and apart from some of the rarer volumes, are now stored at the Kent County Council's premises on the former Malling airfield. It has been established that Maidstone Corporation are most anxious for the support and co-operation offered by the Mayor at the Inaugural Meeting some 120 years ago to continue and meetings have been held with members of the Architects Section over the reconstruction of our accommodation. As some small recompense it will now be possible to strengthen the floor and to provide integral shelving, cupboards etc. in a consistent style. The Hon. Librarian would thank all who helped in the cleaning and packing operations amongst whom are Mrs. M. Lawrence, Mrs. M. C. Lebon, Miss E. Melling, Messrs. T. Church, C.R. Councer, S. J. Dockrill, L. R. A. Grove, D. B. Kelly, R. J. and D. Spain, A. Miles, P. E. Oldham and C. L. S. Williams. Our thanks are also due to the Curator and other members of the Museum Staff for their very great help and patience. We are also most obliged to the County Librarian and his staff for their considerable assistance in arranging at very short notice for the transport and storage of our property without charge. The Society is also indebted to those who have generously donated or offered replacement volumes amongst whom are Miss A. Roper, Miss K. E. Spears, The Bisho of Southampton, Messrs. A. J. L. Barnes, J. Butler, J. H. Money, C. L. Platt, J. Skeef., Mrs. M. Wright for Dover College, Wye Historical Society and the Public Librarian, London Borough of Bromley. Other gifts have been made by Mrs. L. Bowra, Mrs. M. Lawrence, Mr. D. J. Cooper, Mr. J. D. Grugeon and Dartford Historical and Antiquarian Society. KENT DEFENCE RESEARCH GROUP Now that the excavation of the Henrician Milton Blockhouse has been completed, the results are being studied and a report for Arch. Cant. is in preparation. Limited further excavation is being carried out at the Gravesend Blockhouse and a plan for restoration and landscaping has been submitted to the owners. Further excavation and restoration took place at New Tavern Fort throu􀃮hout 1977. It is hoped that grants from the Gravesham Borough Council and the Histonc Buildings Council can be obtained to allow the work to continue in 1978. Included in the next phase of operations will be an extension of the public access to the magazines and an enlargement of the exhibition area. The second research report of the group, The Later Nineteenth Century Land Defences of Chatham was published in Post Medieval Archaeology, 10 (1976), 104-17. The third report on the late nineteenth-century London Mobilization Centres has been completed for publication and a fourth report on the military railways of Kent is shortly to be prepared. The Kent Archaeological Society has agreed to finance the publication of a handbook of the defences of Kent, 1540-1945. A report on artillery fortifications in Kent, Surrey and Sussex was prepared by the group for the Area Advisory Committee for Rescue Archaeology in S.E. England. At the request of the Planning Department of the Kent County Council, the remains of Battery No. 1 at Dungeness were inspected and a report prepared on the advisability li REPORT, 1977 of preservation. The group also made representations to the Medway Borough Council and the Department of the Environment regarding the need to preserve Fort Bridgewoods at Chatham, but very considerable destruction of the site by the owner has now taken place. The group organized and hosted the second weekend conference of the international Fortress Study Group, which was held at Canterbury and Dover in September, 1977. 1st January, 1978 Iii By order of the Council A. C. Harrison. Hon. General Secretary.