KAS Newsletter, Issue 103, Spring 2016
Written By KAS
DIG ONLINE
FOR THE KAS
COLLECTIONPage 4
THE OLDEST AND LARGEST SOCIETY DEVOTED TO THE HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE ANCIENT COUNTY OF KENT
ISSUE 103 - SPRING 2016
www.kentarchaeology.org.uk
EVENTS
EDITION
Go to Page 8
ISSUE 103 - SPRING 2016
Vice Presidents:
Mrs S Broomfield
Mr L.M. Clinch
Mr E.P. Connell
Mr R.F. Legear
Hon. General Secretary:
Robert Cockcroft
secretary@kentarchaeology.org.uk
Hon. Treasurer:
Barrie Beeching
treasurer@kentarchaeology.org.uk
Hon. Membership Secretary:
Mrs Shiela Broomfield
membership@kentarchaeology.org.uk
Hon. Editor (Arch. Cant):
Terry G. Lawson
honeditor@kentarchaeology.org.uk
Hon. Librarian:
Ruiha Smalley
librarian@kentarchaeology.org.uk
Hon. Curator:
Dr Andrew Richardson
andrew.richardson@canterburytrust.co.uk
Research:
Ted Connell
ted.connell@btinternet.com
Press:
Paul Tritton
paul.tritton@btinternet.com
Newsletter:
Richard Taylor
newsletter@kentarchaeology.org.uk
Welcome to the March
2016 Newsletter
2015 was a sad year for the Society in that we lost Ian Coulson, the President,
and Peter Stutchbury, former Hon.Gen.Secretary. A great many members
attended Ian’s funeral and Peter’s memorial service. Obituaries for them both
will be included in the forthcoming volume of Archaeologia Cantiana.
A new President will be elected at the AGM on 21 May. Members will receive
notice and the papers in the post in due course and we hope to see you there.
Bob Cockcroft, the current Hon.Gen. Secretary, will not be standing for reelection,
so the AGM will also be electing his replacement. Bob took over from
Peter and has worked tirelessly in what is a very complex and demanding job
for the past year.
This will be the last newsletter to be edited by Lyn Palmer. Lyn has done sterling
service as newsletter editor for many years and her skill and expertise will be
missed. She has masterminded the changes in style and content that have
made the newsletter a readable, scholarly and valued publication.
The Society now has a new librarian, Ruiha Smalley, who has taken over from
Pernille Richards. Ruiha has had many years of experience working as a
volunteer in national and local museums. She has a background in information
management and worked with the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Kent. During
her time in office Pernille made many changes to the Library and rationalised
the material stored in other locations. In any mention of the Library it would be
very remiss of me not to mention the group of library volunteers who carry out a
wide variety of tasks in there. They deserve our thanks for the dedicated work
they do.
This issue of the Newsletter carries a full listing of KAS events for 2016,
together with those of other organisations in Kent and the South East.
We hope you find much to enjoy.
Mike Clinch
Editor’s farewell
We now have a new Editor, Richard Taylor, who will be producing the next
Newsletter you read, due out in November. I’ve enjoyed working with the
Society’s Officers and numerous contributors to produce an accessible and
attractive magazine over the last 16 years; ‘thank you’ to everyone who has
helped to make this happen. I hope Richard will enjoy the role as much as I
have. Articles for inclusion in the November issue need to be with Richard by
the Friday 30 September and sent to newsletter@kentarchaeology.org.
Lyn Palmer
KENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
KAS Library
Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery
St Faith’s Street
Maidstone ME14 1LH
The oldest and largest society devoted to the history and
archaeology of the ancient county of Kent
2 Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk
Ian Coulson Postgrad Scholarship 3
KAS Collections Going Online 4 - 5
You and Your Society 6
New Publications 7
Events 8 - 12
Hasted Prize 2015 12
Gravesend Bunker 13
Toke’s Heraldic Ledger Stones 14 - 15
CHAS Grants 15
Ceramic Floor Tiles in Medieval Kent 16
In this issue
The Ian Coulson Postgraduate Scholarship
and Medieval Canterbury Weekend
As you will see from Mike Clinch’s ‘Welcome’ on page 2, Ian Coulson very sadly died in December. In addition to working tirelessly for the Society, Ian
made a major contribution to the Folkestone ‘The Town Unearthed’ project. As a community-based project it offered local people a wide variety of
opportunities to become involved in discovering the history and archaeology of their town, and it was this concept of working together to understand
the past that had been particularly important to Ian. Among the organisations involved in the project was Canterbury Archaeological Trust and
Canterbury Christ Church University, and it is the latter that is significant in the context of the Medieval Weekend.
From the beginning, the organising committee of the Medieval Weekend had not seen it as a commercial venture. Yes, it needed to pay for itself, but
the concept had been that it should find ways to aid heritage and education. Consequently, it was agreed that the Weekend would come under the
Centre for Research in Kent History and Archaeology at Canterbury Christ Church University and that, after expenses, kept as low as was feasibly
possible and with sponsorship sought internally and externally, the resulting ‘profits’ should be divided in half. One half was to go to the iconic
medieval buildings featuring in the guided tours and the other half towards the establishing of a postgraduate scholarship for budding historians
and archaeologists who wished to research aspects of Kent’s past for a higher degree.
Ian’s untimely death and his close association with History and Archaeology at Christ Church means that it is wholly appropriate that this new
scholarship will be the Ian Coulson Postgraduate Scholarship, and hopefully news of the first recipient may even be available in time for the next
KAS newsletter. This is an important legacy because the prohibitively high cost of undertaking such higher degrees means that many very able
students are unable to pursue this path. Moreover, by specifying that candidates must be researching Kent’s past this scholarship will complement
the Society’s Hasted and Thirsk Prizes. So in supporting the Medieval Canterbury Weekend, KAS members will also be helping future historians and
archaeologists of Kent.
Sheila Sweetinburgh
Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 3
4
14
LEFT LYM Gr 61a
- BUTTON BROOCH
© John Piddock @
Maidstone Museum
RIGHT SAR Gr 04d
- GLASS VESSEL
© John Piddock @
Maidstone Museum
ABOVE SAR 04cc - 2
FIBULAE WITH GARNETS
ABOVE SAR Gr
68b - LARGE
BUCKLE
RIGHT
LYM Gr
62c - BUCKLE
© John Piddock @
Maidstone Museum
RIGHT LYM Gr 44d
- SQUARE HEADED
BROOCHES
BELOW LYM Gr 24a - POTTERY
© John Piddock @ Maidstone Museum
4 Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk
KAS ARCHAEOLOGICAL
COLLECTION IS GOING ONLINECOLLECTION ONLINE
LEFT RLYM Gr 44f
- CRYSTAL BALL
RIGHT BIF 29g -
PENDANTS
ABOVE LYM Gr 65d - GLASS INLAY
Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 5
The Kent Archaeological
Society’s archaeological
collection is made up
principally of finds from
the Anglo-Saxon
cemeteries at Bifrons,
Lyminge and Sarre.
They are housed in Maidstone Museum,
where inevitably only a small proportion
can be displayed at any one time.
An earlier article in the Winter 2012
Newsletter reported on the conservation
work of some of the metal finds from Bifrons
and Sarre. Now pictures of individual
objects are being added to the Society’s
website so that members can view them
on screen. They should provide a valuable
teaching
aid for schools throughout the county.
Dr Andrew Richardson, our Hon. Curator,
appealed for members help in inspecting
and repackaging individual material from
the collection. KAS members Ian and Kate
Beeby and Mike Howard responded and
have spent a morning each week working
on the collection. Staff at the Museum have
been very supportive in sourcing existing
photographs and allowing access for taking
new pictures. Our member John Piddock,
from Lyminge, has taken some absolutely
stunning photographs, particularly of
Anglo-Saxon beads. Pictures of the
results of discoveries made during the
conservation carried out by Dana Goodburn-
Brown, ably assisted by volunteers,
are also being added to the website.
For many years university students have
been visiting Maidstone Museum to study
different parts of the collection and efforts
are being made to obtain copies of the
results of their studies, for inclusion
on the website.
Visit our website at:
www.kentarchaeology.org.uk and on the
homepage click on ‘KAS Archaeological
Collection’ to view the pictures.
Ted Connell, Webmaster
Images show objects from Bifrons (BIF),
Lyminge (LYM) and Sarre (SAR).
The Library has access to three
journals online through a subscription
to Maney Online.
The titles include the Journal of the British
Archaeological Association, Medieval
Archaeology and
Post-Medieval Archaeology.
Any member who wishes to search these
databases for personal research is most
welcome to ask the Librarian to run a search
for them.
Please email the Librarian at
librarian@kentarchaeology.org.uk
with details of what you are looking
for and hopefully we can find an
article that interests you.
These journals are available
both online and in hard-copy
in the library.
Kent has a great variety of voluntary groups, working their hardest to investigate the
archaeology and history of our ancient and unique county. Although there are times
when a nice fat Heritage Lottery Grant or a rich patron is the answer to inevitable
financial constraints, often it is a relatively small sum that can make all the difference.
The KAS Fieldwork Committee has money set aside for such a situation. Funds can be
applied for in advance, with a good case clearly explained. There is also, however, a new
facility offered by the Fieldwork Committee: this is access to Emergency Funds, up to
£500 a time, for those unexpected circumstances where a sudden need arises for
funding, e.g. for quick conservation of an important find or the unexpected calling in of
a specialist to look at a discovery.
Details can be found on the KAS website, where you can download a special form and
once it is completed, forward it to the given contact.
Remember, this is your Society: use it!
If you put ‘Kent Historic Defences
Committee’ into a search engine or
https://kenthistoricdefences.wordpress.com
you will see the blog site for this committee.
This is intended as a ‘shop window’ for its
activity and for sharing news about Kent’s
historic defences. Its founder, Amy Adams,
has recently stepped down from being
manager of the site and we now hope to
find a volunteer to continue to run it.
This will involve placing, from time to time,
contributed new items on to the site,
but there is also scope for someone
interested to develop it.
It’s an important part of the engagement of
the Committee with members of the Society
and with the wider public and is a satisfying
and worthwhile thing to run. There is
related guidance available from the KAS.
We thank Amy for setting up the site and
wish her well in her new career.
If you are interested in taking this on, would
you please telephone the Committee chair
Victor Smith on 01474 323415 or email
him on victor.defcon1@gmail.com
YOU & YOUR SOCIETY
I am very pleased to welcome the following
people who have joined the KAS since the
previous newsletter. Many apologies if I have
omitted anybody!
Affiliated Society
Discover Roman Otford Project
West Kent Archaeological Society
Individual Members
Ms Diane Dillon, California, USA
Mr Chris Easeman, Tonbridge
Miss Ruth Jarvis, Gillingham
Mr Malcolm & Mrs Sally Jennings, Gravesend,
Mrs Pippa Lee, Sheerness
Ms V Millo, Herne Bay
Mr James Pender & Mr Kevin Pender, Sheerness
Mrs Yvette & Mr Richard Roberts, Folkestone
Dr Mark Samuel, Ramsgate
Dr Charles Shee, Otford
Mr Richard Taylor, Gravesend
Mr Harry Triggs, Willesborough, Ashford
Mr John & Mrs Gillian Tully, Maidstone
Mr Jack Wales, Canterbury
Mrs Cressida Williams, Canterbury
Mr Frank Withers, Rochester
Mr Keith Gulvin, Rochester
Ms V Millo, Herne Bay
Miss Christine Waterman, St Margarets
First of all, my usual thanks to those who have
renewed their annual subscription in plenty of
time so that I don’t have to send out too many
reminder letters. I do enjoy the various notes
that you add to the renewal form! I am sure you
agree that the subscription is very good value
and compares favourably with subscriptions to
similar societies. Our Newsletter is also so
much more than many others in terms of
content and news.
Remember to send me any amendments to your
details and also any changes of circumstance
so that I can keep the membership database
up to date.
Membership matters are an important part of
the Communications Committee. We also
discuss other matters such as the website,
newsletter, press releases etc. Keep a look out
for the splendid press releases issued by Paul
Tritton. These are a very important way of
keeping the KAS in the public eye. Items for
discussion in Committee are always welcome
– just get in touch with me as I chair this
Committee.
Shiela Broomfield; Membership Secretary
membership@kentarchaeology.co.uk
Editor’s Note: the Allen Grove award ascribed to
Plaxtol Local History Group (page 25 of the Winter
2015 Newsletter) was in fact to Jayne Semple
for her work.
ONLINE
RESEARCH
AVAILABLE TO
MEMBERS
CALLING ALL
VOLUNTARY
SECTOR
ARCHAEOLOGISTS
HISTORIC DEFENCES
COMMITTEE BLOG
SITE: AN APPEAL
FOR SOMEONE TO
RUN IT
6 Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS
NEW PUBLICATIONS
THE HOO PENINSULA LANDSCAPE
‘The Hoo Peninsula Landscape’ by Sarah Newsome, Edward Carpenter and Peter Kendall (ISBN
978-1-84802-225-6). Part of Historic England’s Informed Conservation series.
The heritage of the Hoo Peninsula has until now been little known beyond the local area, despite
being only 30 miles from the capital. From a rare 17th century pond built to trap ducks, to a decoy
oil depot built to deceive German bombers during the Second World War, Historic England (HE)
experts have been uncovering and protecting the extraordinary historic sites of the Hoo Peninsula.
They have researched and mapped the landscape, archaeology and development of this area of north
Kent, acknowledging that events and activities have taken place here over the centuries as part of
much bigger stories, with national, and sometimes international, significance. Sarah Newsome,
Senior Investigator at HE said: “Through this project, we have revealed that the Hoo has a complex
history that goes beyond the familiar Dickensian idea of a low-lying land of misty marshes.”
HE is delighted to offer KAS members 33% discount and free p&p (normally £14.99). Please ring
01235 465577 or email direct.orders@marston.co.uk and quote ref. number 7220160002 to
take advantage of this offer and get your copy for £10.00. Offer expires 30 June 2016.
KENTISH ADMINISTRATIONS IN THE PREROGATIVE COURT OF CANTERBURY, 1559-1660
David Wright - davideastkent@gmail.com
Most researchers will know that over one million PCC wills are online and easily available to read and
download. However, the administrations are not digitised and only partly indexed.
David Wright has now made a consolidated index of the first hundred years of Kent entries by parish
and surname, freely available at his website - drdavidwright.co.uk. Most entries give name, parish
(and sometimes rank or occupation), plus details of the administrators, usually close family, but often
friends, creditors or other people. They are a valuable ancillary source to the wills themselves and all
too often overlooked or ignored, perhaps because of being in Latin, but as the format changed very
little over the centuries, practice with the post-1733 English ones will soon give greater confidence to
tackle what can often be extremely interesting and valuable information such as the death or
remarriage of widows, children and executors, the guardianship of minors, and so on.
A full article on the index will appear in the June 2016 Kent Family History Society Journal.
MALTING AND MALTHOUSES IN KENT
James Preston
This publication from Amberley Books fills
the gap in Kent’s industrial history
between already published works on
hopping and brewing. At the beginning of
the 19th century brewing was England’s
third largest industry, with a
commensurate demand for its main
ingredient, malt. Kent, particularly North
Kent and Thanet, were well placed for
growing and malting barley to supply
local and London brewers, supplying half
of all malt consumed in London in the
17th and early 18th century.
This book charts the history of malting in
Kent. It explains the malting process
which was to remain unchanged until
after the abolition of the Malt Tax in
1880, and describes how function
determined the design of malthouse
buildings. How the organisation of the
industry shifted from small independent
maltsters to control by brewers who
employed large-scale malthouses is
examined. The reasons why malting in
Kent suffered a slow decline until it finally
disappeared in 1981 is investigated, its
fate being inextricably linked to national
trends in brewing. The industries’ heritage,
in the form of malthouses which survived
demolition and now generally listed
buildings with a new life as flats or
desirable residences, is fully described.
The book is well illustrated with 102
archival and contemporary photographs
telling the story of an important, but
neglected, local industry.
Normal price £14.99, but offered to KAS
members for a limited time post free at
£13.50 from the author at 162 Borstal
Road, Rochester, Kent ME1 3BB.
Cheques should be made payable to J
Preston – please include your postal
address.
ABOVE Decoy pond on the marshes at High
Halstow
ABOVE Circular channels, fuelled and set
alight to replicate burning oil tanks, decoys
to draw enemy bombs away
Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 7
MARCH
40 years: Canterbury
Archaeological Trust Exhibition
Friday 25 March to Sunday 24 April
The Front Room, the Beaney House of
Art and Knowledge, Canterbury
Canterbury Archaeological Trust was founded
in 1976 and has since carried out thousands
of projects. This exhibition celebrates the
achievements and discoveries of the last 40
years, covering key sites, finds and buildings, as
well as innovative educational and community
work. Learn about one of the UK’s most highlyregarded
archaeological units and how its work
enriches the story of Canterbury.
The Little Dig: Come and learn the skills
of an archaeologist using real artefacts!
Family Event
Saturday 25 March, 10am to 3pm
The Learning Lab, The Beaney House of Art
& Knowledge, 18 High Street, Canterbury
A chance for 5 to 11 years olds to be an
archaeologist. Come and have a go with
Canterbury Archaeological Trust’s popular
‘Little Dig’ under the supervision of the Trust’s
Education Officer, Marion Green. Children
get the chance to safely excavate real
archaeological artefacts from clean sand
within a safe indoor setting. Hands-on
educational fun for all!
A session lasts about 45 minutes. Free
admission. Limited numbers so advance
booking required at www.thebeaney.co.uk
Marvellous Mosaic Making!
Crofton Roman Villa, Orpington
(adjacent railway station)
Wednesday 30 March
Discover all there is to know about Roman
mosaics and make your own mosaic to
take home!
Sessions at 10.30 & 14.00. For up to 11
year olds. No booking needed. Children to be
accompanied. Entry £4.00 per child, adult
carer free.
Telephone: 01689 860939
Email: crofton.roman.villa@gmail.com
Web: www.the-cka.fsnet.co.uk
APRIL
Medieval History Weekend at Canterbury:
‘Exploring The Middle Ages’
Canterbury Christchurch University
Friday 1 – Sunday 3 April
Friday evening and all day Saturday at Old
Sessions House, Canterbury Christ Church
University; Sunday morning till late afternoon
at Canterbury Cathedral Lodge.
Sponsored by the KAS, the Friends of
Canterbury Archaeological Trust and The
William and Edith Oldham Charitable Trust.
Organized by the Centre for Research in Kent
History and Archaeology (based at Canterbury
Christ Church University) and Canterbury
Cathedral Archives and Library.
Twenty eminent scholars and historians will
host a series of lectures on the most eventful
era in Britain history, and lead guided walks
to explore places associated with the city’s
colourful medieval past. KAS and FCAT
members are offered tickets at the special price
of £8 per event. For full details go to http://
www.canterbury.ac.uk/medieval-canterbury
or call 01227 782994 (office hours) or visit
the Canterbury Christ Church University, Arts
& Culture Box Office, on the ground floor of
Augustine House (next to Canterbury Police
Station).
Marvellous Mosaic Making!
Crofton Roman Villa, Orpington
Friday 1 & 8 April and Wednesday 6 April
See details in March listing
The Archaeology of Westgate Gardens
Public Talk by Dr Jake Weekes
Saturday 9 April, 14.00 – 16.00
The Learning Lab, The Beaney House of Art
& Knowledge, Canterbury
Hear Dr Jake Weekes, Research Officer with
Canterbury Archaeological Trust, reveal the archaeological
story of Westgate Gardens, where
there is more than meets the eye! Learn about
the recent community excavations he has led
exploring the line of Roman Watling Street and
see some of the many finds unearthed. Booking
via the Beaney www.thebeaney.co.uk
CAT @ 40
Public Talk by Dr Paul Bennett
Thursday 14 April, 18.00 – 19.00
The Learning Lab, The Beaney House of Art
& Knowledge, Canterbury
Dr Paul Bennett, Director of Canterbury
Archaeological Trust, will talk about the
highlights of the last 40 years of archaeology in
Canterbury, Kent and further afield. Dr Bennett
will also reveal the latest work of the Trust and
look forward - to the future of Canterbury’s Past.
Not to be missed! Booking via the Beaney.
KAS Churches Committee Visits
Deal, St George and St Andrew
Saturday 16 April
Meet at 13.45 for 14.00 at St George church,
St George’s Road, Deal. CT14 6BA
Map Reference TR376 28. Then at 3pm St
Andrew church, West St, Deal CT16 6DZ. Map
Reference TR375 530
Cost of the visit £8, to include tea and cake
served at St Andrew church. We recommend that
you park in the West Street pay and display car
park behind the Town Hall and landmark visitor
information centre. Please check the Churches
Committee pages on the website nearer the date
for more up-to-date information.
CBA-SE Site and Town Tours
Saturday 16 April
‘Secrets of the High Woods’ at Slindon Park/
Chichester town walls, West Sussex (Alice
Thorne, South Downs National Park/James
Kenny, Chichester District Council)
Full-day tours to current excavations and
historic sites and towns across the south-east,
led by local experts. Tours run between April
and October, with sites ranging from Roman
villas to medieval castles!
Free to all CBA-SE members, or £5 for nonmembers
(entry fees may apply at some
sites). Limited spaces, so early booking
is recommended. Directions and joining
instructions available upon signing-up.
To book on any tour or for queries, please
contact Events Officer, Dr Anne Sassin,
at events@cbasouth-east.org or on
01252 492184.
KAS Courses in the Library
History Makers of Kent, c1600-c1900
18 April onwards on Monday mornings
10.15 – 12.15; six meetings
Tutor - Dr Jackie Bower
This class will look at the lives and achievements
EVENTS
8 Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk
of a selection of men and women from Kent
who made a contribution to the history of the
county or the nation. Cost £40.
Empire to Commonwealth, 1900-1960
18 April onwards on Monday afternoons
14:00 - 16:00; six meetings
Tutor – Dr Jackie Bower
When Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond
Jubilee in 1897, arguably the British Empire
was at its height. Over the next sixty years,
demands, for independence from the colonies
and through financial limitations at home,
made it impossible for Britain to maintain its
position as an imperial power. This class will
look at the process whereby the British Empire
evolved into a Commonwealth of independent
nations. Topics will include South Africa;
independence and partition of India; the Suez
crisis. Cost £40.
To book for either course email davecarter25@
gmail.com. Once a place is reserved, payment
can be made by cheque on the first day of term.
Canterbury’s Medieval Computer:
the Discovery of the Quadrans Novus
at the House of Agnes
Public Talk by Andy Linklater
Thursday 21 April, 18.00 – 19.00
The Learning Lab, The Beaney House of Art
& Knowledge, Canterbury
In 2005, archaeologist Andy Linklater
discovered one of the most unusual objects
ever found in Canterbury; a complex scientific
instrument, a ‘Quadrans Novus’. Dating back to
the 1300s, these are very rare; this is only the
seventh known in the world. What was it used
for? Who used it? How important is it? Come
and hear about its discovery and learn more of
the story of this medieval treasure. Booking via
the Beaney.
The Little Dig: Come and learn the skills
of an archaeologist using real artefacts!
Family Event
Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 April,
10.00 to 15.00
The Learning Lab, The Beaney House
of Art & Knowledge, Canterbury
Bookable - see details in March listings.
Kent History and Library Centre Talks
Saturday 23 April, 14.30
Animals, Birds and Bodily Parts:
Shakespeare’s Secret Language by Mike Irwin
Author Mike Irwin tells us the title ‘means
exactly what it says’, and that it offers a
way into what he takes to be Shakespeare’s
essential underlying theme in all his major
plays. (Please note that this talk takes place
on a Saturday at 2.30pm.) £5.00. For bookings
call 03000 414404 or email libraries@kent.
gov.uk
MAY
The Archaeology of Up on the Downs
Evening course, tutors Paul Bennett, Keith
Parfitt and Andrew Richardson
Six Tuesday evenings from 3 May until
7 June 2016, 18.30 – 20.30
Education Room, Dover Museum, Market
Square, Dover. Free (£10 refundable deposit)
This series of classes will be led by senior staff
from Canterbury Archaeological Trust and will
provide an overview of the archaeology of the
Up on the Downs scheme area. Collectively,
these archaeologists have over a century of
experience studying the landscape around
Dover and Folkestone. Over the course of
six evenings they will set out what we know
of this rich heritage, stretching back over
several hundred thousand years to the Lower
Palaeolithic, or Old Stone Age, right up to the
remains of the epic conflicts of the twentieth
century. Full details and booking via: http://
uponthedowns.org.uk/Get-Involved/Whats-
On/2016/Archaeology-of-Up-on-the-Downs.
aspx
KAS Historic Defences Committee
Field Trip: Shornecliffe - frontline Kent
Saturday 7 May
Meet at Shornecliffe military
cemetery at 10.00am.
A circular walk, starting and finishing at
Shornecliffe military cemetery. Duration
is about 3 hours and 3 miles, with easy
to moderate walking. Itinerary will include
Shornecliffe Redoubt, the firing range, WWI
training trenches including mock German WWI
Pillbox, Martello tower 9 (outside only), Royal
Military Canal and the Shornecliffe Military
Cemetery (3 VCs). The aim is to show the
progression of the site as a major hub in the
integrated Napoleonic defences of the area,
including the Royal Military Canal and the
Martello Tower chain, following on with its use
as a training area initially for the development
of rifle tactics by Sir John Moore, and then the
training of troops in WW1, mainly Canadian.
Finally we will look at its role as both a training
area and defence point in WWII and its post
war use.
Maximum number 40, cost £8 each.
To book call Alan Anstee on 01634 307993
or email anstye@virginmedia.com. Once your
place has been reserved please send a cheque
to 2 Chute Close, Gillingham, Kent ME8 9RW,
with your full name, address and contact details
included.
CBA-SE Site and Town Tours
Saturday 14 May
Petersfield Barrows/Portchester castle and
church, Hampshire (George Anelay, West Sussex
Archaeology Ltd/Martyn Allen, Uni of Reading)
See information and booking details in April
listing.
Kent History and Library Centre Talks
Thursday 19 May, 18.30
Shakespeare’s women: are they relevant
today? Lynsey Blandford, Templeman Library,
University of Kent.
Lynsey highlights some familiar Shakespearean
female characters by examining the literature
as well as modern representations of the plays
in film and on stage. She contextualises the
original plays by considering examples of real
early modern women who may have acted
as inspiration and some influential literature
written at the time. £5.00. For bookings call
03000 414404 or email libraries@kent.gov.uk
Dover Marina Open Day: the Dover
Bronze Age boat replica
Saturday 21 May
Dover Marina, CT17 9BN (Free, donations to
support the upkeep of the replica welcome)
The half-scale replica of the Dover Bronze Age
boat will be taking part in the Marina Open
Day again this year, so if you want to come
along and see it in action, speak to the team,
or have a paddle yourself, we’ll see you there!
More details of the Open Day can be found at:
http://www.doverport.co.uk/marina/marinaopenday-
2016/
South Foreland Lighthouse:
More Than Meets The Eye
Friends of CAT Evening Lecture, speaker
Dr Andrew Richardson
Wednesday 25 May 2016, 19.00 – 21.00
Ng07 Newton (room to be confirmed),
Canterbury Christ Church University, North
Holmes Road campus, Canterbury. Donation
requested (£2 for Friends, £1 Students, £3 for
others)
This talk will cover the fascinating story of
South Foreland lighthouse, where CAT have
recently been working in conjunction with staff
and volunteers from the National Trust. South
Foreland was the first lighthouse anywhere in
the world to display an electric light, but this
is just one of several claims to world firsts.
Andrew will reveal the long and varied history
of the site, from unexpected Romans, Medieval
hermits, Marconi and his radio experiments, to
the lighthouse at war and much more!
Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 9
JUNE
CBA-SE Site and Town Tours
Saturday 4 June
Pett Level coastal tour/Winchelsea town and
cellar, East Sussex (Oliver Hutchinson, CITiZAN/
Nathalie Cohen, National Trust) See information
and booking details in April listing.
Kent History and Library Centre Talk
Thursday 9 June, 18.30
Kent and Kingsley Wood 1924-1943 Hugh
Gault, biographer; and Jane Gallagher,
Templeman Library, University of Kent.
Kingsley Wood was MP for Woolwich West
from 1918 to his death as Chancellor of the
Exchequer in September 1943. He left no
personal papers but in 1972 thirty-three
volumes of press cuttings were donated to the
University of Kent. A one-nation Tory, he worked
alongside Churchill, Chamberlain, Baldwin and
Lloyd George, amongst many others. £5.00.
For bookings call 03000 414404 or email
libraries@kent.gov.uk
Kent History Federation Annual
Day Conference
Saturday 11 June
Hosted by Smarden Local History Society
Smarden Charter Hall
Speakers:
10.00-10.30 The Kent Heritage Resource
Centre: How you can benefit from the facilities
available at the Centre. Roger Craig
10.30 – 11.10 Five Wealden villages through
time: How Smarden and neighbouring villages
have developed over the centuries. Kaye
Snowden
11.30-12.10 Some notable Smarden
characters: Authors, actors, historians and
climbers of Everest who have featured in
Smarden’s past. Martin Brook
12.10- 12.50 Four Smarden plane crashes,
Alex Ferris
14.00-16.00 Choice of afternoon visits 1)
Woodchurch Village Life Museum 2) Zion
Chapel and St Michael’s Church 3) The Kent
Heritage Resource Centre (in the Charter Hall).
16.00 onwards - tea in the Charter Hall
£12.50 per delegate (includes beverages), plus
£8.00 lunch if required. Booking form is on the
KHF website http://www.kenthistoryfederation.
org/Events-Other.html or ring the Revd Dr Peter
Rowe, Secretary of the Kent History Federation,
on 01622 434592.
Landscape Archaeology
One-Day course, tutor Dr Andrew Richardson
Saturday 18 June, 10.00 – 16.00
Education Shelter, Samphire Hoe
and Whinless Down, Dover. Free (£10
refundable deposit)
This one-day course provides an introduction
to landscape archaeology, the study of how
the landscapes we see today have come in to
being. In the morning, Dr Andrew Richardson
(CAT) will introduce concepts of landscape
and archaeology, illustrating with local case
studies how we can interrogate the land
around us for signs of the past, whether that
be deep prehistory or evidence of twentieth
century conflict. After lunch we will venture
out to nearby Whinless Down to explore this
fascinating area and to put what we’ve learnt
into practice. Full details and booking via:
http://uponthedowns.org.uk/Get-Involved/
Whats-On/2016/Landscape-Archaeology.aspx
KAS Churches Committee Visit
Cooling St James and Cliffe, St Helen
Saturday 18 June
Meet at 13.45 for 14.00 at St James church,
Main Road, Cooling, Nr Rochester, ME3 8DG.
Map Reference TQ 756 759. Then at 3pm St
Helen church, Church Street, Cliffe, ME3 7QE
Map Reference TQ7347976679
Cost of the visit £8, to include tea and cake
served at St Helen church. Please check
the Churches Committee pages on the
website nearer the date for more up-to-date
information.
Westgate Parks Community Dig
Monday 20 - Sunday 26 June, 10.00 – 15.00
Westgate Gardens, Canterbury
Dr Jake Weekes will lead a further excavation to
investigate the course of Roman Watling Street,
at its river crossing just outside the old London
Gate. Last year the upper surface of the road
and large quantities of coins and other finds
were found. This year the focus will be on the
hard-standing to the side of the road, possibly
part of a ribbon development of shops or other
buildings. Come along and see what we find, or
come along and help! Visitors welcome at any
time, but if you’d like to volunteer contact jake.
weekes@canterburytrust.co.uk for details of
how to sign up. Volunteer places are limited so
book early. Guided visits will be available at the
Westgate Parks Open Day on Saturday 25th.
JULY
CBA-SE Site and Town Tours
Saturday 9 July
Abinger Roman villa/Chilworth gunpowder
works, Surrey (Emma Corke/David Bird, Surrey
Archaeological Society/Andrew Norris, SyAS).
See information and booking details in April
listing.
East Wear Bay Archaeological Field School
Monday 11 July - Saturday 6 August,
10.00 – 16.00
Fees for training; site free to visit every day.
The second season of the Field School takes
place from 11 July, continuing the excavation
of this rich and unique prehistoric and Roman
site which is being steadily lost to the sea.
The focus this year will be on the completion
of the trench opened in 2015 which revealed
a roundhouse and area for the manufacture
of quern stones, both probably dating to the
first century AD. Places available for training
courses of one to four weeks duration, or for
one-day experiences (fees payable). Limited
volunteer places are available for experienced
diggers (able to help train and supervise
students), finds processors and guides. Contact
andrew.richardson@canterburytrust.co.uk,
or visit http://www.canterburytrust.co.uk/
community_archaeology/east-wear-bay/
Crofton Roman Villa
Festival of Archaeology
Exhibition on the Archaeology of Hayes
Wednesday 27, Friday 29 & Sunday 31 July
As part of the Festival of Archaeology, a special
exhibition on the archaeology of Hayes, with
artefacts and displays from the Neolithic and
Bronze Age sites and the Roman Bath House.
Open Wednesday & Friday 10am – 5pm (last
entry 4.30pm), Sunday 2pm - 5pm (last entry
4.30pm). Entry Adults £1.50, Concessions
£1.00. Telephone: 01689 860939
Email: crofton.roman.villa@gmail.com
Web: www.the-cka.fsnet.co.uk
KAS & Maidstone Museum
Festival of Archaeology 2016
Maidstone Museum
Saturday 30 July
Visit the KAS Library to find out about available
KAS resources, hear about the 3rd largest
Bronze Age metalwork hoard ever found in
Britain, handle real artefacts at hands-on
stations and bring the children to investigate
the sandpit dig or create replica artefacts.
Details and more information on http://www.
museum.maidstone.gov.uk/events/
AUGUST
CBA-SE Site and Town Tours
Saturday 6 August
Folkestone Roman Villa/Dover town and
castle, Kent (Andrew Richardson, Canterbury
Archaeological Trust/Keith Parfitt, Canterbury
Archaeological Trust). See information and
booking details in April listing.
Crofton Roman Villa, Orpington
Fabulous Roman Fashions!
Every Wednesday in August
Join us to dress as a Roman and learn all about
Roman fashions for women and men, including
10 Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk
EVENTS
Roman soldiers! Make a fabulous ‘Roman’
brooch and bracelet to take home.Sessions
at 10.30 & 14.00. For up to 11 year olds. No
booking needed. Children to be accompanied.
Entry £4.00 per child, adult carer free.
From Roman Villa to Railway Station
Every Friday in August
The story of the Crofton site from Roman villa
times through Saxon, Medieval, Victorian
station all the way to 1930’s houses. Children
can create a picture for our special villa timeline
and make their very own history board
game to take home. Sessions at 10.30 &
14.00. For up to 13 year olds. No booking
needed. Children to be accompanied. Entry
£4.00 per child, adult carer free. Telephone:
01689 860939, Email: crofton.roman.villa@
gmail.com Web: www.the-cka.fsnet.co.uk
SEPTEMBER
KAS Courses in the Library
England in the Stuart period, 1603-1688
Monday 19 September onwards,
10.15 – 12.15, for 20 meetings (from 9
January in 2017 for second term).
Cost £60 for each ten-week term.
This class will study the religious controversies
of the seventeenth century, the causes of the
Civil War, the restoration of the monarchy and
the eventual accession of Protestant William
and Mary. The class will also look at
economy and society in the seventeenth
century, with special reference to Kent
and the lives of ordinary people.
Victorian London
Monday 19 September onwards, 14.00 –
16.00, for 20 meetings (from 9 January in
2017 for second term). Cost £60 for each
10-week term.
In the Victorian period, London was the
greatest city in the world. It was the heart of
a vast empire; a major seaport, with all the
accompanying trades and services; a centre
of manufacturing; and a seat of government.
Meanwhile, authorities sought solutions to
the problems of local government, health
and housing, created by London’s millions of
inhabitants.
To book for either course email davecarter25@
gmail.com. Once a place is reserved, payment
can be made by cheque on the first day of term.
Keston Roman Tombs
Date to be confirmed
A rare opportunity to visit the remains of
Roman mausolea on Westerham Road, Keston.
Dating from the 3rd century, they form part of
an extensive Roman cemetery relating to the
nearby Roman villa. Guided tours with graphic
and finds displays. See www.the-cka.fsnet.co.uk
or email: crofton.roman.villa@gmail.com for
confirmed date and times.
Kent History and Library Centre Talk
Thursday 15 September
“Old books hoarded up in corners”:
William Lambarde writing and reading in
late Tudor Kent Claire Bartram, Canterbury
Christ Church University
Claire will reveal some of the fruits of her
current research project, a book on Provincial
Authorship c.1509-1660, which includes
chapters on William Lambarde, Reginald Scot,
Francis Thynne and William Somner.
£5.00. For bookings call 03000 414404
or email libraries@kent.gov.uk
CBA-SE Site and Town Tours
Saturday 17 September
Ovingdean medieval settlement/Lewes
town and castle, East Sussex (John Funnell,
Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society/
Simon Stevens, Archaeology South East). See
information and booking details in April listing.
KAS Churches Committee Visit
St Mildred and Meopham St John the Baptist
Saturday 24 September
Meet at 13.45 for 14.00 at St Mildred church,
Church Lane, Meopham, Gravesend, Kent DA13
9AD. Map Reference TQ6468. Then at 3pm
St John the Baptist church, Wrotham Road,
Meopham, Gravesend, Meopham, Kent, DA13
0AA. Map Reference TQ6466.
Cost £8, to include tea and cake served at
St John the Baptist church. Please check
the Churches Committee pages on the
website nearer the date for more up-to-date
information.
CAT Taught Courses
September 2016 to March 2017
Canterbury Archaeological Trust will be running
the fourth year of its popular one-day courses
from September 2016. Check the CAT website
for details of the courses and how to enrol:
http://www.canterburytrust.co.uk/community_
archaeology/archaeology-courses/
OCTOBER
Kent History and Library Centre Talk
Thursday 13 October, 18.30
Papermaking in Maidstone: the expansion
and growth of a significant industry in the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries -
Maureen Green, author.
Maidstone has a rich papermaking heritage.
One paper mill with a long history is situated
right next to the KHLC (Balstons Springfield
Mill); another, Hayle Mill, has been owned
and operated by the Green Family through five
successive generations. £5.00 or season ticket
£30.00. For bookings call 03000 414404 or
email libraries@kent.gov.uk
KAS Churches Committee Study Day
The Restoration Church and the Parish
Saturday 15 October, 10.00 - 16.00
King Charles the Martyr, Tunbridge Wells
9.30-9.55 Registration (church)
9.55-10.00 Welcome
10.00-10.30 Lecture: The beginnings of
Tunbridge Wells in the late 17th century
(speaker tbc)
10.30-11.00 Coffee (church hall)
11.00-11.45 Lecture: the Anglican Church:
from Civil War to Toleration (Rebecca Warren)
11.45-12.30 Lecture: Charles the Martyr:
late-17th-century perceptions (speaker tbc)
12.30-13.45 Lunch (church hall)
13.45-14.30 Workshop 1 (church documents
and church building)
14.30-15.00 Tea (church hall)
15.00-15.45 Workshop 2 (church building and
church documents)
15.45-16.00 Final Discussion
Tickets (including tea/coffee & lunch): £17
per person. Concessions: £15 (KAS members/
parishioners). Please send application by 30
September with a cheque made payable to
KAS, plus a stamped addressed envelope to
Mrs J. Davidson, 7 Chatsworth Rd, Gillingham
ME7 1DS.
Council for Kentish Archaeology
and KAS Conference
Rescuing and Recording Kent’s Lost Heritage
Saturday 15 October, 14.00
Rutherford College, Lecture Theatre 1,
University of Kent, Canterbury
Two of the proposed topics are -
The Medieval Ceramic Industry at Tyler Hill and
work on the University Campus - Dr Gerald
Cramp.
The Battle to Save the Roman forts at Dover -
Dr Brian Philp.
Other speakers to be confirmed – please see
the website.
Tickets free for friends of the CKA, subscribers
to K.A.R. and KAS members and will be
available in September. Tickets will be available
on a ‘first come, first served basis’ as space is
limited. Non-members tickets £5.00, cheques
payable to the CKA. In September please send
S.A.E. to 7, Sandy Ridge, Borough Green TN15
8HP.
Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 11
EVENTS
CBA-SE Site and Town Tours
Saturday 15 October
Colemore Romano-British site, Hants/
Farnham town and castle, Surrey (Juliet Smith,
Liss Archaeology/David Graham, Surrey
Archaeological Society). See information and
booking details in April listing.
NOVEMBER
Kent History and Library Centre Talk
Thursday 10 November, 18.30.
Court rolls, custumals and gavelkind: Kent
manorial records and the Manorial Documents
Register Project - Liz Finn, Kent History and
Library Centre. Liz will report on her work to
locate and list all Kent’s manorial documents
for the Manorial Documents Register, and
looks forward to her project’s ultimate goal: a
first-ever online searchable database of manors
and manorial documents that will prove an
invaluable tool for Kent historians.
£5.00. For bookings call 03000 414404 or
email libraries@kent.gov.uk
KAS Kent Place-Names
Committee Conference
Saturday 12 November
Canterbury Christ Church University.
The Committee hopes to hold its biennial day
conference on Kent Names in association
with the University’s School of Humanities.
Confirmation and further details available at
a later date on the KAS website. Enquiries
by phone 01622 891222 or email anita@
anitathompson9.wanadoo.co.uk
KAS Annual Conference
Provisionally titled ‘Villas in the
Roman Landscape’
Saturday 26 November
Rutherford Lecture theatre 1, University
of Kent, Canterbury
Tickets will be £20 for KAS members and
£25 for non-members. A detailed schedule of
speakers and topics will be posted on the KAS
website as soon as these are confirmed.
CBA South-East 2016 Annual
Conference and AGM
‘Pots, Palaces and Parks: archaeology in the
Southeast AD 1000-1500’
Sunday 20 November, in Kent (venue tbc)
See http://www.cbasouth-east.org/events/
cbase-annual-conference/ for future updates
HASTED
PRIZE 2015 by David Killingray
The biennial Hasted Prize for
2015 has been awarded by
the Society to Dr Elizabeth
Blanning for her doctoral thesis
‘Landscape, settlement and
materiality. Aspects of rural life in
Kent during the Roman period’
(University of Kent, 2014, can be
accessed at https://kar.kent.ac.
uk/47715).
e judges deemed the thesis to be
an important and pioneering piece of
research which provided a clearer
picture of the pattern of rural
settlement throughout the present
County over the several hundred
years of the long Roman presence.
Much work in the past has taken a
‘villa down’ view of rural life and
activity; this clearly oered but a
partial view of rural settlement in
Roman Kent. By interrogating and
analysing a wide range of recent
research material and archaeological
eld notes (including unpublished
‘grey material’) Dr Blanning has
provided a much better informed
picture of rural life and settlement
throughout the whole of modern
Kent, and in so doing has produced
a substantial platform from which
future researchers can operate.
A copy of the thesis, which contains a
range of skilfully prepared coloured
maps, will be deposited in the
Society’s Library in Maidstone for
members and other scholars to read.
e next Hasted Prize, for theses
completed in the calendar years
2015-2016, must be submitted by
30 May 2017 to Professor David
Killingray, 72 Bradbourne Road,
Sevenoaks TN13 3QA
(dmkillingray@hotmail.com).
Further details of the Hasted Prize
are on the Society’s website.
12 Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk
EVENTS
is underground reinforced
concrete bunker is owned by
Gravesham Borough Council. It
was built in 1954 and is an
interesting example of one of the
rst generation of the control
centres brought into use in the
Cold War. It is also among a
minority of new-builds in out of
town settings, the majority at this
period being re-activated Second
World War accommodation
beneath or next to council oces.
e heritage potential of the
bunker was recognised in the early
1990s. en, in partnership with
Gravesham Borough
Council, the New
Tavern Fort Project
(renamed ames
Defence Heritage in
2000) began to
refurnish and re-equip
its rooms for public
access. At times the
process of obtaining
the items to achieve
refurnishing involved
epic exertions and
much ingenuity, a story in itself.
Having historically researched the
layouts (often informed by
good-quality contemporary
recollections), by 2000, the
bunker received the rst visitors.
In 2004, the 50th anniversary of
the building of the bunker, there
was a television-covered ceremonial
opening attended by its
constructor, the late George Rattray
and, remarkably, by Pavel
Andreyev, Attaché from the Russian
Embassy. anks to the
intervention of Adam Holloway
MP, the bunker later acquired from
the Royal Air Force a nuclear bomb
casing. is is of monumental size
and asserts to visitors its thoughtprovoking
and menacing presence
and meaning. rough careful and
sensitive handling, based on
continuing research, including the
all-important small details, the 50s
and very early
60s ambience was
completed. is
had much in
the appearance
of such
command posts
in the 1940s.
So much so was
this that it
became used for
part of the
setting of the Second World War
lm ‘Age of Heroes’ (2011),
starring Sean Bean, James D’Arcy
and Danny Dyer. ere was also a
part for a member of council sta.
Because of its special historical
interest and value, the writer was
able to secure the bunker’s
inclusion as a Listed Building in
2013. Not only does this confer
much-deserved heritage
recognition but puts in place
appropriate statutory safeguards.
Unfortunately, subsequent
episodes of ooding led to its
closure to visitors and the removal
of contents into storage to allow
remedial works to be undertaken
and, afterwards, for drying out.
ese works, organised by
Gravesham Borough Council, are
understood to be underway. It is
hoped that before long the bunker
may re-open, with its layout and
ambience restored.
Meanwhile, the research from
earlier years is being enhanced
with further investigation. e
rst stage of reporting, with the
ndings contextualised, is well
underway. It is hoped that this
will lead to completion and
submission to an academic journal
some time in 2016. is may also
provide the material for the
production of a new presentation
aimed at a public readership.
Victor Smith is Chair of the
Society’s Historic Defences
Committee and was formerly the
Director of Thames Defence
Heritage.
common with
One of the aspirations of the Society’s Historic Defences Committee is to secure publication of
unpublished findings from the earlier research and investigation of selected historic military and
civil defence sites in Kent. Several locations in East and North-West Kent have been short-listed
as candidates. The first of these to be worked on is the Cold War Civil Defence Control Centre at
Woodlands Park, Gravesend for which, at present, there is only a visitor booklet.
GRAVESEND
BUNKER
By Victor Smith
ABOVE MAIN
Re-enacting taking
a radiation reading
at the bunker
entrance.
ABOVE INSET
One of the Control
Rooms, with a
re-enactor in place.
ABOVE
Nuclear bomb
casing donated by
the RAF.
Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 13
Churches are an
invaluable source of
historic material,
containing as they do
so many memorials, not just on
the walls but also underfoot. e
practice of brass rubbing is no
longer encouraged since the
popularity of this hobby meant
surface damage of the, largely
medieval, latten plates. ere is,
however, another type of memorial
set into church oors, and that is
the ledger stone, a at solid
plaque, some three foot by seven,
laid over a grave, within the fabric
of the church and bearing in many
instances a roundel depicting the
family coat of arms.
Such stones provide an essential
source of reference for historians
and those tracing their family tree,
time capsules that include
information not just on the rst
person to have been buried
beneath each stone, but on other
family members interred at a later
date.
Ledger stones are not rare,
which is maybe why they are
somewhat overlooked. e rst
ledger stones were con lids set
into the oor, sometimes
decorated with a cross. Over the
centuries this evolved into a large
plaque. Mostly the material is
dark in colour, variously described
as black or blue marble, but in
Kent Bethersden marble (in reality
a type of limestone) has
occasionally been used, as has iron,
though this is more common in
places close to where that industry
once thrived, such as in the Sussex
part of the Weald.
Such materials may have
ensured the ledger stone’s longevity,
but some have been damaged or
destroyed, not only as the result of
Victorian restoration, but also by
WWII bombing, as well as through
natural erosion, having been
subjected to generations of passing
footsteps. Many stones are no
longer above their relevant graves,
having been moved to side chapels,
or to cloisters (as at Canterbury
Cathedral), while others have
disappeared, albeit temporarily,
beneath carpeting or oorboards,
or are half hidden beneath choir
stall, dais or reception desk.
One Kentish man who
appreciated their importance as a
historical record was Nicholas Eyare
Toke, a University and army tutor,
who, after obtaining a degree at
London University, settled in
Folkestone, joining the Kent
Archaeological Society in 1903.
Nicholas Toke was descended
from the Toke family who once
owned Godinton Park, at Great
Chart near Ashford. e local
church is rich in wall memorials
recording various members of the
family and Toke himself had a
special interest in church
‘furniture’. He was to contribute
several papers to Archaeologia
Cantiana on hatchments and
stained glass, but he also enjoyed
brass rubbing, a technique he went
on to use on the raised surfaces of
the heraldic devices which
appeared on church ledger stones.
250,000 ledger stones are said
to be in existence throughout
Britain, dating mainly from
around the mid-17th century to
the late 18th century when the
middle classes sought to emulate
the aristocracy in having similar
memorials. Toke recorded around
three hundred stones (all heraldic),
the dates of death on them
ranging from 1579 to 1836, with
the ledger’s popularity (at least
according to Toke’s collection)
seeming to peak during the 1730s.
It was the Burial Acts of the 1850s
that brought about the
introduction of cemeteries and a
ban on further burials inside the
TOKE’S
HERALDIC
LEDGER
STONES By Ann Pinder
ABOVE
The ruined tower of
St George’s Church,
St George’s Street,
Canterbury.
ABOVE RIGHT
Margaret Greenhill’s
ledgerstone in St
George’s Church.
14 Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk
The Society has limited funds available to
award a grant to individuals researching any
aspect of the history and archaeology of
Canterbury and its surrounding area. It is
envisaged that a grant would not normally
exceed £500.
Preference would be given to work
resulting in publication in any media.
Please apply in writing to the Honorary
Secretary of the Grants Committee as soon as
possible, and in any case not later than 30
June 2016. Your letter should mention:
Your qualifications
The nature and length of your research
The stage you have reached
in your research
The amount you are applying for
Any additional funding anticipated
from other sources
Your proposals for publication
Your anticipated timetable
You may be asked to name a referee whom the
Committee making the grant could consult.
If successful, you would be expected to
account for the money spent and give a copy
of any article, pamphlet etc. to the Society.
A summary of your research might be
published on the Society’s website:
www.canterbury-archhaeology.org.uk
For further details, please contact the Hon.
Sec. of the CHAS Grants Committee:
Mrs C. M. Short, 3 Little Meadow, Upper
Harbledown, Canterbury CT2 9BD.
A report by Kate Holtham-Oakley on her
participation at the East Wear Bay,
Folkestone, excavations, 2015, assisted by
the KAS Fieldwork Committee. The bursary
arose as a consequence of the successful
inaugural KAS Archaeology Conference in
December 2014 hosted by the University of
Kent, following which a bursary was made
available to a University of Kent student.
Kate writes “Going back to the site on the
East Cliff last summer was an amazing
opportunity which I was never sure I would
have again. Although I had been on
numerous digs before, when I joined the A
Town Unearthed project (ATU 2010-11).
it was the first time I had been in charge of
the finds processing. This was thanks to
Andrew Richardson (who I suspect didn’t
really realise what a huge job it would turn
out to be!).
In 2015, following on from the ATU
discoveries, we knew there would be multiple
finds - and we were not wrong. I was very
much welcomed back to my role, and the
skills and experience I had gained in the
previous years proved invaluable. However, in
contrast to ATU the majority of finds and
features were Iron Age, not Roman. Features
included a roundhouse, possible cist, ditches,
floors and the only confirmed quernstone
manufacturing site of the period in Britain,
with much production debris.
We are still working on the finds: animal
bones, pottery, metalwork, fossils (!), glass,
brooches, coins, beads and so on. People
came from far and near to visit, dig,
photograph, metal detect and pot wash, both
experienced and new to the dusty, exciting,
world of archaeology. With, in my case, many
thanks to the KAS!”.
CANTERBURY
HISTORICAL AND
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
SOCIETY
Research and Publication Grants
BACK TO EAST
CLIFF - AND YET
MORE FINDS!
KAS Bursary helps student
church itself, although an exception was
made in the case of family vaults which
still had room for further interments.
He remained in Folkestone for the rest
of his life, dying in 1960 at the age of 94.
His invaluable record of ledger stone
rubbings were photographed on glass
plate negatives, now housed in the KAS
Library. ese have recently been
scanned and many transcriptions of their
epitaphs have been typed up by Pat
Tritton and can now be seen on the
Society’s website.
NOTE: A ‘Ledgerstone Survey of England
and Wales’ is now being undertaken,
in which anyone can take part, and
information on this can be found at
www.lsew.org.uk.
The fully text of Ann’s introduction to
Toke’s Ledger Stones can be read on the
Society’s website.
ABOVE Rubbing of the Greenhill coat of arms.
ABOVE Greenhill coat of arms.
Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 15
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Copy deadline for the next issue is 30 September 2016
The editor wishes to draw attention to the fact that neither
she nor the Council of the KAS are answerable for opinions
which contributors may express in their signed articles;
each author is alone responsible for the contents and
substance of their work.
EDITOR: LYN PALMER
55 Stone Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2QU
Telephone: 01892 533661
Email: newsletter@kentarchaeology.org.uk
16 Spring 2016 Kent Archaeological Society www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Registered Charity No. 223382
In 1886, floor tiles decorated with a king and a bishop were found in Maidstone Church. Most decorative floor tiles had simpler designs
and were first used in Kent in the late 12th century but the more familiar ones date from the late 13th and 14th centuries. Preliminary
investigations have identified that they were used in over 100 parish churches, over 20 monastic houses and several high status
private dwellings in Kent. However, unlike other counties where lists of such tiles have been compiled, the overall position in Kent
remains unknown. A national census of medieval floor tiles was started over 40 years ago and publications for Somerset, Dorset,
Wales and the North of England have already appeared. Floor tiles in Kent can be split into 3 main types before their production in
England was curtailed by imports from the Low Countries in the 15th century.
Inscribed tiles were used extensively
in the 12th century Royal Abbey at
Faversham and found by Philp in his 1965
excavations. They are square tiles with a
hand scored line drawn whilst the clay was
wet. White slip was only applied on one
side of the line.
They were made locally in the late 12th
century. An example can be seen in the
Fleur de Lys Museum in Faversham.
They have also been found in
St Augustine’s Abbey in Canterbury.
In Kent, mosaic tiles mainly have just one
colour glaze but the decoration is achieved
by tiles being of different shapes. Some are
circular, some rectangular, some triangular
and others are diamond shaped.
The pattern is made by interlocking tiles of
different shapes. In Kent, mosaic tiles can
be seen in the north east transept of
Rochester Cathedral but unfortunately the
glaze has worn off during the eight
centuries that they have been on the floor.
They have also been discovered in the
excavations at Boxley Abbey and are
preserved in Maidstone Museum.
These tiles are usually about 120 mm (4 ½
inch) square. The two coloured tiles have
a design stamped on them giving a yellow
design on a brown background.
A wide variety of patterns is known from
Kent including geometric designs, a fleur
de lys set diagonally and a stylised daisy
set inside a circle.
Often these decorated tiles were laid
with square tiles of a single colour or in
multiple tile patterns. Such tiles, along
with their Victorian copies, can be seen
in Southfleet Church.
Inscribed Tiles Mosaic Tiles Two Coloured Stamped Tiles
and Single Coloured Tiles
Information Required
In November last year, the Shorne Archaeological Project hosted a day conference on ‘Medieval and Later Ceramic Building Materials’
given by Ian Betts of the Museum of London. This conference identified that Kent was lacking a list of ceramic medieval floor tiles and it
was suggested that its compilation would be a satisfactory outcome of this conference. If you know of any ceramic medieval floor tile in
Kent please let Gerald Cramp know on 01474 704849 or gacramp038@btinternet.com.
Editors note: Gerald Cramp was the author of the Scotgrove article which appeared in the November 2015 Newsletter. If anyone has any
information on the nibbed tiles that he wrote about please contact him (as above).
CERAMIC FLOOR TILES IN MEDIEVAL KENT
AN APPEAL FOR INFORMATION BY GERALD CRAMP