KAS Newsletter, Issue 104, Winter 2016

Frindsbury Palaeolithic Material Boughton Bronze Age Hoard East Wear Bay Shorne Doodlebug President: Dr Gerald Cramp Vice Presidents: Mrs S Broomfield Mr l.M. Clinch Mr E.P. Connell Mr R.F. Legear Hon. General Secretary: Clive Drew secretary@kentarchaeology.org.uk Hon. Treasurer: Barrie Beeching treasurer@kentarchaeology.org.uk Hon. Membership Secretary: Mrs Shiela Broomfield membership@kentarchaeology.org.uk Hon. Editor: Terry G. Lawson honeditor@kentarchaeology.org.uk Hon. Curator: Dr A ndrew Richardson andrew.richardson@canterburytrust.co.uk Research: Ted Connell ted.connell@kentarchaeology.org.uk Press: Paul Tritton paul.tritton@kentarchaeology.org.uk Library Manager: Ruiha Smalley librarian@kentarchaeology.org.uk Newsletter: Richard Taylor newsletter@kentarchaeology.org.uk WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR It gives me great pleasure to introduce myself as the new Editor of the KAS Newsletter. I have spent many happy hours reading through previous issues over the years and, indeed, contributing on occasions. So, despite a busy triple professional life as field archaeologist, author and teacher, being father of two children and husband of one wife, the opportunity to become Editor of the Newsletter is one I could not resist and I'm very pleased to be here. I'm pleased primarily because the Newsletter is held in such high regard. This seems an appropriate place to thank my predecessor, Lyn Palmer, for setting the bar so high by continually producing a Newsletter of such high standards. It is only after editing my first edition do I now realise the sheer volume of collective work and co-ordination that goes into this publication, from contributors to the designer. It is my intention to maintain these high standards in future issues and ensure KAS members both communicate and enjoy the historical and archaeological work going on in the county. I also wish to express my gratitude to all the Newsletter's contributors. I realise you do this for no financial gain, it takes up a considerable amount of time but, without your articles and notices, the Newsletter would not exist and the collective knowledge of what is happening throughout Kent would be compromised. I therefore encourage as many members as possible to think about writing articles and help inform the wider historical and archaeological community of what is taking place in our heritage-rich and diverse county. Forward your articles or notices to newsletter@kentarchaeology.org.uk. On more official business, we welcome our new President, Dr Gerald Cramp and new Hon. General Secretary, Clive Drew. Both Gerald and Clive are working extremely hard to raise the profile of KAS by building on Ian Coulson's legacy of cooperation and modernisation and working with colleagues, affiliate societies and other stakeholders to develop innovative ways to take the society forward. You can read more about Gerald on Page 23. Enjoy this issue of the Newsletter and look out for the Spring issue which will carry all KAS and affiliated groups' events for the next 12 months, together with updates on existing projects and excavations throughout Kent. Best wishes KENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY KAS Library Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery St Faith's Street Maidstone ME14 lLH The oldest and largest society devoted to the history and archaeology of the ancient county of Kent 2 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk IN THIS ISSUE 46 FRONT COVER Hig/J level view of tile P&O office excavation showing street and building Further Palaeolithic Material from Frindsbury The Ring of the Barhams Cobham Landscape Detectives are go! Boughton Malherbe Bronze Age Hoard Allington Pots The Dover St James's Redevelopment You and Your Society New Books Events Mystery of the Shorne Doodlebug Strike Medieval Canterbury weekend New Tavern Fort, Gravesend - Vanishing Ramparts The High Halstow Duck Decoy East Wear Bay Archaeological Field School: 52 Short Wood otherwise known as Church Wood, Blean Water Line model battleship YAC finds battleship at Shorne Woods Country Park 4-7 8-9 10 - 13 14 -16 17 18 • 21 22 - 23 24 • 25 26 - 27 28 - 31 32 - 34 34 35 36 • 39 40 • 45 46 • 47 48 Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk I 3 By Frank Beresford 4 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeolog]c al Society I www.kentarch aeo logy.org.uk ' Af r an open day at orne Woods, about o years ago, a small collection of palaeolithic material was brought to the group for further research. Labelled the Killick collection it includes material from Barnfield Pit, Swanscombe marked Milton Street and from Tw ydale on the Medway Estuary. Probably the most interesting part of the collection however was a group of 14 large long flakes from the chalk quarry at Frindsbury, which is opposite Rochester on the River Medway. Close to the site of All Saints, Frindsbury, this site was excavated by W Cook and J. Killick in August 1923 (Cook and Killick, 1924.) On a prior visit to the pit, they had noticed that in removing "callow" in a depression on the west side of the quarry, the workmen had uncovered four piles of worked flints with sharp unabraded edges indicating a working floor. In the subsequent excavations, "upward of 4000" LEFT The excavation team on the first morning of the dig with W. Cook on the left and J. Killick on the right BELOW The "working floor" that was revealed by the end of the first day artefacts were uncovered in an area of about 400 square feet. Cook subsequently sold 16 cores, 478 flakes and two handaxes to the British Museum for £25 where some were quickly put on display. Despite the fresh condition of the assemblage, the site's location in a hollow within chalky drift directly above chalk bedrock rather than being associated with a fluvial deposit means that it cannot be securely dated. It has been proposed that palaeolithic activity took place within a minor relatively horizontally based depression within an area of sloping ground. The material was then buried by fine-grained colluvial slope wash deposits that have sealed it with minimum disturbance. However, the chalk bedrock was above the bank of a river terrace which has been broadly correlated to Marine Isotope Stages 10 - 8 (Wendban-Smith et. al. 2007, 34.) On typological grounds the Frindsbury material has been associated with that found at Botany Pit, Purfleet, Essex which is linked to late Marine Isotope Stage 9/early Marine Isotope Stage 8 - about 300 000 years ago. Both are described as simple prepared core and flake industries which generally produce slightly larger and longer flakes than other techniques, the flakes from Frindsbury being comparatively longer than those from Botany Pit (White and Ashton 2003, 601.) In the British Museum's Frindsbury collection there are also some refitting groups. One group consists of five refitting flakes all knapped from a single plain platform. These flakes are similar to the 14 flakes in the Killick collection 􀂍 􀂎 􀂏 ..... . 􀂐 "I) ...... 􀂑􀂒 ,.... 􀀄"' 􀂓􀂔 - ! -<--1 􀂕 -􀀃􀀄 􀀁 'i..... 1 Clf 􀂖 􀂗 􀂘 􀂙 ' ' 􀂚􀂛 􀂜 􀂝 􀂟 ,• .... 􀂞 􀂠 " - -.......: Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 5 SELECTION F􀂭OM P-LINT WORKINC-l=LOOR ABOVE ;THE 100 l=T. TE'RAACE OF THE MEDWAY f Ai l=RINDSBURY, OPPOSITE CHATHAM DOCKYARD, EXCAVATED BY MESSRS. W.M .. COOK &J. R_KILLJCK: PERIOD OF LE MOUSTIEA. Purr!hasea 1925. [Proc. Pre hist. Soc. E. Anglia 7 1924, p.133] ' ,,.., _-.. ,. lLLJJj ABOVE A flake (dorsal and ventral faces) from British Museum's Frindsbury collection LLLJLJ 6 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 10c ABOVE A simple prepared core from British Museum's Frindsbury collection LEFT A group of five refitting flakes from Frindsbury made from a simple prepared core (British Museum collection although no refitting has yet been accomplished with these even though rwo Aakes are marked with the numbers I & 2 respectively on their plain platforms. The Killick collection Aakes match those in the British Museum and are all generally characterised by plain platforms and mainly linear Aake scar patterns on the dorsal face. A report is in preparation which will include a full description of the 14 Aakes from the Killick collection. The Killick collection also contains a large number of smaller Aakes that are unmarked bur match the 14 Frindsbury flakes in colour and patina. A small amount of similar material is in the British Museum and this material could form part of the "upward of 4000" artefacts originally reported. Any further information about J. R. Killick would be helpful. Rochester Museum also contains a collection of palaeolithic material from Frindsbury. LEFT Flakes from the Killick collection showing both ventral and dorsal faces REFERENCES ABOVE Flakes from the Killick collecuon showing both ventral and dorsal faces Cook, W. H . and Killick, J.R., 1924. On the discovery of a flint-working site of Palaeolithic date in the Medway Valley at Rochester, Kent, with notes on the drift stages of the Medway. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society of East Anglia 4:133-49. Wenban-Smith F.F, Bates M.R. and Marshall G., 2007. The Palaeolithic Resource in the Medway Gravels, Kent, Medway Valley Palaeolithic Project, Final Report (available online.) White, M. J. and Ashton, N. M., 2003. Lower palaeolithic core technology and the origins of the levallois method in North-Western Europe., Current Anthropology., 44 (4). pp. 598-609. Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeolog ical Society I www.kentarchaeolog y.org.uk I 7 THE RING OF THE B By Roger Cockett B I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology. org.uk s Nicholas Barham, Queen' erjeant-at-Law. MP for lvlaidstone and the owner of Ch_illingcon lanor Hou e, had a ring made of gold. le was a signet ring bearing his coat of arms and icholas used ic to seal documents with wax, though he often signed them as well. His branch of the Barhams came from Wadhursc in Sussex, bur they were distant relatives of the arms-bearing Barhams of Tes con near Maidstone. In 15 7 4 the herald Robert Cooke, Clarenceux King of Arms visited ChiUingron and granted the Barham arms to Nicholas Barham. He and his son Arthur could now bear the ancient family arms of three muzzled bears, two marders and a fleur-de-lis. It was probably Nicholas who had the ring made - his son was more inclined co sell his old rings than to have new ones made. Then Nicholas Barham had two misfortunes. First, he lost his gold ring. le slipped somewhere our of sight and he never saw it again. Second, in 1577 he died of gaol fever in Oxford, immediately after sending a Roman Catholic to the pillory co have his ears cut off. Maidstone grieved, all except for the devour, who thought it was a judgement upon hjm. For nearly 300 years the ring lay quiet. It was in Chillington House, bur the house had become a warehouse and then a factory and then the Maidstone Museum. The first curator starred work there in 1858 bur after only seven years he died. A second curator, one William Lightfoot arrived. He was a man of action and keen to restore the old building. He was vexed char the east wing of Chillingron House remained a coal and straw store and in 1868 he raised funds and began its rebuilding. And then somebody found the ring. Humphry Woolrych recorded the finding of a signet ring with the Barham arms in his book of 1869. At that date, the only rebuilding had been of the east wing. One account says that the ring was found in a hearth or mantelpiece. A LEFT William Ughtfoot photo from painting courtesy of Maidstone Museum later story says it was found when moving a.n altar stone in the chapel at Chillingron house, bur char cannot be right as the house had no chapel until one was built in 1874. Edward Hughes, a family friend, had a third story that a silversmith showed William Lightfoot a ring which he had received from Tunbridge Wells and which had "been dug up nor far off' - wruch could mean anything bur was probably the find from the fireplace again. All accounts agree that William Lightfoot was now convinced it was Nicholas Barham's ring and he wore the ring until his death in 1875. Edward Hughes persuaded William's sister Mary Ann co give the ring to her brother's old sponsor, the Revd. Edward Muriel, rector of Ruckinge, on condition he returned it to her in his will. Meanwhile Sir George Barham, a descendant of the Wadhurst Barhams, must have read Woolrych's book. In a letter of 1879, probably responding to Sir George, Edward Hughes expressed second thoughts and suggested the ring ought co pass back co the Barhams. Sir George made another approach in 1890, this time co the Revd. Muriel, who now had the ring. Muriel insisted that Mary Ann Lightfoot, then in Canada, should first be consulted. Nothing seems co have happened before the Revd. Muriel died in 1895. Mary Ann remained unmarried and died in 1908, leaving the ring co Constance the daughter of her friend Edward Hughes. Sir George Barham wrote co Constance Hughes that year and again in 1910, asking if she would agree co sell him the ring. An historian Firzgerald Uniacke, who was writing a Barham family history, wrote co Constance three rimes in April 1910. Each time he asked co buy the ring or to borrow it or to have a photograph or a drawing of it. Constance agreed co the drawing, bur she kept the ring. Time passed. Edward Hughes and Sir George Barham died in 1913. The Grear War came and went, as did the 1920s, the 1930s and World War II. In 1961 an American descendant Robert Young Barham, read about the ring in Woolrych's book and visited the Barhams, only to be cold chat they did not have it. But, in I 965 the ring appeared again. A Mr and Mrs Relph wrote co the grandson of Sir George Barham. They cold of an elderly widow of 88 named Connie rungham living in an old people's home in Heathfield, who wished co return a gold signer ring co the Barham family. The widow was none other than Constance Hughes, who had married a Mr Steuart rungham in 1915; the Relphs had been in ber service ever since. Connie had worn the ring herself for 57 years and now she wanted co make sure ir rud nor get lost. The ring was duly despatched back to its famjjy, though the Relphs feared at one stage that Mrs rungham was going co change her mind and keep it. The story continues in the dull days between Christmas 2015 and New Year 2016. Ben Barham, another of the American Barhams who lives in Lierle Rock Arkansas, emailed the Kent Archaeological Society's website to enqwre the whereabouts of the ring described by Humphry Woolrych in 1869. Some rapid researches revealed that it was now in Kent again with the rightful owners, who at that very same moment were looking into the history of the ring themselves. Just at the moment, the ring seems to have disappeared again. But, it has not gone for ever and it will make itself known when the time is right. I am most grateful co the Barham family for letting me see their family papers on this subject. Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 9 Following a successful application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Cobham Landscape Detectives Project is adding to our understanding of Cobham parish and its environs. hree-year project in cope, volunteers led by enc County Council's community archaeologist will explore che archaeology, history and natural environment of this hidden gem in the Kentish landscape. The project has extensive support from local stakeholders including key land managers and owners. Building on cen years of community archaeological activities at Shorne Woods Country Park, chis new scudy will place past findings into a wider context. The project aims to examine the land scape of Cobham parish for clues to its past and tell the ch anging story of the area from ABOVELiDAR groundtruthing surveys of the National Trust land in Cobham Woods Prehistory co the Present. Volunteers will groundcruch resulcs of the Medway Valley of Visions LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) survey, record veteran and ancient trees, undertake geophysical surveys, research local archives, gather oral history testimonies, dig test pits and undertake carefully focussed excavation casks. All of this work will be documented through social media, the project website and in a series of reports. At the time of writing, we are six months into year one of the project. So far we have conducted extensive LiDAR groundcruthing surveys of the National Trust land in Cobham 10 I Winter 2015 I Kent Archa eolog ical Society I www .kentarch aeology.org.uk Woods. Beneath the tree canopy is a remarkable fossilised field system, perhaps dating back co the medieval period, when che Manor of Cobham held much of the land across the east end of what is now Cobham parish. As the Parkland and Deer Park at Cobham Hall were expanded, so much of this former farmland was incorporated into the new boundaries of the Park. The surviving veteran and ancient trees provide further clues to the age of some of the boundary banks and lynchers identified. One incredible oak tree, standing on a relic bank could be over 500 years old . We held our first Cobham Landscapes Detectives dig in the late summer of 2016. Our survey work in Cobham Woods identified the site of one of the former Cobham estate houses, known as Mausoleum or Park cottage. The ruins had featured in the extensive Cobham and Ashenbank Management Scheme reports, but they had not been investigated. Our rwo-week excavation revealed the footings of both the Georgian building dating to the late 1780's and the outbuilding added over one hundred years later . The buildings were knocked down in the l 950's when the last incumbent Lord Darnley moved our of Cobham Hall and sold off much of the estate. The dig was a great success, with help and support from many local archaeology volunteers and enthusiasts and RIGHT Footings of Georgian building from cl 780 and later outbuildings RIGHT Oak tree standing on a relic bank circa 500 years old Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk I 11 the North Downs Young Archaeologists Club. Just before the dig scarred we also conducted a magnetomecry survey around the Darnley Mausoleum, co see if we could identify any evidence for an earlier building. Unforcunacely, che damage wrought to the sire over the past fifty years had lefc the ground littered with rubbish char disrupted the results. After che dig we also fieldwalked a number of the local fields, recovering a range of evidence, including worked flint, pottery, brick and rile. Roger Cockett is producing a number of research papers to sec the historical scene in each area covered by the project and dispo se of a few myths. The remainder of year one will be spent conducting further LiDAR groundcruching exe rcises, tree surveys, ABOVE North Downs Young Archaeologists Club excavating the Georgian building RIGHT Magnetometry survey around the Darnley Mausoleum geophysical surveys and archival research. We will also be planning our project for year two, a test pit survey across Cobham village. If the weather allows, over the winter we will dig a trench across an old hollow way in Cobham Woods, marked on maps as far back as 1641 and thought to be medieval in dace. The project owes its successes to dace to the hard work and 12 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeologica l Soci ety I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk enthusiasm of the many volunteers who have taken part. Many of chem have worked on projects at Shorne Woods Country Park over the past ten years bur we are also encouraging and recruiting new volunteers. To find our more about the project, do have a look at our website www. shornewoodsarchaeology.co. uk/ cobham-landscape-dececcives Visit our facebook page ArchaeologyinKent for all things community archaeology and volunteer related, follow @Archaeology Kent on Twitter. You can also contact Andrew Mayfield, Kent County Council's Community Archaeologist direct on an drew.mayfield@kent.gov. uk or 07920 548906. BELOW Part of a cricket mug found on the Darnley Estate Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk I 13 BOUGHTON MALHER HOARD PROJECT AT By Sophia Adams The Boughton Malherbe Late Bronze Age hoard has been tfle subject of a project spread over several months from September 2015 to March 2016, supported by tfle Kent Archaeological Society Allen Grove Fund. The work was carried our by Dr Sophia Adams with support from Maidstone Museum staff and other academic researchers including Dr Brendan O'Connor. Every item in the Boughton Malherbe Bronze Age hoard has been studied, photographed, recorded, , catalogued on Adlib and repacked. Sixteen selected items are currently on display in the Museum prehistory gallery. As part of this project, in liaison with Christine King, a public talk was planned and delivered to the local community at Grafty Green Village Hall on Sat 5th March. This free talk was attended by 80 people, mostly adults and a couple of children. These included local residents, academics, and archaeologists from Kent and further afield. The local press also attended and reported on the talk in the Kent Messenger newspaper (ML Mar 11th 2016). Response from the talk was very positive. Alongside images of the objects from the hoard Sophia was able to show a selection of the actual artefacts and replica objects including swords produced by Neil Burridge and presented by Matt Knight, postgraduate student at the University of Exeter. A further talk was delivered at Maidstone Museum on 30th July as part of the Festival of Archaeology. Results The Boughton Malherbe hoard was acquired by Maidstone Museum through the treasure process with grants from The Art Fund, the MLNV&A Purchase Grant Fund and the Headley Trust. The Treasure Report lists 352 items consisting of both fragments and complete objects (PAS ID: KENT- 15A293). The Maidstone Museum project has been able to refine this figure because some of the tiny fragments were originally counted as a single item while those stuck together were grouped as one item. The current count is 358 pieces from no more than 340 objects, rwo of which were inserted into the sockets of other items. Perhaps the best way to describe the size of the hoard is by its total weight: 64.2kg or c.l0stone 216. An impressive quantity of bronze and copper indeed. In the future when the hoard has been cleaned the overall weight will need to be recalculated to account for the loss of weight with the removal of sediment currently attached to a number of the objects. The objects include 50 sword fragments, 25 complete axes and fragments from 83 axes, spearheads, knives, further tools 14 I Winter 2016 I Kent Ar chaeologica l Society I www.kenta rchaeo logy.org.uk including gouges, pieces of ornamental items including plaques and bracelets, copper ingots (the heaviest weighing 7.446kg), parts of bronze moulds for casting bronze axes and the metal debris from casting. The majority of the artefacts are of Late Bronze Age date bur there are four fragments of potentially Middle Bronze Age palstaves, a form of un-socketed, wedgeshaped axe. Research is ongoing into the precise dating of individual items within the hoard but it appears to have been deposited in the ground sometime between of c.850-750 BC. Further details about the specific objects in the hoard are to be published in the next edition of the Kent Archaeological Society journal: Archaeologia Cantiana. The hoard is of vital importance to Bronze Age studies both in Britain and on a wider European scale. It has even been proposed as the name for a specific type of Carp's Tongue hoard found in England and France: BoughtonVenat Type (Brandherm, D. and Moskal-del-Huyo, M. 2014. Both Sides Now: The Carp's Tongue Complex Revisited. The Antiquaries Journal 94. 1-47). The articles stemming from this current project will in no way be E BRONZE AGE IDSTONE MUSEUM ABOVE Sophia Adams undertaking X-ray f/uoresence ABOVE Socketed axe Winter 2016 \ Kent Archaeologlcal Society \ www.kentarchaeology.org.uk I 15 the enJ or research on this fascinating hoard. A further benefit of this project has been to build on the interest the hoard has provoked in the academic community and to connect this project with other research on Bronze Age metalworking and hoards. The information recorded from the hoard is feeding into a current research project at the University of Bristol on the Social Context of later prehistoric non-ferrous metalworking conducted by Dr Sophia Adams, Dr Jo Bri.ick, and Dr Leo Webley. We were also fortunate to coincide with Dr Xose Lois Armada's Marie Curie Fund research at University College London on the composition of Late Bronze Age metalwork. As a result Lois undertook X-ray Fluorescence analysis on 63 items within the hoard (18% of the hoard) selected for their suitability for analysis based on condition of the object and typological information. This XrF will provide quantitative information on the composition of the copper alloys for comparison within the hoard and against other hoards and individual objects. He also sampled eight ingots for Lead Isotope analysis (15% of the coral number of ingots and ingot fragments in the hoard). Lead Isotope Analysis assists in ascertaining the possible source of the copper. These results will be compared with those from other Kent hoards held in Maidstone Museum's collection and comparative hoards in northwestern Europe. The results are currently being processed and will be reported on and published in due course. Future W>rl< The hoard is in need of conservation grade deaning and some pieces need more intensiv e conservation treatment. It is not possible to fully recognise the specific types of objects present and the specific decoration on some pieces without cleaning. Such work is also important to the long-term preservation of the hoard. Conclusion Maidstone Museum and Sophia Adams are grateful to the KAS and Allen Grove Fund for the financial support they have given to this work without which none of it 16 I \Wirt1Jrr2111Hj II 􀀟limimlllBmletW II WftWMentlmJlhmulqftyaJigull< I Registered Charity No. 223382 would have been possible. The talks have provided a good opportuniry to show the communiry the research value of metal detected finds and the importance of careful recording and derailed srudy. We hope the local interest inspired by this find and the resea.rch will continue and be encouraged through future activities related to the impressive prehistoric collections held at Maidstone Museum. ABOVE Sword grip THEALLIGNTON POTS By Albert Daniels Following a request for help to the KAS Fieldwork Committee by a house owner living in Trevor Drive, Allington, Maidstone, two members of the Maidstone Area Archaeological Group visited the back garden of the house to view a pit that had been excavated. The house owner had dug the pit co prepare the ground for planting a magnolia bush. At a depth of 450mm the 140mm diameter rim of a black pot was encountered. The owner had partially cleared around the pot which was cracked and damaged. The following day the two members returned to further investigate the find. The pit was 1200mm by 900mm and dug into the Silty-day of the Sandgate Beds. The pit was enlarged to 1200mm square to expose the edges of the pit into which the pot had been placed. The enlargement revealed a second damaged pot with a diameter of 280mm. The smaller pot was excavated around and the body bound up with tape, measurements and photographs were taken prior to lifting the pot. The rim was in many pieces and the base too cracked to recover complete. The contents were removed but only soil was recovered. The second larger pot was cracked into many pieces. The rim diameter was 280mm, other measurements and photographs were taken prior to lifting the pieces. The interior of the pot was excavated and cremated bone fragments found. The cremated bone was removed and wet sieved on site through 4mm and 1mm diameter sieves. The burial pit was recorded. The removal of the upper soil precluded identifying the level the pit was excavated from. The sections of the two pots were reconstructed and drawn. The cremation urn appears to be of the Aylesford-Swarling type of late Iron-age pots. Nigel MacPherson-Grant was contacted to comment on the find. He thought the urn was classed as a type F2-squat, elaborately cordoned pedestalled bowl according to the Isobel Thompson system of classification (Thompson 1982). The smaller pots classed as a type C2-2 small plain evened rim jar (Thompson 1982). Dating of the pot and urn appears to fall in the 25 BC tol0AD date range (Pers. Comm. Malcolm Lyne). The cremated bone recovered on the 4mm diameter sieve amounted to 105gm with a maximum size of 35mm, and chat recovered on the 1 mm diameter sieve was 90gm with a maximum size of9mm. No bone fragments could be identified as being parts of a human or animal skeleton. No finds of a similar age have been found within 1 km of the site. Twenty six Aylesford-Swarling pots and four brooches were found in Tassel's Quarry which once stood 1.4km to the North (Evans 1890). Two AylesfordSwarling type pots and a brooch were found in 1923 just over a km to the South-west on Hermitage Farm (Bush-Fox 1925). REFERENCES Bush-Fox J.P. 1925. Excavations of a late celtic urnfield at Swarling , Kent Evans A.J. 1990, On a later celtic urnfield at Aylesford, Kent, Archaeologia 52/2, p350 Thompson Isabel, 1982. Grog-tempered"Belgic" pottery of South-east England. Parts i-ii, Bar British series 108 ( i-ii ) Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 17 I excavation, were all in end of che twelftli century. A small team continues che site as tliere chance of furthei interesting . successive metallings of Clarence Street r - (.) 0 en a: ::::, 0 >- oa ::::, 0 >- MEMBERSHIP MATTERS I am very pleased to welcome the You will notice that those of you who following people who have joined the have agreed to the use of your email KAS since the previous newsletter. Many address will have received various apologies if I have omitted anybody! notices, mainly concerning outings, Affiliated Societies Cliffe at Hoo Historical Society Folkestone Research & Archaeology Group (FRAG) Barham Downs History Society Student Members Miss G A Phythian Individual Members Mrs J Burgess, Tonbridge Mr R Cochlin, Chatham Mr M Cowley, Cranbrook Mrs E Day, Ditton, Aylesford Mrs C Finch, Maidstone Mr C Holden, East Malling Mr J Holland, Rochester Mrs J Morris, Orpington Ms S A Relton, Sevenoaks Mr C Stevens, Maidstone Mrs P Thomas, Orpington Mrs D Weir, London SE12 Mr M Witten, Wrotham Joint Members Mr P Ethelston, Ashford Ms A Sheehan, Ashford It is good to see many new members from all over the County as well as elsewhere but we always welcome more especially from the younger generation as they are our future. visits, study days or conferences. This is a good and cheap way to keep members aware of what is going on. I can assure you that I make sure that your email address is only used for KAS matters. Of course most of these also appear on the website and I urge you to look at this for updates on news in the historic and archaeological world especially in Kent. Remember to send me any amendments to your details and also any changes of circumstance so that I can keep the membership database well and truly up to date. Those of you who pay by cheque will be sent your renewal letters in December. Please renew promptly to avoid me having to send reminders. Those of you who pay through your bank please check that this has been actioned with the correct amount. (£10 - students under 25, £25 individuals; £30 for 2 people living at the same address and £25 for Affiliated Societies). With the new General Secretary and President KAS is facing a more modern approach and taking us into the 21st century. Shiela Broomfield; Membership Secretary membership@ kentarchaeology.org.uk LETTER TO AFFILIATED SOCIETIES Dear Colleagues From comments made at the KAS AGM ic became apparent char members of the affiliated societies felt somewhat left out of the activities of the society. Although secretaries receive a copy of Arch Cant and the newsletters ic is almost impossible for them to circulate the information to all the members. In addition there is not an effective communication system between the 50 or so affiliated societies. This was discussed at the Council meeting following the AGM and I was asked to contact the societies to see how we could improve the situation. One of the ideas that came forward was to arrange a meeting to which members of the affiliated societies would be invited. Apart from being a chance to meet socially with members of other groups it would present an opportunity to find out 22 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk who is doing what and where they are doing it. Such a meeting would enable the members of groups to say what support they would like from the KAS and what support they could give each other. The Society is looking to a major rebuild of ics web site and it would be possible to have a section devoted to the affiliated societies. What are your views on this? If you feel such a meeting would be useful please get in couch with me. I would also like any ideas as co the format. Should it be a day or half day? Ideas for a suitable venue would be appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you. My e-mail address is Mike. clinch@kentarchaeology.org. uk Mike Clinch, Vice President ELECTION MAY 2016 Parr of my duties as membership secretary includes arranging and overseeing any election for officers and council members and, as you are fully aware, this happened this year. Once I was aware char there was need for an election, especially for a new President after the sad and untimely death of Ian Coulson I notified my loyal band of elected scrutineers and we met in the KAS Library for the packing of the ballot papers so they could be sent out in the time scale as required by the KAS NEWS UPDATE FROM THE KAS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 21st May 2016 By your new President, Dr Gerald Cramp Your Council appreciates that many members may be unaware of the changes that occurred at this year's AGM. During the last year 2015/ l 6, the society lose two stalwarts due co their untimely deaths, Ian Coulson our president and Peter Stutchbury formerly our secretary. I was elected co be your next president and look forward to continuing the programme of modernisation started by Ian. The other contested election was initially for four places on council and there were five candidates. My election as president resulted in one additional vacancy on Council and hence all five candidates were elected at the AGM. Unfortunately, some members present at the AGM did not appreciate that all five candidates were Constitution. The decision was taken to provide a stamp on the return envelope to encourage members to vote. This proved to be the case and I had a higher number of returned ballot papers than on previous occasions. Once the final date had been reached I once more assembled my band to open the envelopes and count rhe votes cast for each candidate. These were double checked and all candidates were encouraged to attend so that they could be sure that the count had been done properly according to the rules set our in the Constitution. I had no complaints! duly elected without the need for stating the result and this was clarified at the meeting At the AGM, the society elected two additional patrons, Professor David Kiliingray who has been chair of the publications committee and Sir Robert Worcester who is a member of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust. Bob Cockcroft stood down after a most difficult year as Honorary General Secretary and Clive Drew was elected to replace him. Bob now assists Clive and I would like to rake this opportunity to thank him for all his hard work. I would also like co thank Mike Clinch who took over the role of President during the last year. Ruiha Smalley, ably assisted by Anne Atkinson brings considerable knowledge on cataloguing to the post A few more ballot papers were handed in at the AGM and these were added to the final count again under the eagle eyes of the scrutineers. This was then declared with the figures of 347 for Dr Gerald Cramp and 134 for Dr Brian Philp. Dr Cramp was therefore elected as the new President. As he had been an ordinary member of Council this meant that all 6 candidates for Council were elected to fill the 6 places available and there was no need to give out the voting figures although these had also been prepared as no-one was quite aware of the final Presidential count until it had of Librarian after Pernille Richards resigned ro concentrate on her other work in Maidstone. After many years as editor of the KAS newsletter, Lyn Palmer stood down and Richard Taylor will be producing his first newsletter in the autumn. Boch Lyn and Richard have a background in education. I must thank both Lyn and Pernille for their hard work on behalf of the society. ABOVE KAS President Or Gerald Cramp been declared. I am grateful for the friendly and efficient support of the scrutineers for this non-trivial event. Although there is a certain amount of work involved with my organisation of the procedure I find it an interesting pan of my duties. As this sec of scrutineers has been in place for several years they have now stood down and a new set elected at the AGM. Shiela Broomfield membership@kencarchaeology.org.uk Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk I 23 ' • " i ' ' • 􀀊 • ' TRA􀀊 . - -. . . . 􀀋 , ;. ,_ ._,􀀑IN-G YOU& "" -- "'"\ • • r ,, . "It <-:. '< . . I • , - ' · r s .·􀂕 r 􀂖 · . O ; 􀀃-- > RS · ;. 􀀂 • 1, ' 􀀘 I o '\. ' 􀀪 ;.... ,., • ·- ' • • ',J,. ' 􀀙 • - - . . -... .,.􀀎 ..... Ji • • :􀀄i:..@ : · ItY; , i&efcilAit , • ) ', • , 24 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk TRACING YOUR KENT ANCESTORS BY DAVID WRIGHT Published by Pen & Sword Books Ltd. ISBN 978 147 383 3456 • RRP. £14.99 This new book joins Pen & Sword's substantial list of county volumes devoted to genealogical research and resources and is based on the author's nearly 40 years of working in Kent. After an historical and geographical introduction, there is a concise summary of how to get started, based on his own forays as a young genealogist. Principal sources of civil registration, the census returns, parish registers and probate records are considered before substantial chapters follow on 1) local records such as borough, cathedral and church courts; the parish chest; poor law; quartersessions; maps; trades and industry; schools and hospitals; and 2) national records including crime and punishment; heraldry; land and its possession; the mediaeval manor; the professions; the services; and tax records. The volume ends with a comprehensive gazetteer of organisations, a dozen or more bibliographies, and a parish map and index of all ancient parishes. There are several dozen photographs illustrating a wide variety of Kent's historical sources, and up-to-date information on Kent's many genealogical indexes. The author has written this book to encourage both those who have yet to investigate the fascinating fields of genealogy and local history as well as researchers who have proceeded so far but may be unaware of (or daunted by) the many later mediaeval sources which can enormously increase our knowledge of families and their lands and properties set in individual historical and social contexts. Email: davideastkent@gmail.com or Web: www.drdavidwright.co.uk OF THE NORTH KENT MARSHES EDITED BY IAN JACKSON AND KEITH ROBINSON Privately published by the authors by the L-13 Light Industrial Workshop with the assistance of Billy Childish in a limited edition of 500 copies of which 50 copies are hardbound. ISBN 978-1-908067-14-2 The North Kent Marshes can be a cold, damp, lonely place or a bright, warm refuge from the hurly-burly. Their savage beauty inspired many writers and artists including Dickens and Turner. In times past few would venture into their disease ridden swamps. Haunted by smugglers, the saltings and seaways played host to preventative men and coast guards. When war was threatened, the army and navy mounted guard on their rivers, creeks and foreshores. The marsh folk have grown the crops and raised the cattle and sheep to feed the London market. The marshland nature reserves are internationally important for the future well-being and survival of breeding and migratory birds. In these days of industrial and environmental peril this wilderness on London's doorstep is threatened as never before. The history of the marshes and their people has rarely been told. Surviving archaeological notebooks offer insights into his working practice. THE WIFE OF COBHAM BY SUSAN CURRAN. More than 130 illustrations, most in full colour. Paperback, published by Lasse Press. RRP: £19.99. ISBN 978-00033069-1-4 From the Peasants" Revolt, through the Lollard Disendowment Bill to Oldcastle's doomed attempt to remake his country; from Richard ll's rise and deposition, through Henry IV's dour reign and his son Henry V's glorious one; through the rise and dramatic downfall of other relations, and through wars, rebellions and plague, the life of this real-life contemporary of Chaucer's Wife of Bath was a dramatic and eventful ore. Susan Curran draws on a wide variety of sources to trace its course, and to illustrate it and give a sense of its texture. In exploring what its patterns suggest, she brings out from the shadows and extraordinary true story. THE AMIABLE MRS PEACH BY CELIA MILLER. 38 Illustrations, Including some in colour. Paperback, published by Lasse Press 2016, RRP: £19.99. ISBN: 978-0-9933069-0-7 Betsey Peach's surviving diaries and correspondence provide the core of Celia Miller's spirited account of a life lived to the full, but the author also sets the events in a broader social and political context. From Woodstock to Norfolk and Kent (and back to Norfolk), Betsy travelled, chatted, and always wrote. From those letters and diaries an enthralling picture emerges of a sometimes exasperating but always likable woman, and of the relatives and friends who made up the patchwork of her life. DRINKING IN DEAL: BEER, PUBS AND TEMPERANCE IN AN EAST KENT TOWN 1830-1914 BY ANDREW SARGENT Published by Bettany Press 2016. RRP £25 hardback & £20 paperback. Over 80 illustrations. ISBN 978-1-908304-20-9 Drinking in Deal draws on reports in Victorian and Edwardian newspapers and many other sources to discuss the role of pubs and beer-houses in the life of this fascinating seaside town. It tells the history of the men and women who DRINKING IN DEAL OLER. runs AND 'fl:MPBRA 'CE IN AN IlAST KONT TO\\'N l83(H9I􀀫 ran them, the boatmen and marines who used them, and the local disputes generated by the "drink question". Developments in Deal, a small town on the east Kent coast, are set in their wider county and national contexts. In its heyday, Deal had over 90 pubs and beer-houses. Drinking in Deal shows why they were so many. Available from Roper's Booksellers, High Street, Deal or from www.dealbookseast.co.uk Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk I 25 NOVEMBER 2016 VILLAS IN THE ROMAN LANDSCAPE Saturday 26th November 2016 A Day Conference organised by the Kent Archaeological Society Rutherford College Lecture Theatre 1 and 2, University of Kent at Canterbury CT2 7NX Tickets: £25 (£20 KAS members) Booking form: https://goo.glj1BKTcf Contact Chris Blair-Myers Email: chris.blair-myers@kentarchaeology. org.uk. Becoming Roman a perspective from rural Kent by Dr. Elizabeth Blanning T􀂚e _Roman period is often seen as quite distinct from the preceding Iron Age and does indeed bring with it a material culture that is often easy to recognise. Despite much recent scholarship questioning traditional views of "Romanization", the Romans/natives dichotomy lingers on and it is still easy to get the impression that in AD 43, "the Romans" arrived, displaced the local population and in AD 410 equally as suddenly left, leaving the natives to resume their uncivilised ways. This view is particularly problematic in Kent, where similar forms of settlement and material culture straddle the apparent dividing line of AD 43, which is thus all but invisible archaeologic ally. This paper will look at changes in the settlement record in terms of spatial distribution and chronology. What was the historical context of change occurring before the conquest? What specific changes do we see in settlement morphology, material culture and agricultural practices and how might these have affected the rural population? 11.20 - 11.50 Session 2 34 kilometres of Romans by Kevin Fromlngs The River Oarent rises at Westerham and travels some 34km to join the River Thames at Dartford. The Darent is an important feature in Roman Kent, we already know about Roman villas at Otford Shoreham, Lullingstone, Farningham, Horton Kirby, South Darenth and Dartford. This is a very incomplete picture of the Roman occupation of the Darent Valley. This lecture will describe what we already know but then look at what is missing in our knowledge. We will look at the timeline in the development of these villas and pose some questions about that timeline in view of some new thinking. 11.55 - 12.25 Session 3 Ragstone to Riches by Simon Elliott From the mid 1st to mid 3rd century AD much of the building material used to construct the built environment in the South East of England, including Roman London, was sourced from the ragstone quarries in the upper Medway Valley above the tidal reach of the River Medway. This involved an enormous industrial enterprise featuring five vast quarries (one 2.6km long}, a fully integrated transport infrastructure utilising the River Medway and Thames Estuary, and associated villa settlements where the elites who managed the quarrying industry lived. Here Kentish historian Simon Elliott explains this industrial operation in detail, discussing how it shaped the entire regional environment and the mystery of its demise. 12.30 - 13.00 Session 4 Controlled or spontaneous? The pattern of Roman Settlement in Central North Kent by Dr. Patricia Reid Various theories will be offered for discussion about the reasons for the remarkably regular spacing of the string of modest villas lying to the north and south of Watling Street between the Blean and Durobrivae, and also the settlements next to Watling Street. From this discussion, it is hoped that suggestions as to further research will emerge, not just to explain the spatial patterns but also to look at the practicalities of assessing the chronological relationship with the local pre- and post-Roman landscapes, about which there are conflicting ideas. 13.00 - 14.00 Lunch 14.00 - 14.45 Session 5 'Pottery, beer and salt: the north Kent coast as a corridor of trade and Industry' by Edward Biddulph The north Kent coast is well known as an area of Roman pottery and salt production, and now recent fieldwork at the site of Ebbsfleet International railway station has added malting and brewing to this zone of industrial activity. The scale of production, distribution of products (benefiting from the trade routes of Watling Street and the Thames Estuary}, and hints of official involvement in the industries, suggest that 26 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Soci ety I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk the region was of considerable econ?mic significance. Edward Biddulph e􀂛ammes the evidence for this Roman-period 'northern powerhouse'. 14.50 - 15.25 Session 6 Local landscapes: two case studies from the Canterbury Hinterland Project by Dr. Lacey Wallace The relative paucity of high-status Roman-period structural complexes around Canterbury has informed models suggesting a distinct difference between the indigenous social structure in this area and that in the Medway and Darent valleys. Such assumptions have, however, recently been problematised through the discovery of the buildings at Bourne Park, Bishopsbourne. The other nearest so-called 'villa' to Canterbury lies at Wingham, making a comparison of the function and significance of these two areas of importance to our understanding of social change in Romano-British Kent. Through recent work at Bourne Park and at lckham/Wingham, we have found that these high-status structural complexes are best understood not as 'sites' but rather as elements of their complex surroundings on a wider scale-what might be though of as 'local landscapes'. Wide-area geophysics and aerial photograph analysis are at the core of the project, allowing for huge swathes of the landscape to be studied. We have drawn together details of spatial context through a layering of methods that feed into interpretations with broader implications than consideration of the structures alone would otherwise have. While working on such a large scale has significant drawbacks-e.g. reduced resolution-it allows greater consideration of relationships and allows us to address more broad questions of social significance. 15.30 - 16.00 Break for tea 16.00 - 16.40 Session 7 Villas of North-East Kent by Keith Parfitt In east Kent there appear to be no villas on the high chalk downs. Instead, they mostly occur at the foot of the downs, either close to the shores of the former Wantsum Channel or in the vale below the scarp slope. The talk will consider several Wantsum villa sites in north-east Kent including Minster, excavated by the KAS during the 1990s. For comparison we will also briefly look at Folkestone viii􀂜 situated on the coast below the scarp of the Downs. The coin graphs for the Minster and Folkestone are worth comparing as being similar but unusual. 16.45 - 17 .00 Thoughts on the emerging themes by Dr Steven Willis 17 .00 Meeting finishes RESUME Elizabeth Blanning is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Kent. Having initially studied music, Elizabeth became a nurse and Health Visitor. After a break which included living in Tokyo and bringing up four children, the University of Kent's part-time programme enabled her to achieve a long-held ambition to study Archaeology; she graduated with a BA in 2006, MA in 2009 and PhD in 2015 (for which she was awarded the KAS Hasted Prize). She is particularly interested in aspects of daily life in the Roman provinces and in issues of culture and identity. She is a keen fieldworker and has excavated in Ostia and Lincolnshire with the University of Kent, at East Farleigh with the Maidstone Area Archaeological Group and at The Meads, Sittingbourne with Canterbury Archaeological Trust. Kevin Fromings cut his archaeological teeth at Fishbourne Roman palace 1997- 99. After graduating from his BA in Archaeological Studies at University of Kent in 2002 he directed the Kingshaugh Environs Project for 10 years, a rural Romano British site in Nottinghamshire. During this time he completed his MA in Field Archaeology at University of Sussex. Since 2012 he has been Chairman of West Kent Archaeological Society, and it was work by WKAS on the villas at Progress and Church Field, in Otford, that led to him forming Discover Roman Otford Project in early 2016. Simon Elliott is just completing a PhD in Archaeology at the University of Kent, has an MA in Archaeology from UCL and an MA in War Studies from KCL, and his first factual history book (Sea Eagles of Empire, the Classis Britannica and the Battles for Britain) was published through the History Press in August 2015. Dr Pat Reid is the Director of the Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group (FSARG), which she founded in 2004. Pat completed her degree in Anthropology at the LSE in the 1960s and spent many years teaching, acquiring an MEd in Curriculum studies. For the last 20 years, she has been involved full time in archaeology, especially in London, Norfolk and Kent, completing a Research Masters and PhD at the Institute of Archaeology, UCL. Pat has published papers in magazines and has written many reports on Faversham investigations, which can be seen on the website www.communityarchaeology. org.uk. At present, she is writing Volume 1 of the Faversham book (earliest times up to AD1550) , due for publication in 2017. Edward Biddulph graduated with a BA (Hons) in Archaeology from UCL Institute of Archaeology in 1995, and a MA in Archaeology in 1996. His professional archaeological career began as a field archaeologist in Bedfordshire and Lincolnshire, before becoming a Roman pottery researcher in Essex. Edward joined Oxford Archaeology in 2001, and is a senior project manager responsible for managing post-excavation projects. His major projects include Northfleet Roman villa on the line of HS1 and Stanford Wharf Nature Reserve, an Iron Age and Roman salt production site in south Essex. Edward continues to work as a Roman pottery specialist mainly on assemblages from southern Britain, including Kent. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (FSA), a Member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (MClfA), and a member of the Kent Archaeological Society. Lacey Wallace graduated with a BA in Archaeology from Boston University 2004, a MPhil 2007 and a Doctor of Philosophy 2011 from the Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge. She has held a number of research and teaching posts in Roman Archaeology at the University of Cambridge, University of Reading, and the Institute of Continuing Education at Cambridge. She is currently a lecturer in Roman History and Material Culture at the University of Lincoln. She has a particular interest in the origins of urbanism and the relationship between towns and their hinterlands. She also has an interest in the function of large rural complexes in Roman Britain. She is currently the primary investigator and director of the Canterbury Hinterland Project. Her book "The Origin of Roman London" was published by Cambridge University Press 2014. Keith Parfitt graduated with a BA in British Archaeology at University College, Cardiff, 1978. Joined the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, working on a variety of excavations across Kent and S.E. London and spent several years writing-up Keston Roman villa. Moved to Canterbury Archaeological Trust in 1990 and worked on the Dover A20 project which culminated in discovery of the Bronze Age Boat in 1992; on Buckland Anglo-Saxon cemetery in 1994 and Townwall Street, Dover in 1996. Director for K.A.S. excavations at Minster, 2002-2004. In collaboration with the British Museum excavated and published the complex Bronze Age barrow site at Ringlemere, 2002-2006. Supervised excavations at East Wear Bay Roman villa, Folkestone, 2010-2011. Presently directing the major excavations in Dover town centre. Running parallel with full-time career, Director of Excavations for amateur Dover Archaeological Group since 1978. Elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 2000 and currently a Member of the Chartered Institute for archaeologists. Steve Willis studied at Essex and Durham Universities before coming to Kent University in 2004. At Durham he took a taught MA in Roman Archaeology and then studied for his PhD. He has a variety of teaching and research interests which cover landscape and environments, and the archaeology and culture of coasts in northern Europe. His main areas of expertise include the archaeology of settlement, society and material culture in the Iron Age and Roman era in western Europe, and the ceramics of these societies, including samian ware and briquetage. Steve is a Member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He has been an active field archaeologist for over 25 years, including periods working for Colchester Archaeological Trust and the Museum of London. Steve is currently investigating a Roman villa site on the Lincolnshire Wolds, through survey and excavation, as part of his wider research and training project in that area He was president of the Study Group for Roman Pottery for a term of three years and is currently editor of the Study Group's journal. He has been a member of the Council of the Kent Archaeological Society since 2006, and since 2013 he has taken on a role as trustee of The Trust for Thanet Archaeology. MARCH 2017 CENTRE FOR KENT HISTORY & HERITAGE AND CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL LIBRARY & ARCHIVES TUDORS AND STUARTS HISTORY WEEKEND FRIDAY 31 MARCH - 2 APRIL 2017 Old Sessions House, Canterbury Christ Church University Speakers include Anna Keay, Alison Weir, Kenneth Fincham and Paul Bennett For details see: http:/ /www.canterbury.ac.uk/tudorsstuarts or email artsandculture@canterbury. ac.uk or phone 01227 782994 [MondayThursday office hours] In aid of the Ian Coulson Memorial Postgraduate Prize Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www. kentarchae ology.org.uk I 27 SWAG decided to seek our rhe land owner of rhe purported impact sire to search for clues and if any visible evidence remaining to back up rhe story. SWAG were granted permission to investigate an overgrown area containing six concrete bases where the army huts had once stood been. On closer investigation, there were in fact five and a half bases; one base appeared to have been either been partially demolished or subjected to a traumatic event. In view of this discovery, Trevor again met with rhe landowner and arranged for an archaeological investigation of the sire ro rake place and carried our by SWAG, the objective of which was ro determine the exrenr of the truth of the stories and add ABOVE Badly damaged sixth base displaying considerable damage this fascinating story to rbe Shorne Woods archaeological record. The archaeological investigation began in the Autumn of 2010 and starred with the clearance of the five intact ground level concrete bases, recording and photographing them as we went. The next stage moved onto the sixth, interesting and badly damaged base. The remnants of a crater were clear from the topography close ro the sixth concrete base; (North West corner) it had been backfilled at some stage bur a depression in the ground surface was visible. As with the other five buildings (which remained largely intact to ground level), the undergrowth was cleared and revealed that the remaining brick foundation walls had been 30 I Winter 2016 I Kent Ar chaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk blown over and foundation blocks underpinning these walls were out of place by up to a metre. Faced with this evidence, the fact that half the concrete base was missing and the visible remnants of a crater, ic was hypothesised that the sixth concrete base was a candidate for the VI impact. Further excavations targeted the area around the sixth concrete base. The natural ground make up was sand and rounded pebbles. Excavations discovered evidence for a large crater filled with pebble fragments, nearly a metre in depth, and five to seven metres across, confirming where the impact occurred. We found a layer of rusty metal buried at che base of the crater that was lacer identified as a section of a probable wing spar from a VJ. The sire had been extensively cleared at some point in rhe past and there was very little evidence ro suggest a military encampment had been present over 70 years ago. A few contemporary personal artefacts were found on the site including a tin of Dubbin (still useable) and a brass button stick, twisted and one end broken off. Once excavations ceased, Trevor visited the National Records Office and found a 'War Diary' relating to rhe incident. The VJ strike occurred at 3.50am on 3rd August 1944. The VI caused a direct hit on a Nissen hut (sixth concrete base), resulting in the death of six military personnel and minor damage to ABOVE RIGHT Metal buried at the base of the crater, later identified as part of a wing spar from a V1 surrounding residential property in Shorne. Further investigations discovered that the six soldiers killed were from the Pioneer Corps. They were stationed to support mobile Anti-Aircraft guns kept at the top of Woodlands Lane, Shorne. A Vl weighed about 2000 pounds and carried the same amount of explosive and was a 'blast' weapon. The 'War Diary' reported minor damage to property when in fact verbal accounts suggested the house some 50 yards away was very badly damaged. The property in question was patched up for people to live in and pulled down after the war was over. Windows were blown out of houses some 200 yards away and shrapnel embedded in trees. Trevor attempted to contact relatives of the soldiers and was successful in tracking down the great niece of one of rhe soldiers, a Private Boniface. She knew her great uncle had been killed in the war bur had no details except from the telegram that was sent to his wife, rhe transcript of which is below: Mrs Boniface, 5 Bullbourne Tring Herts Deeply regret to Inform you 1303321 Pte Boniface G.G. died from enemy air action on 2nd August ' 44 and is now removed to the R N Hospital Chatham If you desire to carry out the burial at own expense the body will be sent home at government expense and cost of coffin will be met from government funds in addition you will be allowed £5 towards funeral expenses otherwise all funeral expenses will be made by their service Full details will be notified to you later If in order to attend the service funeral a free warrant providing third class return travel to Chatham for not more than two persons one of whom must be a relative may be obtained from a police station on production of this telegram Please advise which arrangement to make. C O 504 Coy of PI Corps JEROME Square, Aldershot This seems a fitting point to end the story. SWAG is pleased with its efforrs in bringing the account of the six soldiers, who tragically lost their lives, ro rhe public's attention. I I Winter 2016 \ Kent Archaeological Society \ www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 31 F or much of the weekend the air of excitement, expectation and enthusiasm was palpable in first Old Sessions House, Canterbury Christ Church University, on the Friday and Saturday, and then at Canterbury Cathedral Lodge on the Sunday. Nor were events confined to the lecture theatres because the guided tours of St Mildred's church - 'How to read a Medieval Church' and 'Investigating a Medieval Stone Building' at the Poor Priests' Hospital led by Paul Bennett (Canterbury Archaeological Trust); and the Westgate Towers and St John's Hospital by Richard Eales and Sheila Sweetinburgh, respectively, were all fully booked long before the weekend. Moreover, for those who were especially interested in archaeology, the weekend coincided with Canterbury Archae ological Trust's 40th anniversary exhibition at the Beaney in Canterbury High Street, and it appears some of those attending the Medieval Weekend took advantage of this opportunity. For some attendees had come from as far away as Cornwall, Wales, Manchester and Newcastle, hence to have an opportunity to see first-hand the treasures excavated over this 40-year period was too good an opportunity to miss. To return to the lectures, the joint organisers from the Centre for Research in Kent History and Archaeology (soon to be renamed the Centre for Kent History and Heritage) and Canterbury Cathedral Library an d Archives were keen to provide talks by 32 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology. org.uk leading academics and more 'popular' historians under five themes: Book and Manuscripts; The Medieval Church; War and Politics; Kings and Queens, and Social History. These themes were chosen because they offered a broad flavour of the Middle Ages and had attracted excellent speakers as well as an appreciative audience. For example, Professor Carole Rawcliffe from Norwich had an attentive audience who were fascinated by her assessment of market regulations concerning 'Poky Pigges and S cynkyng Makereles', and other food stuffs that were sold in medieval markets across England. Another lecture within the Social History strand that drew ,in appreciative audience was lmogen Corrigan's exploration of the impact and implications of che Black Death on lace medieval ociery, and she drew anention rn the range of evidence available which provides insights inrn how people felt and how they sought rn cope with this apocalyptic disaster. Among the highlights of the Kings and Queens strand were calks by Dan Jones, Helen Casrnr and David Starkey, who drew large audiences as they discussed, respectively, Plantagenec kings, powerful queens and Henry Yll. As David Starkey explained, Henry's claim rn the throne by inheritance was extremely shaky, and even though he was able rn manipulate maners in his favour, he was beset by plots during the first years of his reign. Yee it was his attention rn derail with respect co financial ir.mes and his deployment of other royal governmental agencies that marks him out as a particular type of king. Consequently, with consummate skill Dr Starkey explained why he believes the first of rhe Tudors is perhaps England's most enigmatic monarch. For chose interested in Books and Manuscripts, there were opportunities on the Saturday morning lO visit a special exhibition of early printed books that Karen Brayshaw, the cathedral librarian, had organised in Canterbury Cathedral Library. Also within this strand were lectures by two of che foremost experts on early medieval manuscripts: Professors Michelle Brown and BELOW Well Richard Gameson. Boch examined attended Medieval Anglo-Saxon manuscripts Canterbury associated wich two of the most weekend important religious houses in England, St Augustine's Abb ey and the communiry at Canterbury Cathedral. In Richard's talk, which opened the Weekend, he discussed one of the most ancient and precious books still surviving: the lace 6th-cenrury Gospels of Sc Augustine of Canterbury. As well as Paul Bennm's guided church tour, the strand on The Church included lecrures by Diana Webb and Professor Nicholas Vincent who considered different aspects of pilgrimage and the cult of relics, using evidence from miracle narratives that are especially rich for Sc Thomas of Canterbury, bur also survive for other saints, including some political saints from the lacer Middle Ages. Diana has written extensively on these rnpics and members may also know her from her extremely helpful sessions on Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological S oci ety I www.ken tarchaeolog y.org.uk I 33 Canterbury weekend cont reading historic doc uments in the KAS library. The fifth strand: War and Politics also drew on a personage who is buried at Canterbury Cathedral. Michael Jones is currently completing a biography on the Black Prince and this most famous heir apparent who never became king was another complex individual. For as well as being remembered for his chivalry and military brilliance, he is also seen as the man responsible for the massacre of 3,000 inhabitants at Limoges after he had taken the city. Another speaker who examined late medieval warfare was Gordon Corrigan. He drew on his own military experience to show his audience why the revolutionary ways English forces were organised and deployed during the Hundred Years' War had far-reaching consequences that are still relevant today. Such a rich diet of medieval fare was aided by the generous sponsorship provided by a number of organisations from Kent, including Kent Archaeological Sociery, Canterbury Archaeological Trust, The William and Edith Oldham Charitable Trust and Canterbury Christ Church Universiry. The organisers were very graceful for this financial aid and the far higher than expected ticket sales meant chat the surplus could be used to give considerable donations to che four iconic medieval buildings visited in the ciry, and to provide funding for postgraduate prizes for students investigating Kent history topics. The first of these will be awarded this autumn and the Ian Coulson Memorial Postgraduate Prize is now established at Canterbury Christ Church Universiry. ONCE YOU SAWTHEM BUT NOW YOU DON'T NEW TAVERN FORT'S VANISHING 19TH CENTURY EARTHEN RAMPARTS by Victor Smith Apart of Gravesham orough Council's major 'Great xpectations' scheme to improve Gravesend's Riverside Leisure Area, during 2010 an obscuring mass of bushes and vegetation was removed from the front of the 19th century earthen ramparts of New Tavern Fore. This not only dramatically increased their visibility but in doing so promoted recognition of the site as a fort. There was an understanding and an expectation that the historical views chat had been re-established would be retained. Unfortunately, they have become obscured through regrowth. As the Riverside Leisure Area is an enduringly popular visitor destination, heritage exposure has a strengthened public value and this situation of going backwards is especially disappointing. Gravesham Borough Council, the owner of the fore, has been asked co consider whether it can find a way co retrieve the important visibility chat has been lost. ABOVE 19th century earthen ramparts obscured ABOVE 19th century earthen ramparts on view New Tavern Fort was built in 1780 to cross its fire with Tilbury on the north bank of the Thames, so defending the river approaches to London. It was modernised on several occasions and was active until shortly before the Great War. The importance of the fort and the rarity of some of its historical features led to the award of statutory protection. The later phases of the fort were described and discussed in Victor Smith, 'New for Old: the development of New Tavern Fort in the Industri al Age', Arch. Cant. CXXXIII (2013), 131-166. 34 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk THE HIGH HALSTfJ DUCK B Keith Ro • On 17th September a parry of nine, consisting of members of the KAS Marsh Group and the Faversharn Society Archaeology Research Group, visited the site of the recently listed duck decoy at High Halstow. This is the only example of a 'pipe-decoy' - which used a small dog to entice wild ducks to their death in curved netted channels - extent in Kent. Probably built cl680 and in operation until cl 737 when there is evidence char the surrounding woodland was felled. This is one of the four documented ponds in the county. Despite the sweltering heat earlier in the week the day dawned grey and overcast. The well-defined nature of the pond and pipes suggest that the field in which it lays has always been pasture rather than having been cultivated other than for hay. In 1697 the decoy was part of a I 06 acre farm, known as Nordowne, rented by Abraham Snusher from Chatham brewer ABOVE A pipe decoy in operation using a small dog to entice wild ducks BELOW High Ha/stow duck decoy showing woodland cover and former buildings Thomas Best. Snusher's farm house closure. stood close by with the usual range The creation of a decoy pond of barns, stables and sheep house. involved considerable investment A small cottage - Little Decoy in money and labour but was Cottage - was later built closer to always at the mercy of the weather the pond. All these buildings are and rhe changing habits of the now gone. fowl. It has been calculated that The four pipes leading from rhe catches of 2,500 to 5,000 birds in reed-choked, one acre pond are a season were required for a pond clearly discernible, the fourth pipe to be economically viable. being part of the water feed The High Halstow decoy is on channel connected to rhe marsh's land owned by the RSPB drainage system. Three alternative Northward Hill Nature Reserve pipe positions can be clearly seen, whose permission is required to probable evidence of works visit. English Heritage's Research undertaken to improve the Report series No 17-2014 is an efficiency of the pond before invaluable guide to the site. 5 Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society \ www.kentarchaeology.org.uk 35 bottomed. Finds incl uded BELOW V-shaped numerous sherd of flint- ditch section 2016 tempered pottery, possibly of Bronze Age or early to mid-lron Age date, plus quantities of worke d Aint. The latter assemblage included a blade thar on initial assessment may be of Upper Palaeolithic dare; this is yet to be confirmed. The next major feature in the sequence was a large ditch, with a V-shaped profile, which ran across rhe western end of rhe trench from north to south, continuing into the area planned for excavation next season. The fills of this ditch contained residual quantities of early co middle Iron Age pottery, along with sherds dating to the second to first centuries BC. It is probable that it was dug no later than the second century BC, and had been filled by rhe end of the first century BC at the latest. The ditch is probably not large enough to be regarded as defensive, although it was certainly a significant feature; until more of ics length is traced its role within the layout of che !are Iron Age settlement remains unclear A round house, defined by a sequence of semi-circular drip gullies, lay a short distance east of the dicch. As noted in the previous newsletter article, it had a rectangular chamber cur into its Aoor, lined with Greensand slabs. Partial remains of a Greensand slab floor, set on a chalk rubble base, were also found. Excavation of che house this season revealed the articulated partial remains of a baby (estimated co be aged about nine months at rime of death) in a small pit within the interior. A dog skull, complete apart from the lower jaw, had been placed on rhe base of the second phase drainage gully, facing cowards rhe interior of the house. The round house gullies also produced a large quantity of pottery. This is still being analysed, but Nick Wacrs (one of our Trustees) has partially reconstructed one vessel and provisionally identified it as a late Iron Age sand tempered 38 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk coarseware storage jar, dating ro circa J 50-75/50 BC. 1r is likely to be a local product, perhaps produced at rhe sire itself, with rhe sand sourced from the beach. Although the late Iron Age inhabitants at East Wear Bay had access to a wide range of imported materials, it seems very clear that this was also a place of production, whether that be of querns and other stone products, salt or, in all probability, pottery and coinage; indeed, the high incidence of Flat Linear II potin coinage at the site (dating to circa 50-35 BC), may indicate East Wear Bay as a possible production site for this coinage. Overall, the pottery associated with the round house, along with a coin of the Durotriges (from Dorset), minted between 40-20 BC and found in the fill of the primary drainage gully, seems to indicate that it was in use during the second half of the first century BC. Further analysis of the finds will hopefully allow us to refine the dating of the construction and abandonment of this structure. As we move into the first century AD, both the large ditch and the round house fell out of use. A succession of field boundary ditches were then cut across the site. Interleaved between these, a series of scone surfaces, dumps of partially made querns, and Greensand debitage, spread across the western part of the excavated area, and extended beyond it co the south (where they will be further investigated next season). These spreads seem co form a roughly rectangular area, and it is possible chat they represent the footprint of a large building. Certainly a number of poscholes have been identified, but further study of the records, and excavation of che southern extent of these deposits, will be needed before this can be confirmed. What is not in doubt though, is that these deposits represent clear evidence of che production of rotary querns (and mortars) at this spot in the first century AD, probably in the decades immediately before and after the Roman conquest in AD 43. Querns had been ABOVE Drone image of round house 2016 produced at the site for many decades before this, and the Romans would later produce millstones from the Folkescone Greensand. The production area excavated in 2015/16 was, therefore, just one of many chat would have existed across the wider cliff top area over the course of at lease two centuries. Nonetheless, it is believed co be the first such production area subjected to systematic excavation anywhere in Britain to date (Chris Green pers. comm.). Interestingly, the quantity of Iron Age material recovered during the 2015-16 seasons of the Field School far outweighs the quantity of Roman material, despite the fact that the site of two successive Roman villas, occupied from about AD 100 to 400, lies only a short distance co the south. Future seasons of the Field School will extend the excavated area towards the villas, whose northern extent was excavated during the A Town Unearthed project in 2010/ 11, so we can expect co find greater quantities of Roman material culture in successive seasons. CAT have now secured a licence from Shepway District Council which allows excavation at the site until at least 2020. The Trust and its partners, including the KAS, will continue co promote and grow the project, and the author will be lecturing about East Wear Bay and its potential as a field school at Texas State University, Austin, in April 2017. le is also hoped that the Field School will be welcoming trainee archaeologists from the Middle East and North Africa from next year. A major British university has also expressed interest in collaborating on the project. Looking further ahead, thought is of course being given co the eventual publication of this diverse and significant site; ideally this would cover all previous work, including the 1924 excavation of the villa by Winbolc." Bue before chat there is still much digging to be done, co ensure that more of the very special archaeology of this unique site is not lost to the oblivion of erosion. If you'd like co gee involved in helping with this cask, please contact the author. Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk I 39 By Alexander Wheaten Church Wood, as an ancient wood, has a history of over eight hundred years, which can be studied in Canterbury Cathedral Archives. Some even earlier history also came to light recently following field walking by adult students of the former School of Continuing Education of the University of Kent ac Canterbury. They found a quantity of various worked Rines e.g. cords and blades in a field previously pare of what had been known as Shore Tenement, which had been pare of Church Wood until the seventeenth century. le is near a stream, the Fishbourne, which comes out of the wood and flows in the direction of the main road (A290), which it crosses, and also of the nearby parish church of St. Cosmos and St. Damian in the Blean. [I] As so much was found it was shown to archaeologists of the university of Manchester and Canterbury Archaeological Trust. The conclusion reached by them was that many of the flints found were either Mesolithic or Neolithic. It seems chat the scream, which flows for over a mile from one end of the wood to the other, attracted people, who chose to be near it. More finds were also recorded from, in or near the stream not far further down the stream by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust. [2] The road that crosses the Fishbourne stream is an old road that comes from the Westgate in Canterbury and is of Roman origin. It went to the north coast possibly to W hitstable or more likely to somewhere near Seasalter. As the road approaches Blean village on the other side of the road is Church Wood. Where there is a village the land is suitable for agriculture as had already been discovered when farm buildings were built there during the Roman period. It also seems chat about this time an attempt was made to create more agricultural land over the road. Ditches found there appear to form a pattern whose character and situation suggest a 'planned field system' of Roman origin; the fact that the possible field system is parallel to the road is significant. [3] This area along the side of the road extends northward as far as neighbouring woods, Crawford's Rough and Mincing Wood. These woods like Church Wood are ancient woods which must date from after the departure of the Romans. The land there did not make good quality farmland. [4] Sometime after the departure of the Romans in the fifth century Kent became a Christian kingdom ready to make endowments to the church including monasteries. Such an 40 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk endowment was made in 724 by JEthelbert, son of Wihtred King of Kent, to one of his cousins Abbess Mildred and her nuns of the convene in Minster in Thanet.5 Some of the land given was described as 'pascua porcorum' in East Kent and some was said to have been 'on blean'. It appears therefore chat this name, in use today, goes back before 724; but it is not known for certain if the woodland containing the pasture for swine was first given the name of Blean after the departure of the Romans by those speaking a language used on the continent as would appear from the definition in the Oxford Book of Place-Names. If the name's origin may have been earlier it may be a version of a similar word in old Welsh 'blaen' .[6] Although the Domesday Book generally does not record large woods in Kent, it states that there was one near Canterbury that was the king's. It does not make it clear that it was part of the Blean woods although it is not likely to have been anywhere else. It does, however, given an estimate of its size 'mille acrae' i.e. a large wood, whose size, as is inevitable, is not exactly the size given in Domesday - a thousand acres. It also described the wood as being unproductive (infructuosa). This description is most likely to mean that it was unproductive because of its situation. Even today the Ble􀂵in woods are renowned for poor quality oaks. [7] When in 1189 Richard I gave Canterbury Cathedral Priory an endowment of a large wood described in the king's charter as 'totum boscum nostrum de Bien' it was co be a piece of land valuable mostly for its healthy underwood. [8] By this gift much more of the Blean woods now ceased co be royal woodland as a result of gifts of endowment principally to monasteries but also co the archbishop. Ac first the name of the wood did not appear on charters giving wood in the Blean. If a name did appear it was 'sorocce' or a version of it such as 'srune'. [9] After some time however, perhaps after two hundred years, the name for Church Wood became Shore Wood. After the charter of 1189 the cathedral priory carried out a great deal of work on the construction of large earthworks around their woods. Some such work was done in 1236 on a woodbank for the wood given by King Richard I. This was, however, a year when very much more was spent 'in fossacis de Pornden' i.e. on woodbanks in Thornden where they had another wood. [10] The lesser amount spent than elsewhere could have been because much had already been done previously in the wood given by King Richard I. Noe long after much work had been done on boundary woodbanks there were changes co the cathedral priory's newly acquired land. In one case the cathedral priory and Leeds priory were involved in a dispute and had to appear before the king's justices concerning woodland in the Blean, some of it co the north of the highway going cowards Canterbury i.e. Watling Street; this was where Leeds priory had a right of common of pasture, which by agreement they surrendered co the cathedral priory in exchange for 150 acres of other land. [l l] This woodland is where at this time archaeologists are conducting investigations co show whether there was occupation of the land in prehistoric times possibly as another hill fore. [12] On the boundary of Church Wood, there are woodbanks unusually of considerable size. In the same year 1278 the cathedral priory gave ninety acres of its wood in the Blean to Sc. Sepulchre's Priory, a convene in Canterbury. This was given in exchange for their giving up an opportunity to collect fuel there. In this case the chirograph gives the boundaries of the wood transferred: to the west of it was Bosindene Wood of Faversham Abbey, co the south the king's highway (regale' viam or Watling Street) elsewhere woodland of the cathedral priory. The woodland received by the nuns came to be known first as Mincing Wood, meaning woodland of nuns and lacer as Manson wood. [13] Next to this wood the main road continues in the direction of Canterbury or to Ospringe with a large woodbank. This was made at a distance back from where those travelling along the road usually used co go. This would have been done to make it more difficult for robbers to surprise passing travellers. This kind of precaution was required by a statute of 1285. [1 4] The space created was called a trench. It is not certain if the woodbank was made before or after the date of the statute. Another woodbank can be seen about a mile away. le is along the northern boundary of the wood and although eroded is up to about four feet in height. [15] An old road followed this boundary on the other side of which are several ancient woods such as Great Oen Lees, until recently owned by Eascbridge Hospital in Canterbury since medieval times. Not long before chose caking part in the peasant's revolt had killed Archbishop Simon Sudbury it had been seen chat there might be trouble coming. The archbishop needed co attend a provincial council in London co adopt measures co be taken against chose doing damage to property of the people of the church (persone ecclesiastice). In the year after the killing of the archbishop in 1382 his successor Thomas Courtenay applied the decisions of that council to those chopping trees in the coppiced wood (silva cedua) in the Blean belonging to the cathedral priory. The archbishop therefore issued a mandate authorising his commissary general to cake measures against chose responsible. [16] About this time would have been a suitable time for other measures co be taken against chose who might cause damage co the wood and also his own wood that adjoined it, North Bishopsden Wood. In this wood there was built a moated site, which could have been used by those responsible for dealing with trespassers as the archbishop would have been aware. [17] After the peasants' revolt and after measures to preserve order had had some success it was possible for the monks and probably most likely for Thomas Chillenden, one of the treasurers and later prior from 1391 co seek to obtain more from managing woods. [18] That this was done can be seen from the lace fourteenth century account rolls of the treasurers of the monastery. Until then little had been recorded of what exactly the woods produced. From the beginning of the fifteenth century however, several foresters' accounts have more detail. Thus accounts for the wood called 'Shurte' or 'Shore' for several years ending at Michaelmas record the cost of making various kinds of faggots in thousands and of cartloads of stubyll; the word stubyl may have meant stumps with their roots but in view of the large amount of it sold over the years it may have come to mean old wood also. Various other items occur, for example in 1413/14 there were 'vynrodd' costing 12d. for the monastery's vineyards; 1434/35 work on repairing a pound for animals ( claustura) for 18d.; in 1437 /38 'lorgh' sold for 22d.; in Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeolog ical Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk I 41 I ......,.. w,a ' ,d.w 1441/2 'oscwode' for hearths; in 1461/ 62 bark for tanning leather ( tan) sold for 15s. 2d. and in 1488/89 an account of Thomas Morys, forester, has the cost of making Advencwode for the approaching winter. The foresters were paid more than sixty shillings for each year. [19] Very little is said in these accounts, which were written in Latin, about timber as they relate almost all of them to coppiced wood. Timber was not normally sold to the public. In the years before the dissolution of the monasteries there were changes in Short Wood as it was now known. A salaried forester for a particular wood or woods does not seem to have been any longer needed to give derailed accounts of the making of the numbers of items previously show. This was, however, before there was a decrease in the demand for wood for fuel. Meanwhile, however, the timber continued to be the monastery's use or of its associates. After che time of the dissolution of monasteries the newly created Dean and Chapter of Canterbury did not have the same needs of amounts of underwood or timber. Many of the monastery's buildings were not required as before. They were also free to sell quantities of both underwood and timber. In the case of timber there therefore was a need to consider what was available after the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury had been recently despoiled of their estates. A survey was therefore commissioned of the timber in their largest woods. The survey was headed "A survey of Shoort alias X't Church Wood" that is co say of Short or Christ Church wood. As 42 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk the largest of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury's woods it was estimated co be of between 1200 and 1400 acres with a total of about 32,000 oaks. The condition of the land varied; the survey seated chat 'about 800 acres is an indifferent good soile but the remainder is generally very barren and poor soile'. The surveyors report added that on the poor soil 'che wood thrived very indifferently and the tillers thrived even worse; the tillers were young oaks allowed to develop into trees from coppiced stools. [20] The timber surveyor's report 1702 was supplemented by an excellent large map by the cartographer Jared Hill in 1718. It is headed 'The map of Christ Church wood'. [21] At the middle of this map is a stream called on the map 'The grill' now known as che Fulbourne; it Aows from the West for about 2 miles through the wood as far as the road co Whitscable and beyond. 1l1ere the road crosses the srream where there had been a bridge since at least the 13th century, when it was called 'fissemanebregge' [22] and the stream 'Vischmannysbourne'. [23] The J 718 map calls the bridge 'Scott bridge' named perhaps after a sponsor when repairs needed co be done. Going cowards Canterbury the map shows a 'moated house' where there is a turning leading co other woods and which may sometime have been the house of wood reeve. The road leads co one of the woods of the archbishop, Stock Wood, which is next to Homestead Wood. This wood is now known as Homestall Wood, where archaeologists are now looking for evidence of a possible very ancient settlement or hill fort. So far images have been produced by lidar which have aroused interest. The woodbanks of Church Wood along the woods hereabouts have Features unlike chose of other wood banks of the cathedral monastery suggesting chat some of chem could dace from before 1189. Woodbanks appearing co have been made after chat dace include the large woodbank and trench along Watling Street. That woodbank extends towards Mincing Wood (now known as Manson Wood), where the boundary of Church Wood turns north cowards another of the archbishops woods, North Bishopsden; this is where there was a recent find of a mediaeval moated site in the middle of the wood. [24] At the north end of this there are the remains of an old pound (clausura) for herding animals pasturing in the woods. The cost of repairs of this were one of the expenses of the monastery's forester of the Shore Wood in the year 1413/14. [25] The pound was situated at a point where ancient tracks crossed. One of these was on the northern boundary of Church Wood with a Woodbank along it , which appears to be made in the 13th century along one side of an ancient road, now disused. This road is called on che 1718 map Mearencold Lane and today as the Radfall Road. On the other side of the road were other ancient woods with their own woodbanks. A mile along this road was another Mincing Wood. The name may refer to the same convent, St. Sepulchres Priory in Canterbury, which owned the Mincing Wood next Watling Street as it owned a number of properties in its day. [26) This wood is not far from fields next to the stream chat crosses the wood where scone age artefacts were found. An account of what the 1718 map can show us is largely about the boundaries of Church Wood and something around them. It shows /.,.,J., I,.).􀀺􀀻 􀀼. 􀀽 •􀀾•U􀀿 e.,t .J.l. c;...􀁀\\ 􀁁 Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology .org.uk I 43 little of tl1e inside tl1e wood except roads or ways and a scream. The only oilier prominent features shown in me middle is me kind of ming to which me surveyors of me 1702 survey drew tl1e attention of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury. They referred co large areas described as 'very barren and poor soile', which muse mean much more man is shown on me 1718 map where the woodland on 'barren land' came to a total of only 104 acres. These barren acres when added to 853 acres of woodland and a total of ways of 59 acres give a total of 1016 acres. When a large part of Church Wood became a nature reserve, in which Mr. Michael Walter became warden, he found consulting the 1 718 map useful as mere were still pares me wood not very fertile. The map also shows mat me condition of me soil did not wholly change over me centuries since me Domesday Book. Towards me end of me 18m century when Edward Hasted was writing his history he may have possibly found some uncertainry about the name of Church Wood. The 1702 survey of oak timber gave two alternative names, one of which was its old mediaeval name Short, spelt in various ways. When me 1718 map was made, it was called 'A mapp of Christ Church Wood', probably the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury's preferred name; but this name was new and the old name was to continue in use for more than a century. These different names existing at me same time could be an explanation why the historian omits to mention its name. He did, have however; give a short description of this wood and its management. He wrote the woods of me Dean and Chapter of Canterbury in the Blean were "reputed to consist of about 1000 acres of land though by measurements made by order of the state mey are said co contain 14 03 acres Or. 30p. they are mostly oak coppice and are felled yearly in portions .... The yearly profit of me oak timber felled of which mere are a great quantities growing over the whole of these woods, is applied to the use of me common fund. [27] At this time mere were of course oilier trees not mentioned by Hasted. One of these, chestnut was to become an important source of hop poles. The planting of these trees had already begun in Hasted's lifetime; stools of chestnut from his time still to be found. The growing of chestnut increased in me 19m century when me management of Church Wood ceased to be in me hands of representatives of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury and passed into the hands of those of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. They appointed Cluttons as their surveyors not only of the woods of deans but also those bishops and archbishops. In this way mey came into possession of mousands of acres of woodland in East Kent. As Church Wood adjoins Norm Bishopsden, which they also managed, a road was made to continue mrough Church Wood into North Bishopsden Wood. Another improvement was mat made to the drainage of the Wood. [28] An attempt was even made to grub out a part of Church Wood so as to create a small farm in the middle of me Wood. The existence of this farm appears on maps at the end of me century but its existence could not last long. The Blean woods are not really very suitable for farming; this is one the reasons why they have continued to survive so long in spite of most attempts to make the land, where they are, more useful for other purposes. At mis time the Church Wood came to be managed together with Norm Bishopsden Wood just as me Dean and Chapter of Canterbury's wood, Thornden Wood, came to be managed with West Blean Wood. The management of Church Wood continued much as before by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners until after the last war. Their successors the 44 I Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Church Com missioners, however, in 1950 received advice from the Forestry Commission which, if followed, might have led to unexpected expense of s􀂓me size. This advice was given as It had been decided mat Blean woods were men in such a condition rhar mey required 'a minimum programme of rehabilitation and replacement' which would have affected among others Church Wood.29 This advice was to lead the Church Commissioners to sell ancient woodland, whose character was changed when new owners began planting many conifers. This kind of advice was nor of the kind rhar might have been given by rhe Nature Conservancy. At that time they were looking for a wood as a nature reserve in ancient woods next to Church Wood. They began by buying Crawford's Rough and Mincing Wood next to the northern boundary of Church Wood in 1953. These two small woods became part of one me first woodland national nature reserves. This reserve was gradually over the years increased in size. Meanwhile however, the planting of chestnut nearby was continuing. It seems that the policy of the Forestry Commission did not wholly agree with the thinking of some omers interest in conservation. Among mese people was not only the Nature Conservancy but also the Royal Sociery for the Protection of Birds, who in 1981 were able to buy 360 acres of the wood. In me following years more woodland was bought e.g. a further 80 acres in the following year. The RSPB regarded much of the wood as threatened and mis purchase was intended to safeguard 'a large part of me remaining woodland in the Blean area'. By 1987 it seems mat more doubts were beginning to arise about the benefits claimed from a programme of rehabilitation and replacement of ancient woodland. Some such doubts had already arisen when the School of Continuing Education at the Universiry of Kent ar Canterbury propo ed a course for adult tudent on the archaeology and ecology of the Blean. The course amacted cudenrs, and the annual report were made and circulated until the closure of the school in 1996. Meanwhile the RSPB warden Michael Walter was able to let the public know not only of birds e.g. nightingales nesting in the wood, but also of activities in the wood generally not only through lectures bur also through many reports in local newspapers. At this time local authorities began to consider what further needed to be done for the conservation of ancient woods and in particular Church Wood. Eventually REFERENCES in 199 l a consortium was formed co purchase those pares of Church Wood which had not already been bought by the RSPB as a nature reserve. These local authorities were the Kent County Council, the Canterbury City Council and the Swale District Council. Together with the RSPB Church Wood was to be managed as one unit by the RSPB's warden Michael Walter, who had already been looking after their wood for over 20 years. In the years chat followed much more of the Blean woods were purchased as nature reserves some of which also came to be managed together with Church Wood. When this happened it was to be most unlikely chat ancient woodland would be grubbed out and that old oak coppice of which Hasted spoke over 200 years before, should be replaced. The history of Church Wood as revealed in the archives of Canterbury Cathedral stretching over 500 years may no doubt be taken into account in any future management plans of Church Wood. (1): W. Holmes and A. Wheaten (eds.), The Blean, (2002), Chapter V, plates 1 (A-D), fig. 4 (Ill to V) and fig.5.1. [2]: R. Cross, 'Broad Oak Water' in Canterbury Archaeology 1991/1992 pp. 42-44. [3]: 0. Rackham, Woodlands, (Collins New Naturalist Series, 2006) p. 215. [4]: Blean (note 1) pp. 23-24. [5]: W. de G. Birch, Cartularium Saxonicum (1865-93) no. 141. [6]: J. K. Wallenberg, Kentish Place-Names, (Uppsala, 1931) p. 63. [7]: Rackham (note 3) p. 80 [8]: CCA: DCc/ChAnt/B/319. [9]: W. Somner, Antiquities of Canterbury, (1703, Reprint by E. P. Publishing) p. 37. [ 10]: CCA: Assisa Scaccarii 4. [11): Calendar of Patent Rolls 1272-1281 p. 266. [12): Kent Archaeological Society Newsletter 2010 no. 86 pp. 14-15. [13): CCA: ChAnt/B/319. [14): Rackham (note 2) pp. 208-210. [15): Blean (note 1) pp. 62-63. [16): CCA: ChAnt/B/334. [17): Blean (note 1) p. 57 & 61. [18): R. A. L. Smith, The Canterbury Cathedral Priory, (1969) pp. 191-192. [19): CCA: Rural Economy 114. [20): CCA: U63/70313. [21): CCA: Map 205. [22): Somner (note 9) Appendix XVII p. 15. [23): CCA: Eastbridge MSS B9. [24): Blean (note 1) p. 57 [25): CCA: Rural Economy 114. [26]: Valor Ecclesiasticus (Record Commission, 1810). [27): Edward Hasted, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: 1st Edition Vol. 3 page 573 note (a). [28]: Ecclesiastical Commissioners: Church Commissioners Records Section file no. 28417. [29): Blean (note 1) p. 41. Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk I 45 ■ 1ne By Don Blackburn 46 I Winter 2016 J Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarchaeology.org.uk RIGHT Model battleship found at Shame Woods Country Park BACKGROUND Example of Leander class cruise - Winter 2016 I Kent Archaeo1oglcal Society \ www.kentarchaeology.org,uk 47 If undelivered, please return to S. Broomfield, 8 Woodview Crescent, Hi ldenborough, Tonbridge, Kent TN11 9HD Copy deadline for the next issue is 1st Feb 2016 The editor wishes to draw attention to the fact that neither he 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. 48 J Winter 2016 J Kent Archaeological Society I www.kentarc haeology.org.uk I Registered Charity No. 223382 EDITOR: RICHARD TAYLOR 87 Darnley Road, Gravesend, DA11 OSQ Telephone: 07722 703 844 Email: newsletter@kentarchaeology.org.uk