KAS Magazine, Issue 116, Summer 2021

Margate Lenham Gravesend Hartlip A man-made underground structure A former military camp rediscovered The Cold War bunker and museum Re-discovery of the Roman Villa THE OLDEST AND LARGEST SOCIETY DEVOTED TO THE HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE ANCIENT COUNTY OF KENT № 116 Summer 2021 06 09 22 12 EXPERIMENTAL MILITARY ARCHAEOLOGY AT DETLING 02 | Kent Archaeological Society PresidentProfessor Kerry Brown Vice PresidentsDr Gerald Cramp Dr Sheila Sweetinburgh Dr Steve Willis Hon. General SecretaryClive Drew secretary@kentarchaeology.org.uk Hon. TreasurerBarrie Beeching treasurer@kentarchaeology.org.uk Hon. Membership SecretaryRachael Hills membership@kentarchaeology.org.uk Hon. EditorTerry G. Lawson honeditor@kentarchaeology.org.uk Hon. CuratorDr Elizabeth Blanning elizabeth.blanning@kentarchaeology.org.uk Hon. LibrarianRuiha Smalley librarian@kentarchaeology.org.uk PressVacant MagazineRichard Taylornewsletter@kentarchaeology.org.uk WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to the Summer 2021 Magazine. We say goodbye to Mike Clinch, who sadly passed away in the spring. Mike was one of the longest-serving members of the Society, a dedicated and vocal Trustee. His humour and no-nonsense approach will be sorely missed. Two UK universities now plan to close their undergraduate teaching programmes, despite a national shortage of trained archaeologists required for the numerous infrastructure projects around the country. In better news, it is good to see the Society and local groups undertaking fieldwork and other projects again positively. This includes a resumption of work at Lees Court Estate in late August, during which the Society undertook training in magnetometry, GNSS surveying and structured metal detecting/ fieldwalking. Speaking of local groups, successful fieldwork and other projects, I’d like to congratulate The editor wishes to draw attention to the fact that neither he nor the KAS Council 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. Richard Emmett. He recently received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for the tireless work carried out by the Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne (HRGS), more of which is covered in this issue. The Magazine remains an outlet for the fantastic heritage and the tremendous work going on out there and to communicate important information. Moreover, it exists so that you, the membership, may convey a broad range of topics devoted to the history and archaeology of Kent. I implore all members, think about writing that article and help inform the wider historical and archaeological community of what is taking place in our heritage-rich and diverse county. Enjoy this issue, stay safe and let’s look forward to times when we can continue to get out and engage with and enjoy the history and archaeology of our county. Best wishes Richard Summer 2021 | 03 CONTENTS FEATURES Obituaries – Michael Clinch – Ernest Black Margate Caves Lenham Camp Surviving Doomsday? The Cold War Bunker at Gravesend Centre for Experimental Military Archaeology at Detling Moir Pillbox discovered at Botany Bay The Re-discovery of Hartlip Roman Villa The Lord Lieutanant presents HRGS with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service The Fashion of Dating Houses – follow-up Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit Allen Grove Fund 05 05 05 06 09 12 17 20 22 26 29 31 32 № 116 SUMMER 2021 6 mi. 10 km 12 22 26 06 20 17 09 President’s Column Notices Membership Matters REGULAR 04 28 30 04 | Kent Archaeological Society Because we live in a fast-changing world, societies like ours have to evolve. That we have a loyal and engaged membership, active and committed trustees, and sound finances because of the work of our Treasurer means that we are in a good position. But we cannot simply stand still. In the next few months, the Society will be receiving plans for our short to medium term future which will have much more detail about what we can do with our resources, what we might be able to achieve, and how we can carry the Society forwards. These are being worked on by a group of people, some of whom have been active in the Society for many years, others who bring a blend of specialist and professional experience. In the next newsletter, I hope to set out some of their ideas and what we have achieved so far. One thing is certain. We have a lot to do. Social media and a host of other things have made even once relatively calm spaces like that of archaeology more contentious than before. In particular, when issues relate to identity, there are immediate strong opinions, one side or another of a debate. A charitable society like the KAS shouldn’t be in the business of partisan politics. But it does need to speak and think about issues that, in the end, reach the domain of political argument more broadly. We hope to set out facts, findings, and ideas and then leave the scene before those other kinds of arguments start. The best we can hope for is that our work informs and constructively directs things. We can’t, and shouldn’t, be in the business of enforcing conclusions. This is one reason why it is essential to take the opportunity given by more online events and activities to bring different perspectives into our work and debates. This is one of the most exciting new opportunities, one of the more positive outcomes of the last two years. In September, we will be hosting a speaker based in the US. In the past, it would have been difficult to imagine being able to pay for Professor Robyn Fleming to take a plane from her home in Boston, stay in the UK a few days, and then address us in person. But thanks to Teams, we can now hear her speak. In mid-September, she will have some important things to say when she addresses us. Her work is tremendous. She marries historical and archaeological records to create a fascinating new narrative of periods when, until recently, evidence has been scant. One of the many exciting things she points out in her new book about the transition from Roman occupation to what she calls the early Mediaeval period (but which is more often PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Kerry Brownlabelled `Anglo-Saxon’) is how rich the archaeological record is in information about women and children, and yet how little documentary evidence carries. A look at Marc Morris’s newly published history of post-5th century Britain illustrates this well. Each of his chapters is built around the story of a particular figure. All of them are men. To be fair, he does explain this at the beginning being down to lack of sufficient material to do it any other way. Even so, deploying archaeological evidence more might have meant he could have written at least something on Folkestone’s Saint Eanswythe, the subject of recent intense work in the county, or even Queen Ethelburga and the evidence of her life and work at Lyminge Church uncovered at another well-publicised dig in 2018-19 (for more see here: https://geopaethas.com/category/anglo-saxon-church/). We hope over the next year to host more talks offering interesting new perspectives, or at least ones that might add something slightly different which can add to our understanding and knowledge. One thing that is reassuring is that there is widespread interest in the history of this county, sometimes from people from far further afield than simply the UK. When there are too many divisions, real and imagined, I hope personally that this work can show how often what links us is far more powerful than the opposite. Thanks for your continuing support for our Society and the public benefit that we strive to deliver. Best wishes, Kerry BrownPresident Summer 2021 | 05 OBITUARIES ERNEST BLACK (1951–2021) On Friday 12th February 2021, Ernest Black of Colchester died in hospital of Covid and underlying illnesses, just two days after his 70th birthday. Ernest grew up in Surrey and went to Kingston Grammar School before reading Classics and Ancient History at Wadham College, Oxford, and then studying for a Masters degree in the History and Archaeology of Roman Britain at Keele University. A professional career teaching Classics at school level followed, starting in Durham, then moving to Brentford, before ending at Colchester in 2011. Professor Martin Henig, one of Ernest’s tutors at Oxford, has informed me that Ernest chose school teaching as a profession because he thought it ‘would allow him to have more time for research.’ Indeed, both during and after retiring from teaching, Ernest spent most of his leisure time investigating, without excavating, various aspects of Roman Britain, especially in the South-East. He used site reports, other literary of the flue-tiles recovered from the East Wear Bay, Folkestone villa. He most generously also provided funding for ongoing work by Susan Pringle on the other Roman tile finds from the villa. Ernest had a sharp mind and looked at the archaeological evidence very logically. In addition to his own major achievements, he was always very generous with his knowledge, help and encouragement. He will be much missed, and we have lost an important scholar of Roman Britain. David Rudlingsources, and primary sources (finds) regarding the study of Roman tiles, which were a particular interest of his, especially roller-stamped flue-tiles. He was a prolific author about his discoveries and conclusions and published in various county and national journals and conference proceedings. He also produced two important British Archaeological Report volumes, the first in 1987 (BAR BS 171) on The Roman Villas of South-East England, the other in 1995 (BAR BS 241) entitled Cursus Publicus, The infrastructure of government in Roman Britain. He was also a co-author with Ian Betts and John Gower of A Corpus of Relief-Patterned Tiles in Roman Britain (Journal of Roman Pottery Studies 7, 1997). Regarding the archaeology of Kent specifically, Ernest’s publications include ‘The Roman villa at Darenth’ (Archaeol. Cantiana 97, 159-84) and ‘A Roman tile kiln and a small hoard of sestercii at Bircholt Farm, Brabourne, Kent’ (Archaeol. Cantiana 141, 221-44). Ernest’s most recent finds work also involved a Kent site and consisted of a study MICHAEL CLINCH (1933–2021) Sadly Vice President Mike Clinch passed away aged 88 on the 12th May 2021, just a few days before the AGM. Mike joined the Kent Archaeological Society in 1954 and was one of our longest-standing members. He was elected a member of Council in 2008 and became a Vice President in 2014, and served on several committees. He was the secretary of the Historic Buildings Committee and the Industrial Archaeology Committee and organised several successful conferences. His primary interest was underground features and mining archaeology, and he was a very efficient secretary and newsletter editor of the Kent Underground Research Group (KURG) for fourteen years. He gave many talks across the county on Kent’s underground sites and was a very popular and entertaining speaker. He will be remembered as a kind, generous man, always willing to share his considerable experience, knowledge and witty reminiscences. He will be missed by all KAS and KURG members that knew him. A fuller tribute to Mike will be printed in the next volume of Archaeologia Cantiana. Rod LeGear 06 | Kent Archaeological Society MARGATE CAVES By Rod LeGear The man-made underground structure known as Margate Caves was initially dug as a small chalk mine to procure chalk to burn for lime, with approximately 2000 tonnes removed during its active life. Sometime after abandonment, it was rediscovered and adapted for use as a wine store, ice well and later was opened to the general public in 1863. It remained open on and off as a popular visitor attraction until 2004, when it was forced to close by the Health and Safety Executive because of safety concerns. The local community objected strongly to plans to build over the site, and the Friends of Margate Caves was formed to save the Caves from being permanently sealed. In 2013 a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, The Margate Caves Community Education Trust (TMCCET), was formed to secure a long-term lease and raise funds needed to re-open the Caves. Remedial work was undertaken so that the Caves were structurally sound and fully complied with modern-day safety regulations. In conjunction, an archivist was appointed to collate artefacts and archival material relevant to the Caves and research its history, testing and challenging the hitherto accepted ‘facts’ as necessary. This occasioned a significant revision of its history, the results of which, with referenced sources, are now lodged in the Margate Caves Archive. The Caves site is located at 1, Northdown Road, Cliftonville, Margate, Kent, CT9 1FG and is centred on NGR TR 3573 7114. The Caves consist of several lofty hand-cut chalk galleries up to 9m high leading from a rectangular shaft, with other tunnels cut at right angles to form pillars of unworked chalk to support the ground above. At the end of the northern chamber, a short passage leads to a well shaft more than 13m deep, which continues 8m upwards to the surface where it is capped. This passage also gives access to the modern emergency exit stairs. The northern chamber also contains the bricked-up remains of an old entrance stairway. A low passage leads to a small circular chamber, which has another small passage that links with the northeast gallery. TopFig 1: Inside the caves – image of King George depicted as a farmer BottomFig 2: Plan of Margate Caves Summer 2021 | 07 AboveFig 3: View of typical gallery found in Margate Caves Below, leftFig 4: The Thanet Hunt Below, rightFig 5: Paintings on view throughout the Margate Caves Both of the western galleries have small blocked shafts in the roof that once opened to the surface. The two western galleries are linked by a short tunnel excavated post-extraction. Off of one of the western galleries, a small round chamber has been excavated in the floor in the entrance to a former ovoid-shaped ice well. The other western gallery contains the entrance to a second ice well. The two ice wells are linked together by a small tunnel at a lower level and joined by a short passage to the main caves. A long sloping tunnel leads up to the surface and forms the modern entrance. The site’s history, as given in old guide books, states that in the latter half of the 18th century, a gentleman named Francis Forster built a large red-brick house on the site, which he called Northumberland House. In 1798 his gardener, whilst digging behind the building, discovered the Caves. Research by archivist Chris Pearson has shown that the given discovery date of 1798 is highly dubious. The red brick mansion was probably built sometime in the 1780s by Captain Hooper, who had built a horizontal mill and another mansion called Hooper House nearby. By 1791, it was in the occupation of Mrs Margaret Bryan who ran a girls’ boarding school on the premises, which was named Bryan House at that time. The house was renamed Northumberland House by Francis Forster when he acquired the property in 1807. After the Caves were accidentally found, Forster enthusiastically started to convert the underground space for his amusement and made many alterations, including constructing a proper entrance, connecting a well shaft to the caves, and digging two ice wells. He had several murals painted on the chalk walls, retouched many times over the years, and new ones added. Some of the original paintings have faded to almost nothing and today can just be made out as faint ghost images. Forster used the caves as a wine cellar and often entertained his friends with underground parties. When he died in 1835, the caves were abandoned and neglected until 1863, when a local shopkeeper and entrepreneur, John Norwood, rented them from the landowner and opened them to the paying public. However, it seems the enterprise only lasted a few years. 08 | Kent Archaeological Society TopFig 6: Community Excavation BottomFig 7: Crouch Burial Several years later, the western half of Northumberland House had become the vicarage of the nearby, newly constructed Holy Trinity Church. In 1907 the vicar, Dr Pryor, became very interested in the caves and set about clearing out debris and rubbish and opening them to the public. The caves remained a popular tourist attraction up until 2004, when safety concerns forced them to close. TMCCET took over the site and secured funds to enable the caves to be safely opened again. Plans for a new purpose-built visitor’s centre incorporating a ticket office, café, community rooms and an interpretation room that would give the history of the Caves and their context in the local landscape were submitted and approved. Before the erection of the new visitor centre, the Trust commissioned an archaeological evaluation of the site that was undertaken by the Swale and Thames Archaeological Survey Company (SWAT) in April 2018. The Trust insisted that it was conducted as a community-based project with members of the public encouraged to participate under the guidance of professional archaeologists. This was highly successful, with a large number of volunteers helping to uncover the past landscape. The two-week excavation found the continuation of an Iron Age ditch found during a Canterbury Archaeological Trust excavation nearby in 2012 and evidence of occupation in the Bronze and Iron Age, with finds including a crouched burial of a 34-year-old Iron Age male which was excavated on the last day of the dig by an enthusiastic young volunteer. The archaeology examined by SWAT is likely to be an extension of an enclosed settlement associated with the possible promontory Hill Fort some 250m away. Some of the finds are now on display in the Margate Caves visitor centre. A more detailed referenced history of the caves can be seen at: https://kentarchaeology.org.uk/publications/member-publications/margate-caves-cliftonville and on the Cave’s website: https://www.margatecaves.co.uk/ Summer 2021 | 09 TopFig 1: Map of Lenham camp MiddleFig 2: Cox Heath camp BottomFig 3: Sir Horatio Mann, Second Baronet By Henny Shotter LENHAM CAMP A field called ‘Camp Field’, a tune called ‘Lenham Camp’ and a poem written at ‘Lenham Camp’ are unmissable clues that there was a military camp in Lenham. Still, it seemed to have been forgotten until rediscovered by members of Lenham Heritage Society some time ago. Just before lockdown in 2020, the Royal Collection published military maps collected by George III. Among these, there is the map of Lenham Camp1. The encamped regiments shown in Fig 1 are the Berkshire Militia (light blue on the map), Northamptonshire Militia (black on the map), Montgomeryshire Militia (blue on the map), 16th Dragoons/Light Horse (blue on the map) and 20th Dragoons/Light Horse (yellow on the map). The location of the Camp required figuring out. In Lenham Heath, to the west of Bull Hill and the north of Lenham Heath Road. Lenham Heath Road was, at that time, a major route from London to the coast. In one of the corners of the Camp was the ammunition magazine. The place is still locally known as ‘The Magazine’. ‘Camp Field’ is close to the Iron Age/Roman site near Mount Castle. Due to the Camp’s proximity to this site, it was assumed for some time that the name (i.e. Lenham Camp) points to a Roman connection. Lord Radnor, commissioned as a Captain in the Northamptonshire Regiment2 of Militia on 27th September 1779, was stationed at Lenham Camp and later presented a coin hoard discovered near the Camp to the British Museum. There were several George III camps in Kent. The London Gazette of 19th May 1781 names Chatham, Lenham and Cox Heath. We assume that it was due to the influence of the Mann and Cornwallis Family that the Cox Heath Camp and Lenham Heath Camp were established. The Manor House of Boughton Malherbe and Linton were in their ownership. Horatio Mann’s sister Catherine was married to the Reverend James Cornwallis, between 1773 and 1785 rector of Boughton Malherbe. He was the younger brother of Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, who fought in the American War of Independence and surrendered to the Americans in 1781 3. Cox Heath Camp4 was the largest Camp in Kent and was famous for frivolous activities5 involving famous ladies and scandals such as the ‘Hanoverian Standoff’6. 10 | Kent Archaeological Society The Camp was subject to theatre plays and gossip in the papers, which would make some modern Royals fume. There was even a novel written: ‘Coxheath Camp: a novel in a series of letters. By a lady in two volumes.’7 The Camp in Lenham had its scandals. One was reported in the Kentish Gazette of 6th September 1882 and possibly involved either John Hamilton of Chilston Park or Horatio Mann of Boughton Malherbe8, a keen hunter (Fig 3). The Kentish Gazette reported that a gentleman’ remarkable tenacious of his game’ had launched a formal complaint that the Light Dragoons had been shooting too close to his premises. The General firmly denied the allegation, much to the embarrassment of the gentleman (who, seemingly, was not used to being rebuked). However, the affair was not finished. An unknown poet took to his quill and published a poem in which the gentleman was ridiculed9: ‘Oh, me! How bless’d are happier Galeias skies,No hare is murdered and no partridge dies. Ah, me! How bless’d are Gallia’s richer sons, Whose game is sacred even from soldiers’ guns. In that dear land for lords of manors meet, The lord reigns monarch of his ancient seat.’ The poet laments that he would be better off in France (the old enemy). ‘Of that poor pension-let me fly, let me fly,And with my cash reclaimed a lordship buy! In France thrice glorious! Lords of Manors sell Their quails and pheasants by the market bell. Here Venison only to the market goes, Our English squires send only Bucks and Does. Oh, how I envy Gaul her wiser laws,’. Another poem, ‘The Disbanded Subaltern’, also written at Lenham Camp, is more widely distributed. Initially, in 2018, Lenham Heritage Society was made aware of a poem written, as stated on the cover of a Google book edition, at Lenham Camp by one William Carter (possibly a pseudonym): The Disbanded Subaltern. The book is widely available on the internet and as a reprint by the British Library. We assume this ubiquity is because another book, which describes the ‘Battle of Bunker Hill’, is attributed to the same author10: A genuine detail of the several engagements, positions, and movements of the Royal and American armies, with an accurate account of the blockade of Boston and a plan of the works on Bunker’s Hill, at the time it was abandoned by His Majesty’s forces, on 17th March 1776. The book cover shows a motto: ‘Cedant arma togae’, which translates to: ‘Let arms concede to the toga (Let war yield to diplomacy)’, which goes back to Cicero’s De Officiis 1, 22. The motto gives a clue about the outcome of the story. The poem, actually an ‘epistle’ or letter, is addressed to a ‘friend’, as is the book about Bunker Hill. The author’s name is possibly a pseudonym. TopFig 4: The Disbanded Subaltern MiddleFig 5: Grenadier of the 40th Regiment of Foot in 1767 BottomFig 6: Lenham Camp Cover Summer 2021 | 11 There has been much debate ever since the book was published about whether he was indeed a lawyer who belonged to the militia for some time and never saw a battle or was a career military man11.Opinions differed, too, in the discussions of Lenham Heritage Society members. If he had been at war himself, would he have needed to draw so extensively from the wartime experiences of a former neighbour and war veteran named Tenaille (page 12): ‘You knew Tenaille who occupied of late The snug brick house which fronts our paddock gate:.’ Tenaille seemingly fought in the War of Austrian secession at Dettingen (1740), where the British army and their allies were victorious and at Fontenay (1745), where they lost. The author dedicates two and a half pages to Tenaille’s accounts of army life. Why, if he could have drawn from his own experiences? The poem starts with an atmospheric description of the Camp, which, remarkably, reflects the views from Camp Field in Lenham Heath: The midday sun shines over the Camp. The narrator lies listlessly on his bed of straw. The soldiers on guard the previous night sleep blissfully or dream of encounters on their nightly rounds. Others attend to their weapons, clean their belts or repair their worn clothes. Others fill the long hot day with poor jokes or tuneless songs. One moment the steaming land seems to dance in mockery, then the next, the land lies in stillness, and you only hear the lads in the Camp’s kitchen greeting their comrades. Down at the bottom of the hillside lies a pond that feeds a mill. He looks at the rich colours of the land and the varied landscape, the fields of waving gold, the jutting quarry face (these chalk quarry faces on the Downs are overgrown today and no longer visible) and the grey of the fallow land. Some sun-burnt soldiers wash and enjoy the freshness of the water. A piper breaks the drowsy spell hanging over the Camp and forces the men to move on. In his contemplation, he compares the gregarious joys of army life with the dull life of a lawyer in London. The soldiers are admired by pretty girls when they march through the villages in their shiny uniforms12. When calling in at a hostelry, they are made welcome by the landlord, who might even give them their drink for free. They sing and chant while walking in the fresh air and enjoy much camaraderie. This compares poorly with the life of a London lawyer, which he led before. The London light is dim, the air full of foul smells from animals and people, and the colleagues haughty and reserved. After this comparison, it comes as somewhat of a surprise that he decides to go back to his chosen profession as a lawyer. Maybe he didn’t have a choice, as the American War of Independence had been lost, the feeling of loss was natural for many, and large sectors of the army were disbanded. A tune called ‘Lenham Camp’ was collected by Robert Thomas Bottle of Harrietsham (1761-1849) and published under Faversham Papers 110 in 201013. The music was discovered, compiled and edited by George Frampton with help from his friend Paul Malyon. In his foreword, Frampton speculates about the potential existence of a camp in Lenham, as there was a proliferation of local dance music from this period. The tune was performed by Gail Duff for the Lenham Heritage Society and provided a cheerful conclusion to the research into this topic. Acknowledgements Thank you to Gail Duff, Steve Finnis, Lesley Feakes, Gail Grieg, Richard Maylam, Amy Myers and Annette Tomarken for their help and advice. Notes 1 Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Pleydell-Bouverie,_2nd_Earl_of_Radnor 3 An interesting link to the topic is here: https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/surrender-british-general-cornwallis-americans-october-19 4 Contemporary, image in the public domain, thanks to Wikimedia 5 These activities are vividly described here: https://blog.adkinshistory.com/coxheath-camp/ 6 http://nelsonlambert.blogspot.com/2011/07/hanoverian-standoff-maidstone-affair-of.html 7 First published in 1779, re-printed as paperback in 2010 by the British Library 8 Image in the public domain, thanks to wikipedia 9 Lilian-Boys Behrens, ‘Love-Smugglers and Naval Heroes’ London: Cecil Palmer, 1929. First edition, p. 156-157 10 Free to read as google book: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/A_Genuine_Detail_of_the_Several_Engageme/1jFEAQAAMAAJ?hl=enhttpsenhttps://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/browse?type=lcsubc&key=Carter%2c%20William%2c%20Lieutenant%20in%20the%2040th%20Regiment%20of%20Foot&c=x 11 See: The monthly Catalogue of Poetry, 1881, page 148 12 Image in the public domain courtesy of Wikipedia. The hat of this uniform is of a new type. The traditional style was broad rimmed made of beaver skin and in shape similar to the hat Napoleon wore. The broad rim often interfered with the musket when it was shouldered or when it was aimed at a target. The new style was more musket-friendly. 13 The collection of tunes is available from the Fleur de Lys Heritage Centre in Faversham 12 | Kent Archaeological Society SURVIVING DOOMSDAY? THE COLD WAR BUNKER AT GRAVESEND By Victor Smith Imagine that it is 1960: Gravesend and Kent Thameside are a blasted and irradiated landscape, the apocalyptic result of a nuclear explosion over Tilbury Docks and the nearby power stations: where there had been buildings, there is now a formless expanse of rubble, blocked roads and scorched ground; where there was life, there is death. Overhead, a radioactive cloud from a half-dozen detonations elsewhere rains down a lethal fallout. On the edge of the area of devastation, there are barely alive, horrifically injured victims as well as displaced and traumatized wanderers, terminally ill with radiation sickness. There are the beginnings of starvation. But in the civil defence control centre in a bunker under Woodlands Park, a mile and a half inland from ground zero, a small group of volunteer staff from the Civil Defence Corps and several officials from Gravesend’s council are still alive, at least for now. But, the entrances to the bunker are half-filled with debris blasted across from nearby buildings. Debris has also partially blocked the air intakes, and the radio mast has been knocked down by flying rubble. All telecommunications have failed, and the team inside the bunker are trapped. They desperately need to free themselves and find out what has happened to the population outside and whether there are people within their operational area to save and any surviving civil defence rescue parties with whom to contact. Just moving the debris to get out will expose those involved to deadly radiation. What they initially see of the world around them on emerging produces deep shock and, despite their training, a feeling of futility. Exacerbated by the use of biological weapons and persistent chemical agents, TopFig 1: Zones of Destruction in Gravesham BottomFig 2: Plan of Cold War Bunker at Gravesend Summer 2021 | 13 a devastating nuclear bombardment across the country, including the use of at least one cobalt enhanced radiation weapon, has led to widespread destruction and dislocation of the sinews of existence. There is pervading general despair and a sense of hopelessness. In their suffering, some even envy the dead. There is a belief that it is the end of the world. This grim but not unrealistic vision of ‘what might have been’ is integral to an understanding of Gravesend’s Cold War bunker. It is an archaeological reminder of governmental and widespread anxieties that Britain might come to be enveloped by a devastating nuclear conflict with Russia. Built in 1954, decommissioned in 1968 and mothballed until complete discontinuance in 1974, it is a well-preserved example of a command post from the early Cold War for the local coordination of civil defence, whose operations were largely reflective of the pattern of organization across the country. After discovering its existence in 1995, The New Tavern Fort Project (renamed Thames Defence Heritage in 2000) began, in partnership with Gravesham Borough Council, to make the bunker into a setting for a Cold War heritage centre, starting with the creation of a replica Royal Observer Corps radiation monitoring post in one of the rooms. However, it soon became apparent that the rarity value of the bunker demanded display almost wholly as a Civil Defence Control Centre. It was then painstakingly restored, refurnished and re-equipped for that purpose. In doing so, the building has become an evocative time capsule of the national preparations in the 1950s and 60s against the threat of nuclear Armageddon. Indeed, once the doors are closed against the outside world, it is not hard to visualise this nightmare. At the foot of steps from inside the park, a corridor leads into 13 rooms. These include those to which civil defence message carriers were to bring information and from which to take away orders, a communications centre with telephones, teleprinters and a wireless transmitter and a liaison room for communication TopFig 3: Cutaway view of Cold War Bunker at Gravesend Middle, leftFig 4: Entrance to Cold War Bunker at Gravesend Middle, rightFig 5: The corridor in the bunker BottomFig 6: Teleprinters in the Message Room 14 | Kent Archaeological Society with outside forces such as the Fire Brigade, Police and the Territorial Army. There are two control rooms in which the difficult life and death decisions would have been taken to prioritise the places for the deployment of rescue services pre-positioned outside if any remained. If the electricity should fail, an emergency generator and air filtration equipment against radioactive or chemically contaminated air were provided in a dedicated plant room. Volunteers, both men and women, were expected to be closed down inside for some time, and there was a kitchenette and small dormitory rooms, whose occupants would, at best, have had a troubled sleep. All of this would, in theory, have worked according to plan if responding to the collateral effects on the Gravesend and surrounding areas of an attack elsewhere, say on the Chatham naval base or, with a larger bomb, on London. Unfortunately, the generality of infrastructural assets, including ports and power supply, such as those of the Thames nearby, were not absent from Soviet target lists. This led to the possibility of more devastating local destruction, injury and death. Although other Cold War bunkers had been opened to visitors, there was no example of a restored local civil defence control centre as a guiding frame of reference. Therefore, fundamental new research had to be undertaken. Other discontinued local bunkers were visited for comparison with Gravesend, personal recollections recorded and thousands of sheets of original records, civil defence manuals and what contemporary photographic evidence there was studied. It was possible to make a general plan of action and evolve a scheme for historical layouts from all this. The next step was, through continuing research, to decide in detail upon the exact nature of the furnishings and items of equipment to be obtained and how to find them. Generous donors such as the Post Office, the Home Office, Gravesham Borough, Kent County, Medway and Reigate Councils, the Fort Amherst Top, leftFig 7: Communications centre of Message Room Top, rightFig 8: In the control room Bottom, leftFig 9: Liaison Officers’ room with switchboard Bottom, rightFig 10: One of the dormitoriesand Lines Trust, Dr James Fox and others, gave teleprinters, typewriters, telephonists’ chairs, bunk beds, mattresses, filing cabinets, tables and more besides. Wooden chairs of a type used in most bunker rooms were obtained from second-hand shops, a telephone switchboard from an antique shop and a Baby Belling cooker for the kitchenette from another council bunker. Summer 2021 | 15 These acquisitions sometimes involved numerous journeys of collection to various parts of the country. Obtaining uniforms and civilian undergarments for washing lines in the lavatories required additional research and travel to diverse sources. Smaller items for tabletops were acquired over time, but candlestick telephones had to be fabricated because of the cost of originals. The correctly achieved overall effect was almost that of the 1950s/60s offices and a telephone exchange, if with a doom-laden bunker ambience, reinforced by the display of civil defence resource boards, maps for plotting destruction, protective helmets, gas masks, casualty stretchers and more besides. With the support of researched speaking notes for the guides, the bunker first opened to the public in 2000, although not all re-equipment had taken place at that date. A regime for public access was then gradually refined, including a plenary introductory briefing for each group, the use of video and division into smaller parties for a guided tour. The claustrophobic life within the bunker is explained, even how entry might have had to be defended by lethal force in the event of desperate, starving, and increasingly lawless people outside attempting to break in to seize food. The Royal Observer Corps Post has been retained, explaining that it was not part of the civil defence control centre but a representation of one of a national network of such posts outside and across the country. This has proved to be a very popular and, given the context, germane attraction. Top, leftFig 11: Washing line in the ladies’ toilet Top, rightFig 12: Ladies dormitory MiddleFig 13: One of the urinals BottomFig 14: Taking radiation readings outside the bunker 16 | Kent Archaeological Society The bunker was ceremonially opened as a museum in 2004 to mark the 50th year since its construction. The event was attended by a government minister and local MP, Christopher Pond, senior council officials and other guests, including George Rattray, the bunker builder. Quite remarkably, given the history of hostility between the West and the East, the event was also attended by Pavel Andreyev, an Attache at the Russian Embassy in London. He, together with George Rattray, unveiled a commemorative plaque and gave a well-judged speech. Although curiously, BBC Television filmed the event, Pavel Andreyev’s address did not feature in the broadcast. Thanks to the assistance of local MP and a Member of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, Adam Holloway, a nuclear bomb was donated by the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Air Force for display inside the bunker. This exhibit impresses visitors and is a reminder of the reality of the threat that existed. The overall aim of the presentation of the bunker was to create an appearance suggestive of a civil defence control centre, prepared and ready for action, indeed as though the staff had just popped out for a moment. This has been achieved. Because the interior looks not dissimilar from a 1940s setting, it was chosen to film part of the 2011 Sean Bean film, Age of Heroes, regularly screened on television. Now a Grade II Listed Building, the bunker is a flourishing heritage attraction, as shown by the number of visitors who continue to book month after month for the guided tours. It depends on the unrivalled knowledge and skill of the volunteer guides and the continuing acquisition of historical information and artefacts to enhance the displays. The bunker re-opened to the public in August for the first time since Covid-related closure. Visits may be booked via Gravesham’s Tourist Information at info@visitgravesend.co.uk or by telephone on 01474 337600. The writer has published a new booklet on the bunker by the Gravesend Historical Society and Thames Defence Heritage. This is entitled Preparing for Armageddon: the story of Gravesend’s Cold War bunker (ISBN 978-1-9999842-1-2). There are 64 illustrations, many of them in colour. This strengthens the historical presentation of the bunker for visitors and the wider reading public and incorporates the result of extensive documentary research. The cost of printing has been generously supported by grants from the Council for Kentish Archaeology and Subterranea Britannica. TopFig 15: Nuclear bomb on display Below, leftFig 16: Front cover of Preparing for ArmageddonBelow, rightFig 17: Page excerpt from Preparing for Armageddon The quickest routes to purchase this booklet are in person via the Tourist Information stall in Gravesend Market at the rear of the Old Town Hall in Gravesend High Street or by application to sandrasoder@yahoo.co.uk. Alternatively, you may write to her at 58 Vicarage Lane, Chalk, Gravesend, DA12 4TE. The booklet is priced at £2.50 plus £1.80 for 2nd class postage and packing (total £4.30). Summer 2021 | 17 By David Flintham CENTRE FOR EXPERIMENTAL MILITARY ARCHAEOLOGY AT DETLING TopFig 1: Deep in the Detling woods a world of military experimentation is being constructed BottomFig 2: British World War One trench reconstruction Experimental Military Archaeology How often has anyone visiting the site of a battlefield or siege wondered just how things would have looked at the time? How were the various features, now no more than a series of lumps and bumps in the landscape, constructed? In the absence of a time machine, it is only through reconstruction that this question can be answered. Of course, a level of reconstruction is possible through the skills of an artist or the application of digital technology, but this provides few clues as to how something was built and what it took actually to build it. Experimental archaeology can provide the missing piece of this jigsaw, demonstrating the practical application of something that might otherwise remain as just a theory. However, reconstruction on this scale is no small undertaking. Yet this is just what the Centre for Experimental Military Archaeology (CEMA) has been created to do. CEMA’s vision is to be the home for pan-historical experimentation concerning military attack and defence methods and the day-to-day lives of soldiers through 2,000 years of history: from Roman times to the Second World War. In so doing, becoming a location where military engineering from across the centuries can be investigated, interpreted, constructed and tested. Led by Andy Robertshaw (whose impressive CV includes extensive investigative work on the Western Front and the historical advisor to Steven Spielberg, Sam Mendes, and Peter Jackson), CEMA is a multi-period site for learning and filming. It was established in early 2021 at the Kent Event Centre in Detling. A Military Heritage The site itself has an impressive military heritage, with more than 20 centuries of history having passed close by. Nearby is the likely location of a Roman watchtower, built on a site that would be occupied for the next 1,000 years (there are indications of both Saxon and Norman activity), whilst to the northeast, there is a well-preserved site of a motte-and-bailey castle. Just three miles away is Maidstone, which was the site of a Royalist defeat in June 1648 during the second English Civil War. 18 | Kent Archaeological Society More recently, a defensive line, known as the Chatham Land Front, was built in 1914-15 to protect Chatham and its docks from attack from the Channel coast. This impressive piece of military engineering crossed the Detling site, and its trenches, pillboxes and gun positions were subsequently used to train troops destined for the Western Front. In 1916, the Royal Naval Air Service established a base at Detling, and later RNAS Detling was taken over by the Royal Air Force, becoming RAF Detling. During the Second World War, RAF Detling was home to single-engine fighters, twin-engine light bombers and coastal patrol aircraft. A Detling-based Avro Anson of 500 Squadron famously shot down two Messerschmitt BF109E fighters and damaged a third whilst on patrol over Dunkirk on 1 June 1940. On 13 August, during the Battle of Britain, the airfield was attacked by Junkers JU87 Stuka dive-bombers, which resulted in the deaths of 67 personnel (including the station commander), with a further 94 injured. Probable fragments of enemy bombs were uncovered during initial work on the site in March 2021. Also, in 1940, various anti-invasion defences were constructed, including pillboxes and anti-glider measures, remains of which are still visible today. CEMA’s first six months Working in collaboration with Wessex Archaeology and the University of Kent, CEMA aims to provide research and education using cutting-edge technology and more traditional means. The first project for CEMA was to construct a length of British World War One ‘A’-framed trench, complete with a dugout and other features common to British trenches along the Western Front during the second half of the conflict. This has been followed by the construction of a Moir machine gun pillbox (this 1918 design was constructed from interlocking precast concrete blocks, the blocks being cast at Richborough in Kent). The blocks for CEMA’s example having been donated and then moved from a site close to where they were originally produced. In the future, it is intended to construct lengths of both French and German trenches. Later in 2021, work will commence on the first non-Great War project, some English Civil War fieldworks: this will initially be the construction of gabions (both the ‘permanent’ 6ft type and the more ‘moveable’ 3ft type) and fascines, with actual earthworks to follow. When more and more history is being presented in digital formats such as YouTube, podcasts, virtual reality, and the more traditional film and television, historically accurate locations where filming can take place are becoming increasingly important. So less than six months after its initial creation, several film crews have already visited CEMA. BelowFigs 3–5: British World War One trench reconstruction with volunteers manning the trenches Summer 2021 | 19 Hosting education is another vital purpose for CEMA. Several schools and colleges, who are currently unable to visit the Western Front itself, are already booked in for visits in the autumn. In addition to filmmakers, schools, and universities, CEMA is also open to visits by other tour groups. On 2 July 2021, the centre welcomed its first ever school visit. Following this visit, the school’s Head of History wrote: “CEMA did an excellent job in putting on a range of activities and presentations for 100 of our Year 9 pupils. All the presenters were excellent, had a very good rapport with the pupils, and covered a wide range of Great War topics including food and medicine. The reconstructed trench was a real highlight, and more authentic looking in fact, than anything you’ll see in Flanders. Having taken pupils on various History trips for over 30 years, this was right up there amongst the best of them. If you can’t get to France or Belgium and/or want a UK based alternative, then this is very much the best thing.” Ultimately, it is envisaged that in the future, not all of CEMA’s activities will take place at its Detling HQ, and it is intended that CEMA’s role as a centre of learning will enable the knowledge and skills gained by participants to be ultimately transferred to sites elsewhere in the country. CEMA has already welcomed volunteers from various backgrounds and interests, including re-enactors, archaeologists, and academic and non-academic military historians. Each brings particular talents vital to an initiative such as this, but new volunteers are always welcome. To find out more, including how to participate, visit https://cemahistory.org/ AboveFig 6: Moir machine gun pillbox awaiting reconstruction BelowFigs 7–10: Reconstruction of World War One dugout, plus internal views of dugout 20 | Kent Archaeological Society MOIR PILLBOX DISCOVERED AT BOTANY BAY By Phil Hodges I was initially made aware of the WW1 Moir pillbox when a friend who runs a social media page called ‘Thanet Hidden History’ told me that a ‘pillbox type structure’ had been found on a beach close to where I live. I was a little confused at first as the area that this was reported to be at was an area of beach that had been the site of a WW2 fougasse pipe. The fougasse pipe had initially been run along a section of concrete segments out to sea. It was intended to carry a petroleum/oil mix to flood the sea and be lit if the Germans had attempted a seaborne invasion during WW2. The pipe had long disappeared, but I was very familiar with the concrete segments that still lay in the sand. Upon visiting the site, I was amazed to see that some of the loose concrete segments had been lifted and placed into a circular shape. It soon became apparent that it did indeed look like a pillbox and a familiar one at that! After a little investigating online, it was discovered that the segments were indeed a WW1 pillbox called a Moir (after its inventor Sir Ernest Moir). The following is a passage by the South East History Boards provides details of the Moir pillbox trials: Designed and patented by Sir Ernest Moir, Minister of Armaments, the original design for the Moir pillbox gave it a mounting for a Vickers machine gun. Neither the Lewis or the Hotchkiss machine gun could be mounted, but it was found to be practical to fire these from the shoulder with the gunner leaning against the Vickers mounting. The Vickers gun would (in ideal circumstances) have been fitted with a ‘muzzle cup’ to deflect the gas from the muzzle forwards and out of the pillbox. However, during tests at Shoeburyness in early 1918, TopFig 1: Moir Pillbox at Botany Bay BottomFig 2: Andy Robertshaw (l) and author (r) with the ‘original’ beach pillbox the firer taking part in the trial was overcome from the gases when using nitro-cellulose ammunition after firing 1500 rounds. No ill-effects were found with cordite ammunition. The three other occupants of the Moir pillbox were less affected than the gunner, but were stated to have been ‘by no means happy’. After a short pause, a Lt. Colonel Clarke went in with the original occupants and fired the gun himself, letting off around 500 rounds. The three soldiers that accompanied him were badly affected again, and Lt. Col Clarke said that he did not think he could have fired another 250 rounds. Soldiers had utilised the blocks during WW2 for the fougasse pipe. It was a familiar pillbox to me as there are two such pillboxes on the ramparts at Ypres, Belgium; an area I visited a lot and, of course, is infamous for its destruction during the First World War. Myself and Andy (Robertshaw) revisited the beach on several occasions and managed (quite literally) to piece the thing together. Andy confirmed the find, and despite the weight of approx 75-80 kilos per concrete section (48 sections Summer 2021 | 21 make the pillbox), we tried to secure the pillbox for use within the trench as rumour had spread that the local council saw the construction as a health and safety risk and were to remove it to a ‘place unknown’. After contacting the local authorities and making several enquiries, we were reassured we could preserve the pillbox by moving it to the Detling site as the pillbox would remain in Kent. With the provision, we could arrange transport. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown and after some time, the council removed the pillbox, seemingly disappearing! It looked like we faced a brick wall suddenly ...or indeed one made of concrete! After further research, I found out the pillbox segments were originally made at nearby Port Richborough in 1918 and myself and Andy decided to look again. Using Andy’s seemingly endless list of contacts, a local historian and author, Colin Varrall, managed to locate some blocks on a farmers field at Port Richborough! It seemed probable that some segments had never left for the Western Front. Colin and Andy tirelessly searched for the landowner, and eventually, after making contact, we agreed on a deal to purchase 48 blocks to make a pillbox. After two working weekends with a group of volunteers, we cut back and access the blocks. Removal was awkward due to the weight of each block but also the combined weight. After pulling in a huge favour from my Uncle, who works at the building merchants Travis Perkins head office in Northampton, we were very kindly offered the use of a Travis Perkins lorry and its driver for a day from their Margate branch, free of charge! After a mammoth effort and a seemingly endless number of dedicated volunteers and WW1 enthusiasts, we finally lifted the blocks back in May of this year. They were delivered to the Kent Showground and the WW1 trench ready for assembling. Assembly will probably take place in late Summer/ early Autumn. The pillbox will need a roof to complete it, and we are also in discussions about this, though this will probably be a modern remake. We understand that the completed WW1 Moir pillbox will be the only one in the UK and certainly the only one sited in its intended environment. A Great War trench. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to South East History Boards, Howard Hodges, Gary and Steve at Travis Perkins, Thanet Hidden History and Chris Smee for reporting on the story locally. Colin Varrall for searching tirelessly and all the other volunteers and enthusiasts at CEMA for their grazed knuckles and bad backs in helping with the uncovering of the pillbox. TopFig 3: The Moir pillbox awaiting loading at the Port Richborouh site BottomFig 4: Moir pillbox segments being loaded onto the lorry 22 | Kent Archaeological Society THE RE-DISCOVERY OF HARTLIP ROMAN VILLA By Gerald Cramp In April and May 2021, the re-discovery of this important Roman Villa at Hartlip, near Sittingbourne, was undertaken by members of the Shorne Woods Archaeological Group (SWAG). David Ambrose, a member of SWAG, has monitored the site for some years, and it was through his guidance, the Villa was re-examined. The Roman Villa, which is on private land and thus cannot be visited, is about 5 miles west of Sittingbourne. The Villa is pleasantly situated on the sloping ground overlooking Roman Watling Street, about half a mile away. This article arose from a small exhibition on this Roman Villa held by invitation on Thursday 22nd 2021 at the Forum Shopping Centre in Sittingbourne. On this occasion, the Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for promoting local history through research, exhibitions, events and publications by the Lady Colgrain, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Kent. Congratulations are due to Richard Emmett and the Historical Research Group for receiving this prestigious award. The Discovery of about 1750 The Villa was first identified in about 1750. Edward Hasted describes this discovery in the first edition of his History of Kent, published in 1782. He describes the discovery in the following terms “there were discovered about 30 years ago, the ruins of a building the top of which reached but even with the surface of the ground. As it appears at present, the east end of it has been cleared of the earth, which filled it about three feet deep and thence gradually deeper in length 60 feet to the west end of it whence it is about 10 feet deep. At each end, where the walls return as part of a square, they are plastered over. The walls are bare and composed of large flint stones laid regularly in rows with two rows of large Roman tiles laid close together. Large quantities of these tiles are scattered around the place, and many building foundations have been discovered in different parts of the adjoining grounds”. The Re-Excavation of 1845 to 1848 In his publication entitled Collectanea Antiqua Volume 2, published in 1852, Charles Roach Smith describes how several buildings were uncovered between the autumn of 1845 and 1848. The illustrated article of 24 pages, with a plan showing five buildings, describes in detail his discoveries. He illustrates several buildings, including the main building with walls standing 10 feet high, a bathhouse, and another large building. Charles Roach Smith describes how “the field slopes consistently towards the northeast. To form a level area, it appears AboveFig 1: Looking south at the exceptional survival of Roman walls at Hartlip villa Summer 2021 | 23 that the Roman colonists had dug across the field in the line of the trees indicated in Fig 3 and carried the earth forward into the lower part of the field, thus forming a bank adjoining which was built a row of rooms, M on the plan”. The Roman walls were thus preserved to a height of 10 feet in the bank as soil from the upper part of the field drifted into the rooms. The 1852 article describes another building being about 40 feet by 15 feet and labelled ‘I’ on the plan in detail. The remains included the substructure of two rooms composed of oblong hollow tiles that served as pillars for the floors of which scarcely any traces remained except for a few coarse red tesserae. Both rooms were heated by two furnaces which can be seen in the 1852 drawing of the Bath Block (plate 1). Adjacent to the bath block and partially overlapping it, another more extensive building measuring 70 feet by 50 feet was excavated. This building marked ‘K’ on the plan was described in 1852 as a basilica. During April and May 2021, it was impossible to investigate these two buildings, but further investigation is desirable to understand the nature of these buildings. In his 1852 article, Charles Roach Smith illustrates several finds, including a highly decorated fragment of Roman Samian ware made in France and a highly decorated fragment of a glass cup. Other finds include several bronze items, pieces of painted wall plaster, and patterned flue tiles for use in the heating system. Charles Roach Smith Charles Roach Smith, who lived from 1807 to 1890, was a prolific writer on archaeological discoveries during the nineteenth century and undertook many excavations himself. One of his many published works was the book entitled “The Antiquities of Richborough, Reculver and Lymne”, an account of the 3 Roman forts in Kent published in 1850. (The third Roman fort is now known as Stutfall Castle at Lympne.). He was well known for rescuing Roman antiquities, which were unearthed during the extensive TopFig 2: 1782 Drawing in Hasted’s History of Kent – 1782 Hasted Vol 1 p584 MiddleFig 3: 1852 Plan In Charles Roach Smith’s Article – 1852 CRS Plan BottomFig 4: 1852 CRS Plate 1 24 | Kent Archaeological Society engineering works in London during the Victorian period. He published the results of his researches in his book “Illustrations of Roman London“, published in 1859. He explains that the “excavations which led to those researches were made for sewerage, for what is commonly termed “city improvements” and for deepening the bed of the Thames to facilitate navigation”. He published seven volumes of Collectanea Antiqua between 1848 and 1880. Apart from the article on Roman Hartlip in volume 2, these volumes contain many articles on Roman and Anglo Saxon antiquities discovered in Britain, France, and elsewhere. He lived in London until 1859, when he moved to Temple Manor, Strood. He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1836. The Kent Archaeological Society’s Museum The antiquities discovered during the 1840s excavations at Hartlip were presented to the Kent Archaeological Society Museum in 1858 by William Bland, the owner of the Hartlip Estate. William Bland was one of the first members of the Kent Archaeological Society, and his gift to the Society formed the nucleus of the Society’s Museum Collection. These discoveries were first exhibited during the Society’s second annual general meeting held at the Deanery in Rochester in August 1859. Charles Roach Smith explained these antiquities to the assembled company and remarked that “they afforded a good example of the miscellaneous contents of a Roman villa.” This gift to the Society was listed in the “Catalogue of the Kent Archaeological Society’s Collections at Maidstone” prepared by George Payne and published in 1892 both as a separate pamphlet and also in volume 19 of Archaeologia Cantiana, which is the first Index. The Hartlip Roman Antiquities form part of the Society’s Collection, which is housed in Maidstone Museum. George Payne F S A was another influential Kentish Archaeologist who, for example, published the first Archaeological Survey of Kent in 1888. TopFig 5: Drawing of Samian Fragment In Charles Roach Smith’s Article 1852 CRS p13 MiddleFig 6: 1852 CRS wall BottomFig 7: Comparison of 1852 & 2021 wall Summer 2021 | 25 The Re-excavations in April and May 2021 This year’s excavations aimed to locate the buildings described, illustrated, and planned by Charles Roach Smith in 1852. It has not been possible to place this 1852 plan of the buildings accurately on a modern map. Fortunately, the excavation uncovered a stretch of the Roman walling illustrated in the 1852 article. In the 1840s, this Roman walling survived to a height of 10 feet – it is now about 8 feet high and is still an exceptional survival from the Roman period. The red line on the 1852 drawing shows the wall loss between 1852 and 2021. TopFig 8: Today’s view of 1852 & 2021 wall LeftFig 9: Roman Walling located using GPS techniques As a result of this excavation, the remains have now been plotted on a modern map using GPS equipment owned by the KAS. 2021 Finds Finds from this year’s excavation include some of the highly decorated flue tiles used in walls for heat distribution and a piece of a finely decorated bowl of Parchment Ware made in the Oxfordshire area. Other finds include some pieces of Samian and some locally made coarse pottery and red tesserae used in floors. This small selection of finds indicates the Villa was occupied during the second to fourth centuries. Most of the finds are un-stratified as they were discovered when the backfill from previous excavations was removed. Summary This excavation aimed to locate the Roman remains that were the subject of the 1852 report and to plot the remains using GPS techniques; this was achieved. Thanks are extended to the owners and tenants of the site who readily permitted these excavations. 26 | Kent Archaeological Society THE LORD LIEUTENANT PRESENTS HRGS WITH THE QUEEN’S AWARD FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE By Richard Emmett On Thursday 22nd July, the Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne (HRGS) / Heritage Hub were presented with their Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Kent, The Lady Colgrain. The award for ‘Promoting local history through research, exhibitions, events and publications’ was initially bestowed on them in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List on the 2nd June 2020. However, the presentation ceremony had been delayed due to the national Covid situation. The ceremony was held in the atrium of the Forum Shopping Centre in Sittingbourne, in the presence of many HRGS members and Heritage Hub volunteers. Richard Emmett opened the event by introducing the Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Lady Colgrain, Deputy Lieutenants, Kate Lampard CBE DL and Joanne Holmes MVO DL (pictured below) with His Worship the Mayor of Swale Cllr Paul Stephens and Mayoress Cllr Sarah Stephens. Miss Kate Lampard then read the Citation for the Award. The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service – the MBE of volunteering, aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups that benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Kent, The Lady Colgrain, said at the presentation, “The Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne (HRGS) believes that ‘history is the glue that holds a community together’, and this is certainly demonstrated by the phenomenal range and breadth of historical research and activity undertaken on behalf of your community. TopFig 1: Ceremony at the Forum Shopping Centre BottomFig 2: Lady Colgrain speech with Deputy Lieutenants and Richard Emmett Summer 2021 | 27 HRGS is so much more than a historical research members group. It has become a valuable local community resource, developing the volunteers as well as building significant engagement with the local community through the Heritage Hub. The group’s mission to ‘bring history alive’ and to be the doorway to local history and heritage is more than achieved. You have all been instrumental in helping to regenerate the town and create a deeper sense of community”. Richard Emmett, the chairman of Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne, said,” I am immensely honoured that the group’s dedication has been recognised for a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. It reflects the huge enthusiasm shown by its volunteers in the promotion of history locally. Although affected by the covid situation, the Heritage Hub had to be closed when required, but we continued to maintain contact with our researchers and volunteers electronically throughout by holding virtual meetings and deliveries. We are pleased to be able to re-open the Heritage Hub and to display the award proudly”. In addition, Richard said, “We are grateful to all our sponsors, supporters, volunteers, and would like to pay thanks to Praxis, the owners of The Forum, for allowing us to use their unit and be able to work collaboratively with them on staging heritage events in the centre.” Top, leftFig 3: Lady Colgrain Top, rightFig 4: Stephen Palmer, Don Harris, Richard Emmett, Lady Colgrain and Theresa Emmett, John Weeks MiddleFig 5: Archiving display BottomFig 6: Display boards - membership 28 | Kent Archaeological Society To celebrate the event, all attendees were provided with a glass of non-alcoholic ‘bubbles’ and a piece of specially commissioned cake (from Bailey’s Coffee Shop) to mark the special occasion. After this, Bill Croydon, former chairman of HRGS, spoke about the hard work done by the members and volunteers. The Lord-Lieutenant of Kent, The Lady Colgrain, together with the Mayor and Mayoress of Swale, spent time talking to members of HRGS and Hub volunteers before making a tour of the Heritage Hub to see the exhibition space and find out more about the group and the various activities the group participate. Amongst those they met was 98-year-old Ernest Slarks, whose book ‘Onward Christian Soldier’ was published by HRGS. LeftFig 7: WW1 displays RightFig 8: KAS display Before leaving, the Lady Colgrain was presented with a floral display Evelyn (aged 6) and Eliza (aged 4), granddaughters of HRGS Committee members Don and Jacky Harris. The volunteers had also provided displays showing many of the activities that HRGS are involved with in the atrium; these including WW1 and WW2 research, digital archiving, and archaeological activities, as well as displays from partner groups – Kent Archaeological Society (https://kentarchaeology.org.uk), Wheels of Time (https://wheelsoftime.uk) and the Swale Migration Project (https://www.historicswale.org.uk/projects/64-swale-migration-project ). As well as the presentation of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, HRGS also celebrated the re-opening of the Heritage Hub with its new signage. Our thanks to all those who helped to make it such a special day. NOTICES A rare chance to acquire a collection of Archaeologia Cantiana. The only volume missing is the extremely rare 1939 index, which suffered from wartime production problems. The current owner would love to find a home for the entire set rather than individual volumes. They would grace any study or living room, contain wonderful illustrations, especially the early volumes, including the much sought-after Volume 1. There are 162 volumes in all, so say a figure offers in region of £600 and buyer to arrange collection. For further details, please get in touch with Richard Bidgood at rnbidgood4@btinternet.com Summer 2021 | 29 THE FASHION OF DATING HOUSES – FOLLOW-UP By Gordon Taylor N.B.1 The study is of houses, but I have noted shops in Broadstairs as the town has three 1920 dated shops, one pub, in the town centre and one house outside; only one 1920 house and shop in Sandwich, none in Corsham. N.B.2 1801 population figure for Sandwich is for 1811 courtesy of John Hennessy of Sandwich Archives and Ann Harrison-Brooks. Hasted gave 2,213 in 1776. *Sandwich has a row of cottages with a date of 1805. N.B.3 Broadstairs figures 5 + 4 show Broadstairs + St Peters to show how St Peters has stagnated and how Broadstairs’ population has ballooned from the lowest to by far the most. The arrival of the railway is displayed to indicate a possible reason for the population increases – Corsham’s railway dates from Dr R. Irwin. N.B.4 The closeness of the years’ gap figures cannot just be a coincidence. It must indicate either: economic situation of the country or date stones coming back into fashion – I think the latter. The re- Town Population in 1801 Population in 2011 No of 16th–18th century Years Gap no dates No of 19th–20th century Arrival of railway date Sandwich 2,735 4,985 12 75 26 1881 Corsham 2,402 13,000 6 85 18 1841 Broadstairs 1,568 24,543 5 + 4 86 34 + 6 1863appearance of dated houses starts in the three towns and nationally in 1868, 1869, 1872 and 1849. I have noted a house in Oxfordshire with curvilinear gables dated 1814. The article also appeared in the Vernacular Architecture Group (VAG) Newsletter 79. Lorraine Moor (editor) kindly led me to a website: http://www.northcravenheritage.org.uk/NCHT/DatedDoorheads.htm listing, often with photographs, over 200 datestones in North Craven in Yorkshire. The fashion starting date 1590 aligns with my research, and the peak number of the datestones also matches, i.e. either side of 1700, although the 17th century had the most. However, the gap without date stones I’ve noted doesn’t exist in that area but carries right through to the first decade of the 20th century. But a number are only hearsay it appears. The article in KAS Magazine 115 concerned three towns and referred to an omitted chart, but this is now shown below. The fact chart below of the three towns shows how the populations have changed, the numbers of houses with inbuilt dates in the 16th to 18th centuries and the 19th and 20th centuries and the gap years between when no houses had a built-in date. The similarity in the latter figures is remarkable. 30 | Kent Archaeological Society TopFig 1: Faversham 1697 BottomFig 2: Ickham 1691 My name is Rachael, and I am the new Membership Secretary for KAS. I wish to thank Shiela Broomfield for all her hard work and diligence over the years and make the transition into the post as effortless as possible. I am a commercial archaeologist working for a unit in the South-East. I work as part of the building industry, assessing archaeological remains prior to building work. I have specialised in Medieval Archaeology, with a particular focus on Medieval pottery. I am a leader for a Kent Young Archaeologists’ Club in my spare time, where we endeavour to engage young people with history and archaeology. This year has seen an encouraging rise in membership applications and renewals, hopefully, a sign of better times after the last year. With the decline of Covid and the lifting of restrictions, we aim to begin reintroducing face to face meetings and events, starting the fieldwalking at Lees Court, which was held in August. We hope this is the start of better things to come. MEMBERSHIP MATTERS The 2021 issue of Archaeologia Cantiana has now been published and distributed to all paying members. It contains many fascinating articles on the history and archaeology of Kent. If you have not received your issue, please get in touch with us to update your details. Can I also please take this opportunity to ask members to check that the email address the Society holds is correct. As a society, we are hoping to make some exciting changes in the future. We always welcome ideas and suggestions from our membership regarding future projects, ideas, and ways to improve the Society. If you have any queries or suggestions, please feel free to contact us at membership@kentarchaeology.org.uk. I hope you continue to enjoy the publications, events and talks that the Society provides. Rachael Hills KAS Membership Secretary Lorraine also kindly gave me another link: https://youtu.be/7tzPADmRlls where Malcolm Airs, an architectural historian, a VAG member, notes house dates in Dorchester on Thames on a fascinating amble around the town, again mainly in the range I have listed, pointing out some of the pitfalls of relying on the date one sees! I also heard from David Clark FSA, former President of the VAG, who kindly sent me a list of 126 properties being compiled in Oxford City where again the start date is late 16th century 1588 on a house, but the list is comprised of primarily public (scholastic) buildings, only around 30 being houses. The table is comprehensive and would be an excellent example for any new group taking up the challenge. Their gap of 79 years is earlier, i.e. 1720 to 1799, then one more house then a gap to 1816 (see NB4 above). David also mentioned a site in Sheffield: www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/5292-date-stones-on-sheffield-buildings/sheffield, although this is a more casual look at dates. We now have access to four areas to compare, but dates are not necessarily built-in. 31 Summer 2021 | KENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESCUE UNIT By Dr Brian Philp Since the Magazine’s last issue, Kent Archaeology Rescue Unit (KARU) have completed and printed another three excavation reports as part of our Covid Backlog publication Programme. This represents a considerable advance that stands at eleven completed sites, including two from the M25 Motorway construction. Our signs outside the major Bromley hospital (See Issue 115, pp16–18) remained in place for 14 months, though they had to be repaired five times, always late at night. Our traffic check showed that our signs were seen more than 700,000 times and were much appreciated by the paramedics and ambulance drivers. We also undertook a road-show on the Farnborough Bypass close to the main PRHU hospital on VE DAY celebrations last May. This commemorated both the heroes of 1945 VE Day and also of the 2020 NHS heroes. Again much appreciated by motorists and staff. In July, we re-opened our monuments at Crofton Roman Villa and Roman Painted House at Dover and restarted excavations at selected sites. However, it is unlikely that all projects will get to normal for some time yet. Top (L–R)Issue 23, Issue 24 Bottom (L–R)Kent Monograph Series, Kent Special Subject Series If undelivered, please return to R. Hills, 15 Henley Close, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent ME8 0ER ALLEN GROVE FUND What might the following all have in common? • the translation of medieval manorial court rolls from Latin • a variety of community exhibitions • a full-colour book cover • the architectural recording of every house in a small hamlet • research on Wealden iron • a book on Humphrey Repton in Kent • the purchase of a laptop to record a village history archive Answer: they have all benefitted from the Allen Grove Local History Fund! The Allen Grove Local History Fund was established from a legacy made to the Kent Archaeological Society by the late Allen Grove (1910-1990). In 1948, Allen Grove was appointed Curator and Librarian of Maidstone Museum, which he held until retirement in 1975. In addition to the Kent Archaeological Society, he was involved with numerous other organisations, including various archaeological, antiquarian, and history societies. He was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquarians and President of the Kent Archaeological Society 1986–1987. The Society administers the Allen Grove Local History Fund. Its objects are to promote research, preservation and enjoyment of local history in the ancient County of Kent1. These objects are consistent with those of the Society. It is a restricted fund and is invested separately from the Society’s other investments. Under the terms of the legacy, decisions on how the fund is to be spent via grants are taken by the Society’s officers. What comprises ‘local history’? Local history can be almost impossible to define! It can involve a wide range of historical inquiry and investigation, encompassing local landscapes, oral traditions, written records, social and cultural practices, ephemera, and objects. A typical project can involve virtually anything in a geographical area smaller than the country or countries as a whole. Eligibility for Grants Applications for a wide range of local history projects are welcomed and encouraged by individuals, groups or societies. In the case of applications from groups or societies, the Fund Secretary will communicate with the project leader named in the application. The average grants recently awarded have been in the region of £500. Grants will not be made for excavation, fieldwork or works of fiction. Separate applications for grants for excavation and fieldwork should be made to the Secretary of the Fieldwork Committee: fieldworkgrants@kentarchaeology.org.uk Submitting an application Application forms can be downloaded from the Society website or obtained from the Allen Grove Fund secretary (Allengroveadmin@kentarchaeology.org.uk). Following the recent pandemic, the Society is pleased to announce the re-opening of the Fund and welcomes applications.Please note that application forms will only be considered which have been signed and dated, confirming acceptance of the Terms and Conditions. The window for submitting applications is 1 June to 30 September. As soon as practicable after the 30 September deadline for applications, the Trustees will meet to consider the applications received. Grants are made once a year. We look forward to hearing receiving your enquiries and applications. 1 The geographical area of Kent considered under the Fund is that of the ancient county of Kent. It includes Medway and extends to the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham. Allen Grove