KAS Newsletter, Issue 13, Spring 1988
Canterbury Pilgrims Way Exhibition: An audio-visual story
by Ted Connell
Within the redundant Church of St. Margaret, Canterbury, an exhibition meticulously recreates a Chaucerian pilgrimage in Medieval England.
When the visitors enter, they leave behind the 20th century and become, like thousands of others over 600 years ago, a pilgrim, journeying to the shrine of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, murdered by the King's men and martyred for his convictions.
The Prologue
The visitors will find themselves back in medieval London, where, as they wait, they will learn something of the atmosphere of the time, and of the man whose famous tales will provide the thread of the story, Geoffrey Chaucer. This is the Prologue. Visitors in small bands will then be led to the Tabard Inn on London's south bank. It is early evening in April 1396.
A host pilgrim will greet them, introduce them to the reason for their journey and, as they prepare to leave, show them briefly, by special effects, the murder of Thomas Becket, in Canterbury Cathedral. Fortified with this inspiring vision, the pilgrims will set out on their condensed four-day journey.
Canterbury Tales
As they join Chaucer's immortal band, the courtly Knight, the bawdy Miller, the Wife of Bath, the Nun's Priest and the Pardoner will all recount their distinctive tales to them. Traveling along through the exhibition, they will learn something of Medieval life through a selection of the stories presented as glimpses and extracts with sound, light, and vision. The tales have been carefully selected for their educational, descriptive, and entertainment value. This is so that the content of the tales will be relevant to present school study programs.
The pilgrim road will rise and twist in a series of steps and ramps passing through reconstructions and impressions of the route to Canterbury. High in the roof of the building, the road will cross over itself on an impression of Rochester Bridge which marked the halfway stage in the pilgrims' journey.
Journey's End
Turning a corner and doubling back, the travelers will be confronted by the great West Gate of Canterbury.
Through the gate, the visitors will find themselves in the upper gallery of the "Checker of Hope" which in Chaucer's time was the principal lodging house of the pilgrims.
A splendid medieval staircase will take them down, turning as it does so into the steps of the Nave of Canterbury Cathedral which in Chaucer's time was being rebuilt and so we see it surrounded by scaffolding and stonemasons. From here, they will enter an impression of Trinity Chapel with an accurate reconstruction of the bejeweled tomb of Thomas Becket, the end of the pilgrims' quest.
Artful Story
It is hoped that an appealing blend of literature, architecture, and art will mix together to reflect the Pilgrimage History, the Chaucerian influence, and the city's individual charm.
The Canterbury Pilgrims Way, located in St. Margaret's Way, is open seven days a week. From 1st April until 31st October the opening times are 0900-1900; and from 1st November until 31st March they are 0900-1730 with last admission ½ hour before closing. A visit takes approximately one hour. Entrance charges: Adult £3.00, Children £1.50. For further information please contact: The Press & Information Office, Heritage Projects Ltd, St. Margaret's Street, Canterbury CTI 2TC. Telephone 0227 454888.
Kent Ceramics Study Group
by Christopher St. John Breen, B.Sc.
The fourth Pottery Workshop was held on Saturday 7th November 1987, at Bromley Museum, Orpington, by kind permission of the curator, Dr. Alan Tyler.
The programme consisted of looking at and talking about the surface finds of pottery from Poverest Road, Orpington, excavated by Peter Tester during 1965-68. All the pottery was displayed so that it could be studied in hand and a talk was given by Christopher Breen on the range of fabrics and forms present. Romano-British sherds from the site and its immediate area came into the Museum's collection from three main sources. The earliest was Arthur Eldridge, who collected items between the 1920s and 1940s recovering material from service trenches and holes on, across and adjacent to the site. Some sherds are marked, in pencil, with the findspot and month/year date. The date range of the Eldridge sherds spans the whole of the Romano-British period (Arch.Cant. Vol.60 (1947) 101).
The second source came from the excavations conducted by Peter Tester during the 1960s (Arch.Cant. Vol.83 (1968) 125-150; Vol.84 (1969) 39-77; Vol.93 (1977) 201-202) which produced large quantities of Romano-British pottery sherds. Many were context recorded and these have been rebagged and boxed as such during work on the site collection by the winter in July and August 1987 at the Museum.
The final group came from further excavations between 1971 and 1978 by Susann Palmer who brought to light a further large group of Romano-British sherds, part of which was reported upon by Christopher Green. Her site report received unfavorable reviews in London Arch., Arch.Cant. and K.A.R. and this has had the effect of hiding the ceramic wealth which the site has yielded to date.
The surface finds alone point to the site, only a small area of which has been sampled by excavation, as being the most important in the Cray Valley while the range of late Romano-British ceramics stress its importance when compared with all other sites in Kent known to date.
Amongst the surface finds were the following:
Samian Ware: DR.15/17, 29 and 18
Ring and Dot Beaker
Rodwell type 2C bowl, with block stamp decor but no ring and dot decor.
Black Burnished 2 Ware from the Cliff Peninsula including bead rim bowl, dish with and without incised acute lattice decor, everted rim jars, outcurved rim jars with reserved zone decors, folded wall beakers, plain rim bowl, dish, plain and decorated, plain rim with single incised line on exterior bowl and dish lids.
Black Burnished 1 Ware from Dorset including everted rim jars, plain rim bowls and flanged rim bowl and dish.
Alice Holt/Farnham Ware includes over twenty different jar forms and a good range of flanged rim bowls
Otford Kiln Ware - a bowl sherd
Patch grove Ware - a good range of the main jar form with horiz. row/s of stab. decor, the earlier plain form, bead rim jar and rims of jars which are variants of the common rim style.
Colour Coated Wares - mainly from Central Gaul (Lezoux), Trier, Colchester and the Nene Valley
Handmade Kent Grog Ware - dozens of rims of simple outcurved rim jars and flanged rim bowls and dishes.
Mortaria - includes Brockley Hill, Soller, Nene Valley and Oxford.
Oxford Wares - includes parchment ware, black on white and grey coarse wares and 46% of Youngs form series, the largest known range of any Kent site.
Upchurch/Slayhills Area Wares - the fine fabrics of this industry are represented as is tlie Hoo flagon fabric.
Flagon types such as Disc Rimmed, Disc Necked, Cup Ring and Pinched Mouth are present- from sources such as Hoo, Brockley Hill, Nene Valley and Much Hadham.
Overall the surface finds collection indicates that Susann Palmer's viewpoint that the site was vacated c.AD 370 now has to be set aside and consideration given to the idea that the RB site existed into the early 5th century. The reasons for taking this view are compelling, as the sheer volume and vessel form extent of the later RB wares from contexts speak for themselves.
Future work on this site should aim to capture secure horizons, whether such layers will prove free of disturbance is quite another matter altogether. The spread of the site, its location and what is known of the nature and depth of the Romano-British layers suggests a settlement adjacent to an inland quay on the River Cray.
Kentish Brickfields
Mr Ron Fairman, author of The Crouch Valley Parishes has written requesting information about the supply of stock bricks in or about 1888 by barge from Halstow to The Stoke Farm Landing at Althorne in Essex on the River Crouch for use on the Southminster Branch Line. The old stations have now been demolished and he has in his possession bricks marked "V WH 6 SB" (or SO)". If anybody has information as to which Kentish Brickfield they came from he would be most grateful.
Tebbutt Research Fund
A fund has been established as a tribute to the life and work of the late C. F. Tebbutt, O.B.E., F.S.A. 1900-1985. Applications are invited, from both individuals and groups, for grants towards research into the Wealden Iron Industry. Applicants should initially contact the Hon. Secretary of the Tebbutt Research Fund, who will send details of the fund. In this, the first year of the fund, applications should reach the Secretary no later than 31st May 1988.
William and Mary Tercentenary Celebration 1688-1988: Celebration of the Glorious Revolution
Throughout Britain and the Netherlands, events are being held during 1988/89 to commemorate the achievements of the Prince of Orange, who in 1688 became William III, joint sovereign of Britain with his Queen Mary II. The principal part of the celebration of the success of William and Mary to be held in Kent will be an exhibition staged in the Crypt of Penshurst Place from the end of May to the 25th September.
This historical exhibition will trace the origins and consequences of the Revolution of 1688-89 and relations between England and the Netherlands in the preceding century.
In the exhibition, portraits, books, and documents will be shown, while Dutch craftsmanship or influence will be illustrated by examples of pottery, glass, and silver. Many of the exhibits will be lent by Lord De L'Isle from his own collection, but there will be a great many items of interest from other sources.
At Penshurst, its special significance lies in the association of the Sidney family with some of the important national events which preceded the fall of James II and the succession of his nephew and son-in-law, the Prince of Orange as William III.
The exhibition will be open daily except Mondays from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and admission will be included in the House ticket costing £2.75 for adults, OAPs £2.00, and children £1.50. Special group rates are available for parties over 20 in number.
It is hoped by the organizers that members of the KAS will take this opportunity to visit this exhibition marking events of great historical significance.
Excursions 1988
Saturday 3rd July: a half-day tour of Wingham. Afternoon only, with tea at Dane Court.
Saturday 24th July: an all-day visit to Winchester
Saturday 8th September: a half-day afternoon visit to Tenterden.
Programmes for these excursions are obtainable by sending a S.A.E. to M.A. Crane.
New Books: Contents Summaries
The Courtenay Affair, 1838 by Wendy Safe, No.3 in the series of "Nutshell" guides to places, features and figures of local interest, has just been published by the Faversham Society, price 60p post free from the Fleur-de-Lis Heritage Centre, 13 Preston Street, Faversham, Kent ME13 SNS.
Upchurch and Thameside Roman Pottery by Jason Monaghan, BAR 173, 1987. A ceramic typology for northern Kent, first to third centuries AD. ISBN 0 86054 462 1. £14 post free from B.A.R.
The Roman Villas of South-East England by E. Black, BAR 171, 1987. ISBN 0 86054 417 5. £15 post free, address as above.
Canterbury's Archaeology - CAT. 11th Annual Report, limp bound A4, 48pp, profusely and superbly illustrated with maps, plans, line drawings and photographs.
Another outstanding publication from the CAT. team which reports on and brings up-to-date all the work going on in and around the City.
Available from CAT., 92a Broad Street, Canterbury, Kent CTI 2LU, price £3.50.
Arch. Cants for sale
The Otford & District Historical Society is disposing of the following volumes of Arch.Cant.:- 1909, 1910, 1912-1917 inclusive, 1930, 1934, 1"36, 1939 and 1940, 1955-1969 inclusive, l972; l980-1987 inclusive, plus Testamenta Cantiana 1907 and index volume. Anybody who is interested should wrife to the Secretary, Mr David Asprey.
William Urry Memorial Lectures
The fourth illustrated lecture in the series will be given by Professor Nicholas Brooks who is Professor of Medieval History at the University of Birmingham, on Wednesday 18th May 1988 at 6.30 p.m. in the New Lecture Theatre, Christ Church College, Canterbury. His subject will be Archbishop Dunstan: the verdict of the first millennium.
Copies of the first two lectures may be obtained from all good booksellers, price £1.70 (or by post from Cathedral Gifts Ltd., 3 The Precincts Canterbury CT1 2EE price £2.20).
They are: The Monks of Canterbury and the Murder of Archbishop Becket by Sir Richard Southern and Thomas Becket and His Clerks by Professor Frank Barlow. (Both published by the Friends of Canterbury Cathedral.) It is hoped to publish the third lecture, Medieval Monastic Dress: precept and practice by Barbara Harvey later this year.
Diploma in Local History
The University of Kent is running a course leading to a Diploma in Local History at its West Kent Centre in Tonbridge from Autumn 1988. The three-year course aims to provide an understanding of the history of Kent and an insight into the tasks of the local historian, the sort of questions raised, and the resources available to tackle them. Emphasis is placed on the use of primary material (documentary and archaeological) as well as secondary sources. Students will be encouraged to study a more specialized topic in the third term of each of the first two years, and in the third year will undertake a dissertation.
Anyone interested in considering applying for this course is encouraged to seek further information from Anthony Ward, Lecturer in Continuing Education, The University Centre, Avebury Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1TG. Tel: 0732 352316.
St. Dunstan's Millenium
A major exhibition is being held in Canterbury as part of the celebrations to mark the millenium of the death of Dunstan, Abbot of Glastonbury and Archbishop of Canterbury (959-988). In his lifetime, Dunstan was a major promoter of monastic reform, and after his death his shrine came to be the most important in Canterbury Cathedral until the murder of Thomas Becket.
From April until mid-June 1988 there will be an exhibition in the Royal Museum, High Street, Canterbury, entitled "St. Dunstan in History", which will contain many Canterbury Manuscripts and other objects associated with St. Dunstan, his times, and his later cult. For any further information contact Mr T.W.T. Tatton-Brown.
Archaeological Awards
The Maidstone Area Archaeological Group have been awarded a grarrt from the Lloyds Bank Dating Fund to enable a Carbon 14 dating to be carried out on an artifact from the prehistoric site at Allington, near Maidstone.
Miss Anne Roper
It was with very great regret that we learnt of the death on the 7th February of our member Miss Anne Roper M.B.E. at the age of 84, who was, as The Times said, "the epitome of a favourite aunt".
Excavations at Sedgebrook Roman Villa, Plaxtol
Excavations re-commenced during March, and will continue on most Sundays throughout the summer. Everyone interested in taking part should contact Ted Connell.
Grants for research in 1988
The following grants have been made by the KAS. to assist work being undertaken in Kent during the current season:
Thanet Archaeological Unit will be assisted by a grant of £150 towards the purchase of a secondhand theodolite for surveying and planning during their excavations.
The Kent Archaeological Society's excavation at Sedgebrook Roman Villa, Plaxtol, directed by Mr Roger Cockett, has been allocated a total of £150 to enable excavation and post excavation work to continue during 1988.
Fieldwork Grants. Are you planning an excavation of fieldwork within the county of Kent during 1989? Grants are available from the K.AS. to assist wortk carried out by Affiliated Societies or individual members. Applications A on the appropriate form (obtainable from the Hon. Gen. W Sec.) should be made to the Hon. General Secretary by 1st October 1988.
Are you interested in the history and archaeology of the County of Kent?
The Kent Archaeological Society was founded in 1857 "to promote the study of archaeology in all its branches, especially within the County of Kent". Membership is open to anyone who has an interest in the local history of Ken4 in its churches, in the recording and preservation of its ancient buildings, in the lives and achievements of its men and women, and in the study and publication of its records. Of all its activities the most important has always been, and continues to be that of publication. Every year the Society publishes and issues free to members, Archaeologia Cantiana, an attractively bound volume of some 300 pages, reporting on the activities of the year and containing papers, many of them illustrated, upon a wide variety of subjects. To maintain contact with members, a Newsletter is also issued giving details of activities within the County.
The annual subscription is £10 (£5 for persons under 21) and Joint Subscriptions (Husband and Wife) £13. Write now to Mr A. X. Harrison, B.A., F.S.A., Honorary Local Secretary.
The Honorary Editor of the Newsletter wishes to draw his readers' attention to the fact that neither the Council of the K.A.S. nor the Editor is answerable for the opinions, attitudes or views which contributors may express in the course of their signed articles. Each author is alone responsible for the contents and substance of their letters, items or papers.
Hon. Editor: Ted Connell.
Published the Kent Archaeological Society, The Museum, St. Faith's Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 ILH.