KAS Newsletter, Issue 2, Autumn 1982
A Major Find in Canterbury
by T.W.T. Tatton-Brown, B.A.
One of the finest pieces of Anglo-Saxon jewellery found since Sutton Hoo has been discovered in Canterbury. The find was made in March 1982 by members of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust on the Old Westgate Court Farm site, London Road, Canterbury.
It comes from a site where foundation trenches were being dug for new buildings and we had already pulled out (after recording briefly) over 100 pots from a 2nd century A.D. Roman cremation cemetery. There were also lamps, glass vessels, the studs from hob-nailed boots and terracotta figurines. In one corner of the site, in a shallow gulley, we found this pendant - the boss was separate but close by - and not far away (in a disturbed context) we found 2 glass palm cups and a sceatta (silver penny.) All these are of a 7th century date and must have come from an Anglo-Saxon inhumation cemetery. Not far away too was a single inhumation burial, but this only contained large iron nails. If so this is the first Anglo-Saxon cemetery on the West (London) side of the City. On the East, of course, is the famous Kentish Royal and Archiepiscopal cemetery at St Augustine's.
The pendant is a very valuable object and it is ironic that we should have found it on a site (owned by the City Council) which we were working on without any financial support from City or DoE. The Trust is still in desperate financial straits, and it is still on the cards that we will have to cease operations due to lack of "establishment" funding.
Despite this, we started a large new excavation on Monday 12th July for exactly 16 weeks (work ends at the end of October) on the Marlowe Theatre site in the centre of Canterbury.
KAS Field Archaeology Meeting 1982
AERIAL ARCHAEOLOGY for local archaeologists and historians
2pm-5pm Saturday 16th October, Corn Exchange, High Street, Rochester
Our meeting this year will look at the wealth of information readily available for consultation by members working on local researches. Aerial archaeology can assist greatly whether you are working on Roman settlement patterns through to identifying old fields once named in the Tithe Awards. The emphasis will be on the recognition and causes of crop and soil marks, sources and locations of vertical and oblique photographs that can be examined, and some suggestions on the future development of aerial archaeology in Kent. The programme of talks will include:
Crop and Soil Marks - Jim Bradshaw
A pilot's view - Rod Le Gear
Using kites - Phillip Connolly and Alan Ridges
The Impact of Aerial Photography on Archaeology - John Hampton, Air Photographs Unit, RCHM
The Aerial Photographs Collection held by the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit - Brian Philp
Kent Defences from the Air - Victor Smith
Some Sources of Aerial Photographs - Ted Connell
The meeting will be chaired by Peter Tester and there will be the usual break for tea. These yearly meetings are a useful opportunity for members to see and discuss projects currently being undertaken by others. We would very much like members to bring along items for display. If you have any suitable material, drawings, plans, maps, photographs, finds, etc., or require any further information about the meeting, please contact Ted Connell before the meeting.
A Letter from the New President
At the Annual General Meeting of the Society on May 15th, the assembled members were good enough to elect me as President for the ensuing year in succession to Frank Jessup, an honour which I had never expected to have conferred upon me when, much to my surprise, I was elected a Vice-President twelve months previously, but which I accepted with pleasure as the culmination of some fifty years and more of work in the field of antiquarian and archaeological studies. Though I can claim to be the first priest ever to have held the office of President, a study of the volumes of Archaeologia Cantiana reveal how many were the clergy of the Church of England who little more than half a century ago worked for our Society in various offices and contributed learned articles year by year to Arch. Cant. I am glad that I can form a link with an earlier age for I fear that antiquarian studies do not seem to attract the clergy of the present day to any great extent as they once did.
I joined the Society in 1936 immediately after my ordination in the Cathedral to the title of Buckland in Dover. As a schoolboy at the King's School I had fallen in love with the Cathedral and at the age of eleven wrote (in pencil) a guide for my parents (which still survives somewhere). In my last year at school I won a prize essay on the Town and Port of Fordwich and went up to Oxford to read History, devoting all my spare time to collecting materials for a magisterial book on the Stained Glass of Oxford Colleges and Churches (still lying in manuscript unpublished in a drawer in my study). Years of hard work in a suburban parish in South London during, and long after, the Second World War gave little leisure for antiquarian pursuits until returning to Canterbury in 1957 as Vicar of St. Gregory's, and later the parishes of the City Centre, brought me into close touch with a field of antiquarianism that has been little explored, namely the ancient Hospitals and Almshouses of Canterbury, and lecturing on this theme and publishing papers for the enlightenment of the many folk interested has been a pleasant alternative to writing and lecturing about the ancient glass of the Cathedral all over Kent and further afield. Soon after election as a F.S.A in 1974 I began my ministry as a Canon Residentiary of the Cathedral with the publication of Christ's Glorious Church, a history of the Cathedral. I shall bring that ministry to an end (seven years later) this winter with the publication of The Six Preachers of Canterbury Cathedral on which I have been engaged since I became a Six-Preacher eighteen years ago.
In retirement I hope to devote a lot of time to the affairs of the Society. Since I have never held office on the Council I can approach the present state of the Society with a measure of detachment and strive to be a reconciling influence which will help to enable us all to enjoy the benefits of the financial resources which have accrued to K.A.S. as a result of the Margary bequest. I trust that I may win the confidence of Council and ordinary members alike as one who wishes to see our venerable and honourable Society free of faction, with all members united in the advancement of those archaeological and antiquarian studies and pursuits that are so rewarding and enjoyable an aspect of life to those prepared to devote energy of body and mind alike to them; these are, of course, the objects for which our Society has existed for nearly a hundred and twenty-five years. Long may it flourish.
Derek Ingram Hill
AGM 1982
President
Canon Derek Ingram Hill, M.A., F.S.A., was elected President by acclamation. Warm appreciation of the retiring President's services to the Society was expressed.
Vice-Presidents
The existing Vice-Presidents were re-elected and, in addition, Mr. M.D. Nightingale, O.B.E., B. Litt., F.S.A., and Dr. J. Whyman, B.Sc.(Econ.), Ph.D., were elected Vice-Presidents in recognition of their services to the Society and to historical studies in Kent.
Officers
All the other retiring officers were re-elected.
Council
The following were elected members of council: Mr. P.H. Blake, Mr. J.W.C. Bouskill, Mr. D.A.H. Cleggett, Mr. B. Gipps, Mr. A. Miles, Mr. R.M. Walsh, and Mr. C.P. Ward.
Rules
All the amendments to the Rules proposed by Council were passed except (a) Rule 2, the second sentence was omitted, (b) Rule 18 was not altered (c) proposed new clause 28(f) was not accepted. A committee under the chairmanship of Sir John Winnifrith, K.C.B., was set up to consider a more comprehensive re-arrangement of the Society's Rules. The resolutions proposed by Messrs Philp and Noble were withdrawn.
Subscriptions
The A.G.M. agreed to increase the subscriptions in the coming year to £10 for institutional members, £7 for individuals, £9 for joint members and £3 for juniors.
News from the Library
As mentioned in the last report of the Library and Muniments Committee, it is intended to give details in the Newsletter of acquisitions and recent publications (of which there is a hearteningly large number) relevant to the County and to archaeology in general.
Owing principally to the severe limitations on space, not all of these can be bought for our collection. However, a steady stream of selective purchases is strengthening all aspects of this and Members are most welcome to use it (but please do not forget to bring your membership card).
Two volumes which merit selection as basic sources are: - The Calendar of Assize Records, Kent Indictments, Elizabeth 1 by J.S. Cockburn (Ed.), H.M.S.O. (1979) and The Kent Bibliography Supplement by W.F. Burgess (Ed.), London and Home Counties Branch, Library Association (1981).
The first will become a classic work of reference, containing lists of juries, prisoners and copious separate indexes of persons, places and offences, etc. The entries vary greatly in detail, thus No. 636 for February, 1573:
Granges, Joan of Darenth, spinster, indicted for grand larceny. On 16 October 1572 she broke into the house of Christopher Draper, gentleman, at Darenth and stole a purse (worth 2d.) containing 2 gold sovereigns and 23d in money belonging to Agnes Myles, widow, Draper's servant.
Guilty; not pregnant; to hang.
The Supplement, compiled by Wyn Burgess, who so generously assists with our own cataloguing, contains a massive amount of information as to printed sources and their locations in Kent, including those areas now part of London. Two examples must suffice to illustrate its contents. Apparently the only copy in the County available to the public of The Unusual Birth of the Gravesend and Rochester Railway (1978) is in Chatham Public Library, and that of the Guide to St. Mildred's Parish Church, Tenterden (1929) is in the Tunbridge Wells Library.
Please let us have your suggestions for additions. Acquisition cannot be guaranteed, of course, but all will be seriously considered by your Committee.
Peter Draper
Letterbox
The British Association for Local History
During the past fifty years, but particularly since the Second World War, interest in Local History amongst amateurs and professional academics has increased enormously and this has seen the establishing, and flourishing, of many Local History Societies up and down the land as well as the running of University, extra-mural, and W.E.A. courses.
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations has for many years sponsored the Standing Conference for Local History (SCLH). In 1977 the Council established a committee under Lord Blake 'to make an assessment of the pattern of interest, activity, and of study in local history'.
The culmination of the Blake Committee's report was that on the 13th March 1982 a Steering Council was elected for the British Association for Local History to come into being on 1st April 1982. Progress can be reviewed, and a more permanent Council elected, at the A.G.M. to be held in the Spring of 1983.
Briefly, the purpose of the Association is 'to promote the advancement of public education through the study of local history'. Membership is open to all individuals over eighteen years of age and to any organisation. Subscription for 1982/3 is £4, and members will receive the quarterly copies of 'The Local Historian' which for many years was 'The Amateur Historian'.
Further details and application forms for membership, from The General Secretary John Bynoe.
Mr J. Bynoe was elected to the Steering Council and represents Kent. - Ed.
Information Systems in Archaeology and Local History
Are there any members using, or interested in thinking about using, microcomputers in their researches? This includes administration, recording of excavation data, storing references etc. I should like to hear from members with micros, and from those who think that micros might be useful to us. If there is enough interest amongst members, perhaps we can arrange a meeting to discuss the subject and its potential.
Dan Jones
All letters are welcome and contributions for the next issue should reach the Editor by 28th February, 1983.
Two Affiliated Societies Win Awards
It was with great pleasure that we heard in April that two of Kent's full-time archaeological units had won awards. The Country Life award, which had previously been made to local authorities, was this year enlarged to cover professional units. Some 10 entries from all over the country were received. The winners of the Country Life award were the Oxford Archaeological Unit, for their work on Iron Age and Roman Sites in the Upper Thames Valley. Certificates of merit were also given to four runners-up, which included two from Kent.
Brian Philp writes from Dover with the following:-
"In April, it was announced that the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit had won its 5th National Award, a certificate of Merit given by Country Life magazine as part of the British Archaeological Awards for 1981. The Unit's entry was in the professional section and outlined K.A.R.U.'s work during 10 years on 50 sites in Dover. It included details of technical and academic achievement, involvement with the public, training schools, conservation, preservation, and also publication, to mention just a few of the Unit's services for Kent County.
The Painted House scheme and the Battle to save Dover's Classis Britannica Forts also figured in the entry as did the recently published research volume Excavations of the Classis Britannica Forts at Dover, already the standard work on the Classis Britannica in Britain.
The award was for 'An Outstanding Contribution to British Archaeology' and the citation said that the Kent Unit was a large combined team of amateur and full-time archaeologists, under strong professional leadership. Mr. Philp, director of the unit, said he was delighted with the award and it stood as a tribute to the many splendid Kent people and local groups who helped with the vital work at Dover. He hoped the impressive printed certificate might be displayed in the K.A.S. library at Maidstone."
The K.A.S. has consistently supported Brian Philp's work at Dover, with individual K.A.S. members taking part in the excavations and with financial assistance in the form of grants. Indeed, since the first grant, when work first started at Dover in 1970, up to 1980 many thousands of pounds of the Society's money has been given to this worthwhile project. At a recent meeting of the Society's Council, a grant of a further £1,400 was approved to assist the work being carried out at Dover in advance of a major redevelopment program starting in June 1982.
The other Certificate of Merit was awarded to Kevin Blockley and Marion Day, directors of the Marlowe Project in Canterbury being carried out by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust. From April 1978 to April 1982, work uncovered a complex 3-meter deep stratified sequence of deposits containing Belgic, Roman, Saxon, and Medieval structures. This was achieved over a short time span on a limited budget. Technical merit was maintained by a skilled and often small team who either worked for low pay or as unpaid volunteers. Kevin and Marion have now moved to Avon where they are starting a Community Enterprise excavation project, funded by the Manpower Services Scheme and employing 40 long-term unemployed people.
We feature elsewhere in this issue other work of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust.
The Canterbury Archaeological Trust
By Tim Tatton-Brown, the Director.
For about 1,500 years Canterbury was by far the most important town in Kent; only in the last few centuries has the pull of London dominated the County and left Canterbury the capital and market town of East Kent only, with Maidstone as the modern county town. Today, however, Canterbury is once again expanding; it is a new shopping centre for cross-channel visitors and of course, a major tourist centre.
Because of this much of its below-ground past is being destroyed, particularly in the area that was badly bombed in the last war, and for nearly seven years the Canterbury Archaeological Trust has been working continuously in and around the city to record this unique past.
Our work falls into three major parts: rescue excavation, building recording, and, as a byproduct of the former, the cleaning and conservation of many thousands of finds. Let me briefly treat each of these in turn.
Underneath the streets and buildings of modern Canterbury are buried between seven and fifteen feet of archaeological deposits. The oldest of these deposits dates back to just after the time of the birth of Christ when Duroverno, as it was probably called, was a major settlement of the Belgic tribes who had crossed to south-east England during the previous hundred years. These people used the first coins and wheel-made pottery in Britain, and large collections of this material are found on many of our excavations. In A.D. 43 the City was overrun by the Roman army, and shortly afterwards turned into the tribal capital for the whole of the Cantiaci (hence the modern name Kent). It was soon a prosperous town and many important buildings from this period have been excavated in the last thirty years; notable among them are the Public baths, a large town house with mosaics (still visible in the 'Roman Pavement' museum), and the huge Roman theatre. Recent excavations by the Trust have uncovered many more buildings and streets and we now have a fairly good idea of the whole of the street plan in eastern Canterbury. In the later 3rd century a great wall was built around the city and much of this wall still survives today. Our recent excavations have shown beyond doubt that for a century or so after the end of the Roman period Canterbury was an empty shell full of ruined Roman buildings buried in weeds and undergrowth, and only at the end of the 6th century A.D. did it once more become occupied. This new occupation, very different from before, was by Anglo-Saxon peoples living in small sunken wooden huts among the ruins of Roman walls. These people may well have come here from the surrounding settlements soon after A.D. 597 when St. Augustine came to Canterbury and started converting the people to Christianity.
Over 30 huts have been found in the Marlowe excavations in 1978-80, as well as much interesting hand-made pottery, loomweights and small finds. By far the finest object dating from this period, however, is the magnificent gold pendant which was found in March 1982 outside the western walls of the city. This splendid object which is made of gold with inlaid garnets, is similar to much of the very fine early 7th century jewellery which was found in north and east Kent in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Our recent excavations have also thrown much more light on later Anglo-Saxon and early Norman Canterbury, and one of the most interesting discoveries of 1981 was of the outer bailey ditch of William the Conqueror's first castle in Canterbury.
From the 12th century onwards, just as much of Canterbury's archaeology is 'buried' above ground as is found below ground, and this brings me on to the second major thing our Trust is engaged in - 'above-ground' archaeology. Canterbury has many hundreds of listed buildings, and though demolition of them is now rare, large numbers of these important buildings are being restored. Much of this 'restoration' is in fact demolition and rebuilding (the cathedral is a case in point). It is therefore vital that records are made of the original fabric, where it exists, before restoration starts, and though funds for this work are limited, the Trust has recorded many buildings in the last five years ranging from parts of the Cathedral, Medieval Archbishop's Palace, and Norman keep to many of the smaller, timber-framed buildings of the city. In 1980-1 we made the first ever detailed drawings of the City's famous West Gate (exactly six hundred years old that year) with a grant from the Kent Archaeological Society. The drawings are now published in Volume II of The Archaeology of Canterbury.
Apart from its definitive series, The Archaeology of Canterbury, the Trust publishes an interim report each year on its work in Arch. Cant. (Offprints of these reports can also be obtained from the Trust), and members should consult these reports for more details of the many projects (including well over 50 excavations) undertaken in the last six years.
The third and most under-financed aspect of our work is the extremely important work on pottery and the many thousands of objects dug up during the last few years. Almost all this material will be going eventually to Canterbury's Royal Museum, but before this a great deal of cleaning, conversation and study has to take place, and although the finest objects (Roman, swords, AngloSaxon pendant, Roman bronze carpenter's square, and horse harness fittings, etc.,) are already on show, much else is still waiting in our stores for more detailed work. Very often the developers pay for an excavation but not for all the work on the finds resulting from that excavation.
Lack of finance is, of course the Trust's greatest problem, particularly so in the last couple of years, and we are now trying hard to find some form of recurrent income so that we can stop our hand-to-mouth existence. The K.A.S. will be giving us a grant of £1,000 a year for the next five years towards our administration costs. At the moment almost all our grants are tied to projects, and so, when the money runs out as it did in the spring, virtually all our staff had to be laid off for several months. Any financial help individual members of the K.A.S. can give at this crucial time will be very gratefully received, particularly covenanted gifts.
Finally, we also rely very heavily on volunteer help, and at the moment our large-scale excavations on the Marlowe Theatre site are being greatly facilitated by having a big group of volunteers who come every day to supplement the small 'professional' team. These excavations which continue till the end of October, when work on the new Shopping centre starts on the site, are open free to the public seven days a week. Visitors are welcome from 8.30am to 5pm and we have a small information and sales hut on the site. Special guided tours for parties (if booked in advance) can be given at any reasonable time.
Volunteer excavators (with or without previous experience) are always welcome and should report to the site-supervisor on the spot. The Trust also relies heavily on volunteer help for work on the finds, and finds processing continues every week-day at 92a Broad Street, Canterbury throughout the autumn and winter.
Canterbury Archaeological Trust publications
Available from 92a Broad Street, Canterbury, CTl 2LU.
l. Topographical maps of Canterbury, A.D. 400, 1050, 1200 , 1500 & 1700. A set of five maps with notes on each. - 2nd completely revised edition. Price: £2.00 (£2.25 with post and packing).
2. Interim Report on 1978 Excavations. 11 pages, 3 figures and 2 plates. Price: 45p (65p with post and packing).
3. Some Minor Excavations in 1977-8. 50 pages, 24 figures and 2 plates. Price: 90p (£1.20 with post and packing).
4. The Cathedral and Priory Church of Christ. A full-colour wall poster (61cm x 86cm) with key and cut-away sections to show the various phases of construction. Price: £2.50 (£2.75 with cardboard roll or £3 by post).
5. Interim Report on the 1979 Excavations. 16 pages and 4 figures. Price: 60p (80p with post and packing).
6. Four Minor Sites Excavated by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust. (1978-9). 37 pages and 17 figures. Price: 60p (80p with post and packing).
7. Interim Report on the 1980 Excavations. 14 pages, 5 figures and 2 plates. Price: 60p (80p with post and packing).
8. Excavations at the 'Old Palace', Bekesbourne, Near Canterbury. 30 pages, 11 figures and 6 plates. Price: £1 (£1.40 with post and packing).
9. A Guide to Canterbury Castle. (Forthcoming, December 1982).
10. Interim Report on Excavations in 1981. 19 pages and 6 figures. Price: 70p (90p with post and packing).
11. A new series on The Archaeology of Canterbury. Volume I: Excavations at Canterbury Castle. Price: £15 plus £1.60 post and packing.
12. Volume II: Excavations on the Roman and Medieval Defences of Canterbury. Price: £15 plus £1.60 post and packing.
Also available:
The Parish of St. Martin and St. Paul, Canterbury.
21 historical essays in memory of James Hobbs by various local historians, archaeologists, etc. Price: £2.90 (£3.40 with post and packing).
Archaeology in Orpington
The idea of forming the Orpington & District Archaeological Society was first mooted in February 1975 by a group of amateur archaeologists then active in the Orpington Museum Helpers Group, as being a useful asset to the archaeological research in the Orpington area. The reason for forming the society was to bridge the gap left by existing groups in the area. The Local History Society adequately covered recent local history, and the local museum, as now, performed admirably as far as its limited resources allowed. The group considered that, as the area was proving archaeologically rich and was about to suffer greatly from increased development, a new active society was a necessity. At this time the group's archaeological interest was focused on the Poverest Road site under the direction of Mrs Susann Palmer, Curator of Orpington's Museum.
The founder members considered that the organization of this new society should be more rigid than is normal in small groups and thus a comprehensive constitution was drafted which provided a sound basis for a unified and cohesive society. Thus ODAS came into being and the records show that as 1975 closed our membership was in excess of 45. The objectives of the constitution were implemented by the training of our members, organizing lectures and outings, and encouraging members to attend evening classes on archaeology. We had become affiliated members of the KAS, CKA and CBA.
Now established, ODAS over the last 7 years has maintained these activities and consolidated its position with other societies. It has consistently sent representatives to attend conferences and AGM's organized by KAS and CKA, and our experienced diggers have attended digs run by local and county societies. Special displays have been mounted at fairs and shops publicizing ourselves and attracting new members. ODAS, as an excavating society has gained immensely from the knowledge and experience of new techniques learned by our members and put into practice in Orpington.
Keeping our membership well informed has always been ODAS policy and from the start Newsletter catered for this need, culminating in our present magazine Archives. Currently we have an enthusiastic membership of about 90, most of whom attend our monthly meetings. An important year for us was 1979. At the previous AGM approval was given to increase the size of the Executive Committee and to create the posts of Field and Publicity Officers. It was a sign of the times, for soon the committee was examining our role in local archaeology, the outcome of which was two major decisions. Firstly, the appointment of a Project Coordinator, in providing the means for harnessing individual efforts, and secondly, prodded into life by our Field Officer, a coherent policy for fieldwork, excavation and research.
The strategy paid off for a whole series of projects are now run and researched by individual members all of which contribute to our main objective - the Upper Cray Valley Project. When completed we intend to publish a comprehensive view of this area during the various archaeological/historical periods. A project set up by Mike Fortune to carry out a detailed fabric analysis of local coarse pottery ware was awarded £100 by Lloyds Bank towards the cost of a stereo microscope.
Over the past couple of years our field activities have been hampered by the lack of survey equipment. The need became urgent earlier this year when we were presented with the opportunity of surveying the moated manor site at Scadbury, Chislehurst. As a level and its accoutrements are expensive to buy ODAS applied to KAS for a grant. We were delighted that our application was approved and are grateful to KAS for their help which enabled us to buy a Zeiss level, ranging poles and measuring tapes. Although we like to be independent we appreciate County support and I am sure that as ODAS makes its mark in Kent archaeology its members will participate more and more in KAS affairs.
Barrie Bull
A message to all members
The K.A.S. Doesn't Need Just You
It needs you and your friends as well! If the K.A.S. is going to continue publishing an annual volume that's second to none; if the K.A.S. is going to continue supporting research projects and fieldwork - then the K.A.S. needs to increase its membership. At a time when government grants are being drastically cut back; at a time when the professional units need all the help they can get - then the role of the amateur archaeologist becomes absolutely vital. All members were sent a membership leaflet and an application form with the previous Newsletter. We can understand if you've kept it for yourself because it was interesting, but at least show it to your friends so they can apply for one too. We'll be happy to send it if it means they joining us. If you've lost your copy, then just give them the address below. That way, if they show you their copy, you can have the pleasure of reading it all over again! Write to: Arthur Harrison, Hon. General Secretary K.A.S., Pring's Cottage, Pilgrims' Way, Upper Halling, Rochester, Kent.
And remember - the K.A.S. doesn't need just you - it needs you and your friends as well.
Ian Bouskill, Publicity Officer
Bookshelf
The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Ash near Wrotham, Kent by John Newman.
21x15cm, 12 pages, 7 illustrations. Paper cover. Price: 50p
This is a well-written and produced guide to this parish church written by one of our members who lives in the parish. John Newman is better known for his authorship of the Kent volumes of Penguin Books' Buildings of England series, but this booklet is of course considerably more detailed than any of his notes in those books.
The architectural details are particularly clearly explained and the pictures are well chosen to illustrate the text. One small criticism - the plan lacks a scale and no measurements of the church are given anywhere.
A Village School 1850 - 1970 Boughton Monchelsea by Denis Tye. 140 pages, 44 illustrations, 2 pages plans. Price: £3.50 (£3.85 by post from Mr D.F. Tye, Boughton Monchelsea C.P. School, Near Maidstone, Kent.)
The author of this well-illustrated history of a typical village school near Maidstone has been headmaster there since 1955. He shows how changes in the school's life and curriculum mirror changes on a national scale.
Mr Tye uses both school records and the memories of former pupils, parents and one of the school's managers to make the story come to life. The illustrations include examples of the actual documents used by Mr Tye to prepare his history.
The Six Preachers of Canterbury Cathedral 1541-1982 by Canon Derek Ingram Hill
144 pages with illustrations, price: approx £3.50 to be published by Miss K.H.McIntosh.
Lecture Diary
Ashford Archaeological & Historical Society
18th Oct - The Kentish Hop Industry, Richard Filmer
15th Nov - 40 Years Looking at Windmills, Len Barton
17th Jan - Ashford Volunteers, Jim Drew
21st Feb - The Mary Rose, Peter Leach
21st Mar - More Canterbury Excavations, Paul Bennett
18th April - Conservation in Prague, Frank Setek
Mondays at 7.30 pm, The Pop Inn, St John's Lane, Ashford.
Bexley Historical Society
7th Oct - A Little On Romney Marsh, E. J. Hayward
4th Nov - The 'Trade Unions' of the City of London, P. E. Jones
6th Jan - Vernacular Architecture, Ian Bouskill
3rd Feb - Naval Shipbuilding on the Thames and Medway, Dr R. Knight
Thursdays at 8 pm, The United Reformed Church, Lower Geddes Hall, Chapel Road, Bexleyheath.
Canterbury Archaeological Society
16th Oct - The Church of St Pancras, Canterbury, Frank Jenkins
27th Nov - Roman Settlement in Provence, John Taylor
11th Dec - Excavations on the Cakebread Robey Sites, Canterbury, Paul Bennett
5th Feb - The Raising of the Mary Rose, Peter Leach
26th Feb - The Roman and Medieval Waterfronts of London, John Schofield
26th Mar - Mexico before the Conquistadores, Eric Poole
Saturdays at 6 pm, Harvey Hall, Kent Postgraduate Medical Centre, Kent & Canterbury Hospital. Admission 50p.
15th Jan - Recent Excavations in Canterbury, Tim Tatton-Brown, 6 pm, The New Lecture Theatre, Christchurch College of Further Education. Admission free.
Charing and District Local History Society
14th Oct - Upstairs, Downstairs at Penshurst Place, Mrs. Jean Hunter
11th Nov - The Mary Rose - A Time Capsule, Peter Leach
9th Dec - Ballards and Badinage from the Kent Mines, J. Jones
13th Jan - The History of Bridges in Kent, J. Bergg
10th Feb - Life in the 14th Century, Mrs. M. Cowles
10th Mar - Things my Grandma Threw Away, Tristan Jones
14th April - Three Centuries of Brewing in Faversham, A. Percival
Thursdays at 8 pm, Parish Hall, Station Road, Charing. Admission 40p.
Crayford Manor House Historical and Archaeological Society
30th Oct - The History of London Bridge, J. Joslin
27th Nov - The History of Map Making up to 1800, R. Chambers
18th Dec - Links with the Past, Members Evening
29th Jan - Members' Slide Evening
26th Feb - The Decline and Fall of Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, Mrs. B. Mosesson
26th Mar - The A.B.C. of Industrial Archaeology, C. S. Rule
Saturdays at 7.30 pm, Manor House, Crayford. Admission 20p.
East Peckham Historical Society
12th Oct - Water Mills in Kent, Bob Spain
16th Nov - History of English Furniture, H. Musby
9th Dec - The Firm of Aveling and Porter, Jim Preston
4th Jan - Smaller Houses under the Tudors, Ken Gravett
16th Feb - Roman Settlement in the Longfield Valley, Ted Connell
at 8 pm, The Primary School, Church Lane.
Fawkham & Ash Archaeological Group
21st Oct - Recent Discoveries in the Dartford Area, Roger Walsh
11th Nov - The Ickham Roman Watermills, Bob Spain
9th Dec - Medieval Canterbury, Paul Bennett
20th Jan - A.G.M./Recent Work Locally
17th Feb - The Mary Rose, Peter Leach
10th Mar - Recent Discoveries in the Otford Area, Cliff Ward
Thursdays at 8 pm, Drama Studio, Middle School, Ash Road, New Ash Green.
Faversham Society
6th Oct - The Story of Dover, A. F. Adams
17th Nov - A.G.M. at 7.30 pm followed by: Kent and its Changing Countryside, B. Hawkes
8th Dec - Joint meeting with East Kent Mills Group
12th Jan - Anglo-Saxon Faversham, E. Poole
9th Feb - Wild Plants, myths, magic and medicine, Mrs. M. Smith
9th Mar - Members Evening
Wednesdays at 8 pm, Fleur Hall, Fleur-de-Lis Heritage Centre, Preston St., Faversham.
Fawkham & District Historical Society
5th Nov - Early Examples of Gramophones and Lawn Mowers, C. Proudfoot
3rd Dec - Recent discoveries in the Dartford Area, Roger Walsh
7th Jan - Middle Farm at Hartley, a 16th Century Farmhouse, Gerald Cramp
4th Feb - A.G.M. followed by a National Trust Film
4th Mar - How we got our Surnames, Miss M. Vinall
1st April - Eastern Weald and Romney Marsh Area, A. E. Thompson
Fridays at 8.15 pm, Fawkham Village Hall, Valley Road, Fawkham.
Gravesend Historical Society
11th Oct - The Work of the College of Arms, Sedley Andrus
8th Nov - Excavation of a Roman Temple, T. Williams
13th Dec - Journey round Britain, B. Hawks
10th Jan - Victorian Architecture, John Vigar
14th Feb - Law Enforcement and the Watch, R. Frier
14th Mar - The Story of Watermills, Bob Spain
Mondays at 7.30 pm, Isaac Newton Building, Technical College, Pelham Road.
Isle of Thanet Historical Society
18th Oct - Aveling and Porter, Jim Preston
15th Nov - Crystal Palaces, B. R. Fagg
13th Dec - Quex and Its History, C. Cotton-Powell
17th Jan - Margate Pride, G. Brown
21st Feb - Developing Local Studies in Thanet Libraries, Miss P. Ward
21st Mar - A.G.M/The Goodwin Sands Wrecks, D. Perkins
18th April - History of Birchington, Alfred Walker, Mondays at 7.30 pm, Westgate Library, Margate. Admission 60p.
K.A.S. Medway Branch
19th Oct - The Excavations Undertaken during 1979 at the Bronze Age/Romano-British Site at Cliffe, Dr Ian Kinnis and David Thompson
22nd Feb and 26th April - to be arranged
Tuesday at 7.30 pm, Adult Education Centre, Gardiner Street, Gillingham.
North West Kent Family History Society
15th Oct - Members Evening
19th Nov - The Hearth Tax, Dr. Helen Ford
10th Dec - Members Evening: Heirlooms
Fridays at 7.45 pm, Bromley Central Library.
Lower Medway Archaeological Research Group
29th Nov - Victorian England, John Vigar
28th Feb - Roman Settlement in the Longfield Valley, Ted Connell
Mondays at 7.30 pm, Crown Hotel, High Street, Rochester.
Orpington and District Archaeological Society
13th Oct - Excavations at Dover, Brian Philp
10th Nov - Underground Structures, Rod Le Gear
8th Dec - A.G.M.
12th Jan - Moated Sites, Tom Hollobone
9th Feb - Anglo-Saxon Kent, Peter Tester
9th Mar - Roman London Bridge & Waterfront, Gustav Milne
Wednesdays at 8 pm, Methodist Church Hall, Sevenoaks Road, Orpington.
Otford and District Historical Society
20th Oct - Timekeeping through the Ages, Peter Bonnert
17th Nov - The Mary Rose - Time Capsule, Peter Leach
8th Dec - A.G.M. with slides of summer outings
19th Jan - The History and Occupants of Ightham Mote, T. H. M. Edwards
16th Feb - How the Bishops brought Red Brick to Otford, Ken Gravett
16th Mar - Wealden Iron, Mrs. D. Meades
20th April - London before the Great Fire, C. W. Russell
Wednesdays at 8 pm, Otford Village Hall, High Street, Otford. Admission 50p.
Day Meetings
Sat 23rd October - The Kent in Local History Conference. 10 am, Small Hall of Lewisham Concert Hall, Catford, S.E.6. Tickets £1. Theme: Industrial Archaeology.
Sat 6th November - K.A.S. Building Recorders Meeting. Theme: Medieval Houses. 2 pm, Charing Village Hall.
Sat 14th May - The County Local History Committee is to hold the 1983 One Day Conference at Tenterden. The host Society will be the Tenterden and District Local History Society.
Sat 21st May - K.A.S. Annual General Meeting. Venue and speaker to be arranged.
Day Courses
Rescue Archaeology on Urban Sites in Kent - T. F. C. Blagg. Sat 30th Oct. 10 am. Fee: £4.
How to Read Old Title Deeds - H. C. F. Lansberry. Sat 9th April. 10.30 am. Fee: £4, both at University of Kent at Canterbury.
Mithras, Mummer and Mince-Pies: A look at beliefs and customs of the Mid-Winter Period - Fran and Geoff Doel. Sat 4th Dec. 2.30 pm, Tunbridge Wells Adult Education Centre, Monson Road. Further details from Carol Mills.
Weekend Courses
Brick Building and Brick Making in Kent - T. F. C. Blagg and T. W. T. Tatton-Brown. Fri 25th to Sun 27th March. Fee £38, at Wye College, Wye.
Oral History: Voices from the Past - J. G. Sarsby and H. C. F. Lansberry. Fri 13th to Sun 15th May. Fee £37, at Allington Castle, Maidstone.
Recording Farm Buildings - H. C. F. Lansberry. Fri 20th to Sun 22nd May. Fee £29, at Bore Place Farm, Bough Beech, nr. Edenbridge.
The Topography of Romano-British towns: advance notice. Fri 25th to Sun 27th March at the Museum of London organized by the CBA Urban Research Committee and the Museum of London.
For full details etc. s.a.e. to Lyn Greenwood.
Some Kent Evening Classes
Ashford
Medieval Archaeology in Britain - T.F.C. Blagg, Weds. 7 pm from 29th Sept, 20 sessions. Adult Education Centre, Associate House, Queen's Road.
Local Studies - H.C.F. Lansberry, Mons. 7 pm from 4th Oct, 20 sessions. The Library, Church Road.
Birchington
People and Places in Kent - R. Campbell. Tues. 2 pm from 28th Sept., 20 sessions. Birchington Village Centre.
Canterbury
Local Studies - H.C.F. Lansberry, Weds. 4.30 pm from 6th Oct. 20 sessions. Rutherford College, University of Kent at Canterbury.
Family History - D. Harrington, Thurs. 7 pm from 7th Oct.-20 sessions. The Library, University of Kent.
Ecclesiastical Court Records - D. Harrington, Mons. 2 pm from 27th Sept. - 20 sessions. Cathedral Library, The Cloisters.
Canterbury Cathedral: Developments in Art and Architecture - A. Doig, Tues. 7.30 pm from 12th Oct - 20 sessions. Rutherford College, University of Kent.
Cranbrook
Medieval Cathedrals - P. Lansberry, Mons. 7.30 pm from 20th Sept. - 20 sessions. Angley School, Angley Road.
Dover
The Character of Kent Towns and Villages - I. Abbott Fris. 9.30 am from 1st Oct -20 sessions. Adult Education Centre, Westmount, 80 Folkestone Road.
Practical Archaeology - B. J. Philp, Mons 8 pm from 4th Oct - 20 sessions. The Painted House Museum, Market Street.
Eynsford
Local History of Eynsford and the Darent Valley - D. Harrington, Mons 7.30 pm from 27th Sept -20 sessions. Village Hall.
Rainham
Family History - C. R. Humphery-Smith, Thurs, 7.30 pm from 7th Oct -20 sessions. Adult Education Centre, Derwent Way.
Strood
Family History - C. J. Parry, Tues 7 pm from 28th Sept. - 20 sessions. Evening Centre, Rede Secondary School, Carnation Road.
Tenterden
Archaeology in Kent - T. F. C. Blagg, Tues 7 pm from I Ith Jan - 10 sessions. Homewood Community Centre.
Tunbridge
Medieval Archaeology in Britain - T. F. C. Blagg, Thurs 7.30 pm from 30th Sept. - 20 sessions. Adult Education Centre. Avebury Avenue.
Gods and Myths of the Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Celts - F. Doe! and G. Doe!, Mons. 7.30 pm from 27th Sept. - 20 sessions. Adult Education Centre, Avebury Avenue.
Personal History and Social History: Using Diaries, Autobiographies and Oral History - J. G. Sarsby, Mons. 7.45 pm from 27th Sept - 20 sessions. Adult Education Centre, Avebury Avenue.
Tunbridge Wells
Local Studies - H. C. F. Lansberry, Thurs. 7.15 pm from 30th Sept, Adult Education Centre, Monson Rd.
Wye
Victorian Wye - H. C. F. Lansberry, Tues. 7.30 pm from 5th Oct. - 20 sessions. Wye College.
Eltham
The Archaeology of South-East England - Lesley Adkins and Roy A. Adkins, Weds. 7 .30 pm from 22nd Sept - 24 sessions and 2 field trips. Eltham Hill School Eltham Hill.
Canterbury
Roman Britain - T. F. C. Blagg, Weds. 10 am from 6th Oct - 20 sessions. Rutherford College, University of Kent.
Dartford
A History of Dartford - G. Porteus, Mons 7 .30 pm from 27th Sept - 10 sessions. Adult Education Centre, East Hill Drive, Dartford.
Gravesend
The Georgian World - John Cooper, Thur. 7.30 pm from 30th Sept - 20 sessions. Victoria Centre, Darnley Road.
Gillingham
The Defence of Kent - E. G. Heath, Tues. 7 pm from 28th Sept. -20 sessions. Gillingham Adult Education Centre, Green Street.
Rochester
Industrial Archaeology of the Lower Medway - Bob Ratcliffe, Jim Preston, F. Wilmott, R. Childs. Weds. 7 pm from 29th Sept - 20 sessions Medway Adult Education Centre, Eastgate. Rochester.
Published by the Kent Archaeological Society, Faith Street, Maidstone, Kent.
Produced and printed by Elan Litho Limited, 5-25 Scrutton Street, London