KAS Newsletter, Issue 25, Summer 1993
Lower Medway Archaeological Research Group: Building Recording: May 1992. 24 High St Rochester
24 High St Rochester. Members of LMARG were invited by Lanton Park Ltd. to survey a building in Rochester High St. No. 24 High St., a Grade II Listed building TQ7468 NW7/48, one of a row of timber-framed buildings on the southwest side of the High St. about 200m. from the Medway and Rochester Bridge. The back yard of the house includes a section of the old Town Moat framed by part of the Castle curtain wall as it circles the edge of the castle mound. The house plot is a narrow strip, one of several radiating from the castle mound, probably reflecting Anglo-Saxon dwelling sites. The immediate area of the house has been examined piecemeal in widely separated archaeological excavations, e.g. No. 32 (Cobbs), 'The George' the 'King's Head' etc. and existing buildings, largely of Georgian/Victorian periods, display evidence of medieval undercrofts, overlying Roman and earlier deposits.
The Building: is the northern hall, No. 26 being the southern, of a timber-framed building dating at least from the 17th century. Presently, the front of the brick-faced building is in good condition and there is a lock-up shop occupying the front ground floor, while the rest of the building is in a very dilapidated state, particularly the rear which is neither weathertight nor secure. Many of the timbers that survive, especially those adjacent to No. 22 are very old, but are severely damaged by wood-boring beetle (Lyctus). The raising of the first-floor level in the early part of the eighteenth century, and subsequent alteration of the second floor and roof levels, along with the continuous repair and patching of the structure with inferior timber has reduced the options for preserving this building as an integral unit with historical value because the timbers of the frame have little, if any, structural integrity.
The Basement: The basement has a dirt floor, which has been well swept, thus anticipated coal dust was minimal. The lack of debris from previous occupation indicated that the basement had not been subjected to hard use, or even to much use at all until recent times, and had been well cleared. The shop floor joists above had been given prop supports to add strength, but all had rotted away at their base because lack of ventilation provided excellent conditions for the development of Merulius fungus, although there was no appreciable dampness in the basement due to rain penetration. No natural light penetrated the basement and, as there was also no mains electricity supply, our work had to be carried out with camping-gas lamps and electric torches. The visible ragstone blocks looked, at first impression, like the construction used in other C14th. undercrofts in the High Street but closer examination showed them to be more regular and less worn and therefore less ancient. The first cut in the basement floor was made about 300m. from the party wall of No. 22, near the blocked stairway. Within the first 25mm. of surface dirt Roman sherds were found. This was a surprise, for it was expected that, in common with other Rochester sites, deposits of Victorian and Georgian material would be found when the wall foundations were examined. The first cut was carefully extended to the wall and the lack of foundation for the ragstone blocks revealed. The blocks were laid with about 25mm. of mortar directly onto reddish brickearth, which contained the sherds and continued under the wall into No. 22. The cut was gradually extended to about 2m. long by 1m. wide across the width of the basement, until 300mm. depth was cleared and an apparently natural soil level shown. A line of flints forming a right angle was exposed near the party wall, which could indicate an earlier wall on this site of the Roman occupation period. No defined edge for the deposited material was observed, and therefore we could not establish whether the material was in a pit or had been laid on an earlier surface and built up, or even relaid during building operations in C17th. We were only given four hours notice to vacate the premises so that shopfitting work could be undertaken, and time only remained to replace the sifted soil and other basement debris in the cut.
Interpretation: In C.1st. a roadside kitchen serving passing trade on Watling Street dumped its rubbish in a convenient midden, or as the quality of the pottery is good the rubbish could have been dumped by the Roman garrison kitchen or from a nearby house of one of the civic officials. There were no indications of the level of the Roman road as we did not approach the assumed line of this road in the basement.
Post Roman: When the area of the building site was excavated in C17th. to a depth of 1.6 m. all the accumulated rubbish and any building debris of Saxon or early Medieval period had been removed. A sill of this height was then built and the wall plates for the house construction laid on this sub wall. The sill walls are of Kent ragstone blocks, with the occasional smaller block of local sandstone. The blocks are close set in lime mortar, and the whole sill laid on a thin bed of brickearth 25mm. thick, and 50mm. wider than the sill on its inside edge.
Notes on archaeological examination of Basement.
It is important that future refurbishment of the house does not damage the basement area, unless proper archaeological examination is completed, for a lot may be discovered on this site relating to:
1. The line of the Roman road and its surface level(s).
2. The land surface leading to the castle mound.
3. Indications of any Roman civic buildings.
4. More detailed examination of the artifacts and soil conditions of the time.
5. Possible pre-Roman material.
After initial construction the sill plates were removed and a few brick courses added to the ragstone wall to increase the height of the basement area to make it a usable storage space, perhaps for coal - and possibly also to account for the rising level of the High Street road surface - thus bringing the basement height to approximately 2.0m. All original sill timbers were removed at this time and a central chimney stack added, which meant that a supporting wall was built in the center of the basement to take the weight of the stack and fireplaces on the first floor above. Two sets of stairs were provided from the basement, one on each side of the chimney wall to the ground floor. The northwest stairs were blocked when a new shop floor was laid, while the other was provided with a flush-trap cover set in the ground floor.
The Ground Floor: Is approximately 180mm. above its original level (see Basement notes) consequently no original material exists in its original location, except perhaps the timbers of the adjacent wall to No. 22, which may represent some of the C17th. timbers of the kitchen, smoke bay or service area at the rear of the building. The chamfered ceiling beams are of the correct period but had been repositioned when the ceiling was moved upwards, and could therefore equally be reused timbers from another location.
The First Floor: The fine quality, shuttered 12 pane, hornless sash windows overlooking the High Street are in excellent condition, with what appears to be original painted surfaces, and freely mobile shutter hinges. These should be retained at all costs with the building facade. Access to the first floor at present is by way of the stairwell - as the staircase itself has been removed - which effectively divides the first floor in two (and makes access interesting!) with the living room or main room above the front of the shop and the day room, where family life would have been centered, to the rear.
Nothing remains of the earlier structure before the present level of the first floor was created, also all features on this floor date from the raising of the floor level.
Above the first floor, the splendid mast newel stair is a delight! It is solid, of ample proportions and very user-friendly. The stairway is of oak, with an oak newel post and provides us with positive dating evidence of a style from the turn of the C16th. to C17th.
Two three-quarter panels of oak wainscotting with well-cut linenfold moldings which terminate with cross incisions, were found in a horizontal position, forming rough paneling under the stairs. The method of insertion of the second-floor joists and used throughout this building is the fairly uncommon practice of chase morticing - in this case horizontally chased mortice jointing. The floor timbers are reasonably sound, as are the boards in all rooms on the first floor.
The Second Floor: Almost certainly housed the family's bedrooms and bathroom in the late C18th. this date being attributed to both the firegrates. Opposite the stairs is a small room which was the Victorian bathroom and in its southwestern or rear wall is a pretty sliding or York sash dating from the C18th. The two fine unshuttered hornless sashes are in excellent condition and the style dates, with the exterior of the building, to between the C18th. and mid C19th. Prior to its present construction, the northwest wall adjacent to No. 22 shows the flashing and roof lines of the earlier building only halfway up the wall behind the old frame. This indicates that the building had at least one gable projecting towards the High Street, and probably two, with the pitch of the roof being parallel to the road. At first floor level and upwards, the facade is of fine laid Georgian brick, with flat rubbed brick arches over 12 pane hornless sashes, two on the first floor and two on the second, with two six paned sashes to the third floor under a brown brick parapet with a string course. A hipped corrugated sheet iron roof caps the building.
Peter Dawson.
Lower Medway Archaeological Research Group.
Notes on a Stone Tool
An excavation on the airfield of Manston in 1987 revealed a Beaker burial. The skeleton was dated to 2,000+/- BC recalibrated. With it were found the Beaker, a jet button and a flint knife. The finds were at grid reference TR351652 and were reported by D. Perkins and A. Gibson in Arch. Cant. CVIIJ for 1990.
In the course of re-listing of certain finds in Thanet, the flint knife was re-examined. There has been much recording of Beaker burials and the 'Beaker Burial Kit'. The most common items in Western Europe are the pot itself, wrist guard, a jet button, a knife (pressure flaked flint or copper dagger) and pressure flaked tanged and barbed arrowheads. Other flint tools or pieces are found but these appear not to exhibit special characteristics.
The Manston knife is a blade blank 80mm long as shown in Perkins and Gibson's note, with very fine re-touch all round. The tool is patinated with miscible chalk, which can be produced by leakage as well as exposure. Here it was associated with the dated burial, yet typologically the blade looked much older. Reference to D. L. Clarke's book Beaker Pottery of Great Britain and Ireland (1970) showed illustrations of associated flints for Britain (excluding tanged and barbed arrowheads). 32 out of over 1,000 Beaker burials the most common were 12 pressure flaked daggers from 129 to 180mm long; the remainder were heterogeneous flakes and blades. A couple of blades were 78 and 80mm long, with re-touch on one and one and a quarter sides only. These had been taken to be piano-convex knives as had been the Manston knife. Unfortunately, the flint drawings are not that fine, leaving the lithic technology unclear; Clarke does not apparently purport to be a flint, as opposed to beaker, specialist. Recourse was made to Wainwright and Longworth's Durrington Walls publication of 1971, generally held to be authoritative on later New Stone Age flints. At page 175, two piano-convex knives are illustrated and it is immediately obvious that these are pressure flaked (dating from the later Neolithic: Cl4 dates 2,000 BC +/-); the Manston knife is not.
So what are we dealing with? It is possible but unlikely that the association is accidental. Much more likely is that the man who was subsequently accorded a Beaker burial found an attractive blank blade (typologically more like 5th or 4th Millennium BC) and decided to use, or reuse it as a tool; according it very fine re-touch all round, of a type consistent with his own era. Such re-use of tools, notably blade blanks, has been observed by Francois Bordes. This explanation has at least the merit of avoiding an apparently anomalous association. The knife can be seen with the jet button at Margate Museum.
G. Corti,
Thanet Archaeological Society.
Towards a Catalogue: Maidstone museum and the KAS artefact collection.
Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery curates the KAS artefact collection, which comprises over 2,000 items, from Neolithic axes found by Benjamin Harrison to the sixteenth-century Erith dagger (now on display in the newly re-opened Medieval Gallery). It includes finds from Oldbury hillfort and the mid-Bronze Age hoard of gold torques and bracelets from Aylesford.
The collection began in 1859 with the donation to the Society of William Bland's antiquities as the nucleus, and the only catalogue was published in 1892. Today this catalogue bears little relation to the collection because of new acquisitions, reclassifications, and the fact that no comprehensive numbering system has been used.
With so many objects representing a wide range of date and types, such a catalogue is obviously a major and long-term undertaking; any help from KAS members would be most welcome. Such input could comprise identifying objects within the collection, using reports, illustrations, registers, etc. (a knowledge of the period is essential for this phase); drawing and/or photographing objects; basic cataloguing (object name, number, date, site, and rough description - further information can be incorporated at a later date) then inputting this data into the computerized cataloguing system, which is set up to print directly from this data both catalogue cards and A4 format catalogues. If you have enough time and commitment to help us with this major project please contact: Claire Mason, Keeper of Human History, at Maidstone Museum.
Recent Work in Education
As a result of the continuing support of the Kent Archaeological Society, the former KAS/CAT Education Working Group has now become the KAS/CAT Education Committee. The broad aim of the committee is to continue to further the interests of Archaeology in the education field. For the financial year 1992-1993, the KAS agreed to a sum of £4,000 towards the Trust's educational projects and I extend many thanks to the Society for this.
In addition, we were delighted to receive recognition of our committee work from Kent County Council. The KCC Education agreed to a sum of £3,000 towards the overall education service and the Curriculum Development and Arts and Libraries Heritage Development funds jointly granted £1,125. In the long term, the KAS/CAT Education Committee envisages perhaps a three-way split of funding sources for education work: Kent County Council, the Kent Archaeological Society, and the Trust. It is important to remember that funds accrued for the education service not only have to cover the costs of the Education Officer but also the input of complimentary staff, for example, on Work Experience placements and the production of written resources.
During the past year, we have continued to visit Kent schools, provide Work Experience placements, and accommodate miscellaneous requests for assistance.
In addition, and in place of the proposed revision of the teachers' guide, we are currently concentrating on the production of a short children's book entitled 'Roman Canterbury', essentially written by a Local History teacher with editing, illustration work, and eventual production by the Trust. This is going to be a valuable resource in the National Curriculum. We have also contributed towards an In-Service Training day at Christ Church College, Canterbury, for Kent teachers. Last summer, liaison began with Canterbury College who are considering the possibility of offering a GCSE Archaeology on their expanding curriculum. Also during the summer, we coordinated successful placements for four undergraduates at Kent University on a Medieval History internship. The aim of the program, initiated by the University, was to give students the opportunity to experience 'practical' history in the form of archaeological processes. A full report on the Trust's education service will, as usual, be given in its forthcoming Annual Report.
Marion Green,
Education Officer,
Canterbury Archaeological Trust.
Books
K.S. Members are reminded that copies of the Kent Historic Buildings Index for Gravesham may be obtained for the price of £3 from Mr M. Peters. Also now ready, Index for Dartford. Other districts are in preparation.
Faversham Society Publications.
The Faversham Society has announced the publication of several new books: The History of Faversham Cricket, priced at £2.45 plus £3.95 for postage and packing (the book is heavy), obtainable at Fleur de Lis Centre, Preston Street, Faversham, ME13 SNS.
Annals of Ospringe. A new History. Priced at £2.45 plus £3.95 for postage and packing (the book is heavy). Also obtainable at Fleur de Lis Centre.
Faversham and District Bibliography. First part of a guide which will be of help to local historians. Priced at £1.95 plus £2.75 postage and packing. Obtainable at Fleur de Lis Centre.
Other books on sale at the Fleur de Lis include: Garden to Gateway - the Changing Face of Kent - Photographed by the People of Kent. Priced at £10.95, Hardback, contains 200 photographs. Published by the Council for the Protection of Rural England.
A Sideways Launch. by Anne Salmon. The technical and social history of James Pollock, Sons & Co. Ltd. Shipbuilders and Engineers of London and Faversham. Hardback, contains many photographs. Priced at £15.95. Published by Meresborough Books.
From Charing Cross to Baghdad. A History of Whitaker's Tunnel Boring Machine and the Channel Tunnel. by Paul Varley. Mr Varley gives a glimpse into some of the schemes for a fixed link between France and the U.K. and also focuses on the known tunnel attempt by Douglas Whitaker. Almost 200 illustrations.
May be obtained for the price of £15.95 plus £2 postage and packing from Channel Tunnel Group, The Eurotunnel Exhibition Centre, St. Martins Plain, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 4QD.
(Cheques to Channel Tunnel Group Ltd.)
Oxleas Wood Campaign
The proposed A406 East London River Crossing (ELRC) has a long and controversial history. Two grueling public inquiries have been held, the first of which was the longest ever for a road scheme. The final decision to construct the road was not given until Sept. 1991, at which juncture, the then Secretary of State for the Environment, signed an exchange land certificate, effectively bypassing special parliamentary procedure regarding the compulsory acquisition of Oxleas Wood. The exchange land offered, which is required to be of 'equal advantage' to that which would be lost (Acquisition of Land Act, 1981, Section 19. 2.), is arable farmland on Woodlands Farm, by Shooters Hill. The department proposes to 'recreate' the ancient woodland habitat on the exchange land within 10 years, a feat which most ecologists regard as impossible. The findings of the High Court against Oxleas Wood Campaign, on February 19th. 1993, is to say the least somewhat incomprehensible.
Oxleas Wood is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and an ancient woodland which has probably been in existence since the end of the last Ice Age, an irreplaceable part of our natural and cultural heritage. Ancient Woodland like Oxleas, offers us a direct link with the prehistoric forests that once covered much of lowland Britain and has been reduced to only 1% of the total surface area. An ancient woodland is a natural monument, which may have a great deal more to tell us than any extant man-made structure. Oxleas was also designated as an Area of Special Character, ranking with other Heritage areas of London. Oxleas Woodlands, SSSI and Woodlands. farm are metropolitan Open land and part of the Green Chain, a unique landscape which would be irrevocably scarred by the East London River Crossing. We are all aware of what happened at Twyford Down, near Winchester and it is unlikely that the Department of Transport will wait for the judgment in the European Court of Justice. If we do not challenge the High Court decision, the Department will begin the construction process. We intend to appeal but do not have nearly enough funds to cover our possible costs.
Donations can be sent to: The Oxleas Wood Challenge Fund.
David Black
Information from KAS Librarian
Starting with Vol. 154 (1994), the Numismatic Chronicle will carry a new section entitled 'Coin Hoards'. The purpose will be to publish material in the nature of: (i) new finds, (ii) additional information about published finds, or (iii) summary reports of finds published in non-numismatic journals. The Numismatic Chronicle will not attempt to summarize finds already in numismatic publications. It will carry preliminary reports of finds that are to be published elsewhere. The detail will vary according to the information available, the nature of the coin series, and whether a preliminary or final report. Authors should provide bibliographic details of references and abbreviations. An estimate of the date of deposit, under the rubric 'Burial c. .... .' or 'Burial after .... .', will be included. The modern name of the findspot, region, province, and country, and date of discovery should be provided. Comments about the find or nature may be included. Photographs should be mounted as whole or part plates according to the Chronicle's 'Guidance for Contributors'. The author's name will appear after the entry. Each entry should be submitted typed on separate A4 sheets, double-spaced and with ample margins, and sent to the appropriate Editor by 30th September 1993 for inclusion in Vol. 154 (1994). For Ancient Greek, Roman, and Celtic: Dr. Ian Carradice, Dept. of Art History, University of St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9AL. Tel: 0334 76161. And for Medieval (inc. Byzantine), Modern: Dr. Mark Blackburn, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, CB2 IRB. Tel: 0223 332900.
Peter Draper,
KAS Librarian
Christmas Buffet
The Christmas Buffet, attended by some eighty members, was held at West Malling Village Hall. An entertainment, provided most professionally and delightfully by the Plaxtol Players, was greatly enjoyed by everyone. Although first advertised to members as depicting two hundred years of fashion, they did in fact present their programme entitled 'A Stitch in Time', modelling costumes from the Saxon period to the nineteenth century and as worn by personalities living in Plaxtol village. It was a most rewarding experience. The core of an exhibition which is to be developed to display the Society's work was on show for the first time. Afterwards, members were introduced to the joys of West Malling by Mr. R. Lovegrove of Malling Society, who took them on a guided tour of the town.Conference at Shoreham
The very successful one-day Conference on Saturday 6th March on Aspects of Kentish History and Archaeology was attended by some 110 people from all over the county. The morning programme included lectures on Roman Canterbury by Paul Bennett and Old Soar by Jayne Semple. After an excellent buffet lunch provided by 'Agneta's Kitchen', Victor Smith spoke on The London Defence Positions and Susan Pittman gave a talk on Lullingstone Park. Mr Bennett then returned to give the latest information on the Bronze Age boat recently discovered in Dover and to show slides on the work in progress in the nave of Canterbury Cathedral. Thanks were extended to Joy Saynor who had organized the very enjoyable day and to Ted Connell, whose hard work for many hours during the day helped to ensure the success of the conference. The Bookstall was stocked and manned by Darenth Book Shop of Otford, and the W.I. ladies supplied the welcome coffees and teas during the breaks.Certificate in Archaeology
There will be an intake in October 1993 to the University of Kent's part-time Certificate in Archaeology which will be taught in Tonbridge, 7.30 to 9.30 pm on Tuesdays. Over two years, students will follow a syllabus that will introduce the archaeology of Southern Britain from the Upper Palaeolithic to the early Anglo-Saxons. Fee: around £200 per annum, subject to review. Further information from The University Centre, Avebury Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent. TN9 ITG. Tel: (0732) 352316
Editor's Sackcloth and Ashes
My sincere apologies to readers of the last Newsletter (No.24 Spring 1993) for several errors which slipped through the vigilance of our proof-readers. Firstly, to Mr. Nicholas Fuentes, whose name as author of the article "Kent in the Ravenna Cosmography" was entirely missed out. For two omissions in his text I apologize and now correct. Column 1, line 6, should read 'which was compiled after AD 400 ... .' Column 1, line 25, should read 'Intraum, Antrum, Liar, Tinoa, Linda. Secondly, to Mr. L. Ilott in his Library News, 'Typography' should be 'Topography' in each case. There are several other minor errors elsewhere in the Newsletter which have no doubt been noted by readers. Nesta Caiger, Hon. Editor, K.A.S. Newsletter.Fieldwork Grants
Are you planning an excavation or fieldwork within the county of Kent during 1994? Grants are available from the KAS to assist with work carried out by Affiliated Societies sai. individual members.
Applications on appropriate form (obtainable from Ho� General Secretary, Andrew Moffat.
The Hon. Editor welcomes all letters, articles and communications and would particularly like to receive more from members and others, especially requests for research information, finds, books and related topics. The Editor wishes to draw readers' attention to the fact that neither the Council of the KAS, nor the Editor is answerable for opinions which contributors may express in the course of their signed articles. Each author is aloRe responsible for the contents and substance of their letters, items or papers. Material for the next Newsletter should be sent by 1st July 1993 to Hon. Editor, Nesta Caiger.
Editor's Note: From time to time I am sent an unsigned article, letter, poem etc. Members must knaw that it is not K.A.S. policy to publish anonymous communications -a genuine name and address must be attached before any contributions to the Newsletter can be considered for publication.
Published by the Kent Archaeological Society, The Museum, St. Faith's Street, Maidstone, Kent. ME141LH.
Printed by Delta Press, Crayford Industrial Estate, Swaisland Drive, Crayford DAl 4HT. Typesetting by Jan.set 081-301 2856.
Events, Outings, Lectures
K.A.S. Saturday, 8th May 1993. Country Social Evening and Barbecue supper, Great Hall, Cobham College. 6 pm. Tickets £7 members, £7.50 friends. (Details were in last newsletter) Introduction by Mr Nightingale. Mr Philip Lawrence will describe the Cobham Brasses. Apply to Mrs Lawrence for further information.
Saturday, 15th May. K.A.S. Annual General Meeting, (notes enclosed).
Monday, 31st May to 5th June. K.A.S. Excursion to Brittany. Contact Mr Crane for possible cancellations.
K.A.S. FIELDWORK COMMITTEE ONE DAY COURSE.
Saturday, 19th June 1993. The K.A.S. Fieldwork committee is organizing a one-day course on the Study of Samian Ware. The course is to be held at the Mid-Kent Professional Centre, Loose Road, Maidstone, and will be conducted by Alec Detsicas. B.A., M.A., D.Litt., F.S.A., F.S.A. Scot., a well-known expert in this field. The students will be introduced to the sources and history of samian ware, forms of vessels and study of potters' marks. There will also be opportunities to handle samples of the ware and some instruction in the techniques for drawing samian pottery to publication standard. The number of places will be limited and there is a registration fee of £4 to cover costs. S.A.E. to: Alec Miles.
Saturday, 19th June. K.A.S. Excursion to Meopham and Nurstead. (Members own transport). Suggested itinerary: 11 am. Meopham Church. 12 noon Meopham Windmill. Lunch - either on Green or at two pubs. 2 pm. Nurstead Church, 2.45 pm. Nurstead Court. See Mrs Edmeades for teas. Cost: £2.50 plus teas at Nurstead. Apply Mr M. Crane. S.A.E. please.
Saturday, 3rd July. K.A.S. Excursion to St. Margaret's at Cliffe. (Members own transport) Meet 2 pm. at the Norman Church. 2.45 pm. Museum over the Bay, 3.15 pm The Bay Gardens, 4 pm. Strawberry tea at Dane Court, Cost: £4.50. Numbers limited to 25. Apply to Mr Crane (address as above) S.A.E. please.
K.A.S. plans for future Lectures etc. include:
A DAY SCHOOL on Geophysical Surveying to be arranged by the Fieldwork Committee. Sept.
A DAY CONFERENCE on Nautical Archaeology around Kent. to be arranged by the Fieldwork Committee. Possible dates 2nd or 9th October.
BUILDING RECORDERS CONFERENCE. to be arranged by Historic Buildings Committee. probably 16th October.
LAMBARDE SYMPOSIUM to be arranged by the Library Committee. November. Details in the next Newsletter.
KENT HISTORY FEDERATION. One Day Conference on Saturday, 26th June at South Kent College, Folkestone. Speakers include Mr Brian Hart on The Coming of the Railway, Anne Nevill on Victorian Folkestone, and Mr George Harland as Charles Dickens will give a short reading. Afternoon. Various walks. Further information from Mr D. Coast. (Hon.Sec.K.H.F.). S.A.E. please.
FAVERSHAM 'OPEN HOUSE' SCHEME. Saturdays, 3rd, 10th, and 17th July 1993. Organized by the Faversham Society, this scheme enables visitors to see over some of its historic buildings, some of them not ordinarily open to the public. This year over 15 properties are expected to participate and the scheme will run for three consecutive Saturdays so that visitors can come more than once if they wish. Admission to all is by program, price £3, which contains detailed historical and architectural notes. Programs are available, either on the day (£3) or beforehand by post, (£3.50) from the Faversham Society at the Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre, 13 Preston St. Faversham. Kent. ME13 SNS. Cheques to 'Faversham Society'.
ROMAN VILLA, CROFTON, ORPINGTON. (near Orpington Station.) Some ten rooms of the central part of the villa, built of flints and tile and similar to Lullingstone are now open to the public after four years' work by the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit and Bromley and West Kent Arch. Group. Display boards set out the history of the villa from its building in AD 120 to its final abandonment in AD 400, its discovery in 1926 and later excavations. The site will be open from April to October each year, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm. On Sundays from 2 pm to 5 pm. Parties can also visit by special arrangement on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Admission charge: 60p adults, 30p children and OAP's. Party bookings for normal opening days, phone 081 462 4737. or Bromley Museum 0689 873826.
ORPINGTON AND DISTRICT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY will be holding a half-day conference on Saturday, 30th October on A Moated Site, Christopher Marlowe and More. The venue is Farrington's School, Chislehurst, Kent. Speakers include Dr J. Thirsk, Charles Nicholl, Kenneth Gravett, Alan Hart. Tickets are available from B. J. Bull, 36 Walden Road, Chislehurst, BR7 SOL price £4 (£3.50 Students/OAPs) Cheques to ODAS. SAE please. There will also be the opportunity to visit the excavations at Scadbury on two open days. 18th - 19th Sept. For information, apply to address above enclosing a SAE.
ROMNEY MARSH RESEARCH TRUST has arranged two guided walks on the ROYAL MILITARY CANAL featuring Birds, Plants and Insect Life of the Canal System, set against a background of historical changes. By Fred Booth and Jill Eddison. The first walk is on Saturday, 5th June and this will be repeated on Saturday, 3rd July. Tickets are needed for walks. £5 from Mrs S. Carrel, and for further information.
LOWER MEDWAY ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH GROUP. Lectures. Monday, 26th July. Roman Rochester. Sue Haydock. Monday, 25th October 25 years of Excavation in Kent. Brian Philp. Meetings take place in the Function Room, The King's Head, High Street. Rochester (near the castle). 8 pm. Visitors welcome.
COUNCIL FOR BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGY, (South East Region) A.G.M. and Lecture. This will take place on Saturday, 1st May 1993 in the Hall of Reigate Grammar School, Reigate Road, Reigate, Surrey, at 11.30 am. Provisional Programme: 11.30 am - 12.00 Annual General Meeting, 2.00 pm Three short talks by Speakers on Regional Projects. 3.00 pm Tea, 3.30 pm. The 'Beatrice de Cardi Lecture' will be given this year by Dr David Breeze who will speak on For Love not Money, The Role of the Amateur in Archaeology (Introduced by Dr P. Addyman.) LONDON ARCHAEOLOGIST MAGAZINE A.G.M. and Lecture will be held at the Institute of Archaeology, Gordon Square, London, WCl. Tuesday, 18th May. Refreshments are served at 6.30 pm. At 7 pm, before the lecture, annual accounts and reports will be presented. The lecturer this year is Mr Nicholas Fuentes* speaking on The London Area in the 5th and 6th Centuries. All are welcome.
*Mr Fuentes contributed the article on Kent in the Ravenna Cosmography in last KAS Newsletter. (No. 24).
INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES (ISIS). Lecture at the Institute of Archaeology, Gordon Square, London WCI. on Saturday, 10th July 1993 at 2 pm. Lecturer is Dr. Rosalie David, Keeper of Egyptology, Manchester Museum, who will speak on Manchester Museum Mummy Project, Recent researches. No admission charge, all welcome. Tea will be served during the afternoon.