At the meeting of the K.A.S. Council on Saturday 22nd June, formal approval was given to a proposal put forward by the Membership and Publicity Committee, that the Society should with the assistance of members undertake a project entitled the 'Kent Heritage Survey'.
Objectives
1. For members of the Kent Archaeological Society to carry out a systematic county-wide survey of our historic environment. All traces of man's past activities will be contained in the survey, from archaeological features through to buildings of architectural interest.
2. To hold records in the Society's Library of all known archaeological and landscape features, details of churches and buildings of architectural and historical interest, and references to documentary evidence about the historic environment of the ancient county of Kent.
3. To encourage the creation locally, in Branch Libraries, Museums, Affiliated Societies, similar records to provide a body of information about the history and development of the local area for interested members and the public.
4. That all such records held by the Society, be readily available for consultation by members, and to be accessible as a resource to teachers, lecturers, students and others on application.
Procedure to achieve these objectives
5. The creation in the K.A.S. Library of a set of 'Record Maps', and information cards. The county would be split into sections of 25 kilometre squares, based on the Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 (approx 6" to 1 mile) sheets. Each Record Map, some 184 in all, would have a clear overlay. In addition, each Record Map would be accompanied by, (a) site/find record cards, (b) document/correspondence file, (c) photographs - ground and aerial, and (d) plans/drawings.
6. Working within the K.A.S. Library, volunteers, using initially cards obtained from the National Monument Record, would plot information on each Record Map overlay, indicating type and general dating by the use of different shaped and coloured stickers. These overlays would provide at a glance ready reference to the nature and extent of the archaeological and historical evidence about each area.
7. As stated above this Survey will only be possible with the active assistance of individual members and Affiliated Societies. You are invited to adopt a 25 kilometre square, but the scheme will be flexible enough to allow members to work in smaller areas, or if they prefer areas covered by sections of different Record Maps, e.g. civil parishes. It may be that some members would work in groups, while others would prefer to work alone. In such a survey there is scope for everyone to take part: the more hardy will be seen doing practical fieldwork, others might prefer visiting old buildings and churches, and of course there will always be lots of documentary evidence to follow up.
8. Once it is established which area each individual or group wish to cover, the information held in the K.A.S. Library would be photocopied and sent to them. They would then carry out the checking of each piece of information on the ground, to ensure that the circumstances of sites and buildings, etc., remain the same, or noting any changes that have taken place. Any new information would then be passed back to the Library for updating of information held there. The volunteer fieldworkers would retain their copies of cards etc., as a basis of information about their areas, perhaps stimulating them to further fieldwork and research.
9. The progress of a survey of this nature would be a piecemeal and lengthy affair, reflecting as always the distribution and enthusiasm of members.
If you feel that you would like to know more about taking part in this survey, either helping in the K.A.S. Library or in your own local area, then please write to: Kent Heritage Survey, Kent Archaeological Society Library, The Museum, St Faith's St., Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LH. Output: KENT HERITAGE SURVEY A new project for K.A.S. members At the meeting of the K.A.S. Council on Saturday 22nd June, formal approval was given to a proposal put forward by the Membership and Publicity Committee, that the Society should, with the assistance of members, undertake a project entitled the 'Kent Heritage Survey'.
