KAS Newsletter, Issue 65, Summer 2005

nneewwss ll ee tt tt ee rr K E N T A RC H A E O LO G I C A L S O C I E T Y Issue number 65 Summer 2005 www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Inside 2-3 Tothill Street Library Notes 4-5 New Venture Time Team 6-7 Lectures, Courses, Conferences & Events 8-9 Notice Board 10-11 Hollingbourne Hoard Virtual Museum Letters to the Editor Mystery picture 12-13 Bigger and better ‘Distinguished Contribution’ Award Sandwich Project 14-15 Sandwich Project Leybourne 16 Swanscombe opening T O T H I L LS T R E E T THANET SITE REVEALS REMAINS FROM THE BRONZE AGE, IRON AGE AND ROMAN PERIODS - SEE PAGE 2 Chalk Ridge Cemetery Rectangular Structure Sunken Structure Small Enclosure Solution Hollow Barrow ture, a construction type which is being increasingly recognised on Thanet sites. Sub-rectangular or oval in shape, the building measured roughly 8m by 5m. Several post-holes were found in the base of the feature, including two large squared post-holes at the longer ends. There was no direct evidence for a hearth but the chalk in one corner appeared to be discoloured by exposure to heat. Two pits at opposing corners of the structure contained refuse material including mussel shell and animal bone, charcoal-rich deposits and loom weights. There is some evidence for several stages of modification of the building and a concentration of flint and daub sealing the feature may derive from its collapsed superstructure. To the east of the main enclosure, a second smaller sub-circular enclosure, provisionally dated to the Middle Iron Age was found. The enclosure, which was approximately 18m in diameter, had a south-west facing entrance. Although groups of The Isle of Thanet continues to provide exciting new archaeological discoveries. It was unsurprising, therefore, that excavation by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust in advance of the first phase of a new roadside services at the A253 Minster Roundabout revealed a wealth of remains. Commissioned by 305 Management Services on behalf of their clients Somerfield, the Trust stripped topsoil from a 2 hectare area to reveal funerary remains from the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman periods, and an extensive and long-lived Iron Age settlement. Although earlier finds, including a polished axe and hammer stones, were found, the earliest feature exposed was a substantial Bronze Age barrow which has been left for excavation during a future phase of development. Aerial photographs of the site, which lies close to one of the highest points on Thanet, show this barrow is part of a NE/SW alignment, following the slope of the hill, with two further barrows lying to the east of the site. A single crouched inhumation, thought to be of Early Bronze Age date, was found buried in a shallow pit. The skeleton was in poor condition but appears to be that of an adult. A jet bracelet or armlet was recovered in situ along with an amber bead, and a second bead fashioned from a polished fossil sponge with an elephant tusk shell placed through it. In the northwest corner of the site, part of a large Late Bronze Age / Early Iron Age quarry pit was found excavated into the chalk, probably to retrieve flint. The fills within the quarry suggest that it had been worked intermittently and silt horizons containing pottery, animal bone and mussel shells suggest a nearby settlement. A single inhumation was found buried beneath the chalk backfill in the pit. By the Middle Iron Age the north-western quarter of the site became a focus for settlement, with the construction of a large sub-rectangular ditched enclosure with internal dimensions varying between 30m and 36m. The enclosure ditches had been constructed in at least two phases and greatly varied in depth. Provisional dating of the pottery suggests a date of c.600 – 400/350 BC, however, there are several phases and activity within the enclosure may have extended to the later part of this period. A wide southern entrance led into an interior packed with features, mainly pits and post-holes, with the greatest concentration being on the eastern side. A second entrance, later blocked, was found on the northwest side. Just outside this entrance was a pit in which a human skull and other very fragmented bone had been placed. Human bone was also found within the fills of the enclosure ditches. Two substantial buildings occupied the southern half of the enclosure. In the south-western corner a post-built rectangular structure, measuring 13m by 7.5m was found. Eaves drip gullies drained into the enclosure ditch and there was also some evidence for internal partitioning and both external and internal flint surfacing. The building in the south eastern corner of the enclosure appears to be a sunken-floored struc- T O T H I L L S T R E E T TOP: The jet bracelet or armlet. ABOVE: Polished axe found on the site. Sum m er 2005 2 Towards the end of the Iron Age, a small inhumation cemetery developed at the Tothill Street end of the site, provisionally dated on the basis of a single pottery vessel to between c.100 BC to AD 50. Eleven graves were excavated and it is expected that the cemetery extended west and east outside the limits of the excavation. It was noted that a chalk ‘ridge’ formed the southern boundary, and that ten of the graves were aligned perpendicular to its line, while the eleventh was parallel to it. This suggests that the ridge was a conspicuous landscape feature in the Late Iron Age and formed a boundary. Bone was well preserved in all of the graves, and in one, larger than the rest, the outline of a coffin and its iron nails could be distinguished. This first phase of excavation at Tothill Street has again demonstrated the rich archaeological resource that lies buried on the Isle of Thanet and suggests that many more important and exciting discoveries will be made during later phases. Adrian Gollop, Canterbury ArchaeologicalTrust Simon Mason, Principal Archaeology Officer, Heritage Conservation, Kent County Council pits and post-holes were found within it, no clear building pattern could be identified. Outside the enclosures, post-hole alignments indicated further buildings and fence lines. In particular, the partial remains of a ring ditch and post structure, which encircled a flint surface containing pottery, quern fragments and burnt stone, may indicate an industrial area. Other features included a range of pits containing refuse material, including fragments of possible sword moulds. T h ree small pits contained possible ‘placed’ deposits, including a copper alloy brooch, partial deer skulls with antler still attached, and a nearcomplete pottery vessel. STACKS OF INFORMATION? On the shelves in the corner of the Fire Escape alcove in the Kent Archaeological Society Library is a floor-to-ceiling stack of note books, papers and documents, to which no reference can currently be found in the index of the KAS Library collections. The stack has accumulated mainly from material bequeathed to the Society by long-since departed KAS members eminent in their time as historians, archaeologists and antiquaries. One of our members, Sheila Wilson, has recently spent many a Wednesday afternoon working her way through the collection, and has succeeded in separating it out into a series of roughly defined categories, guided by provenance, possible authorship and content, and within each category has provided a broad description of items which comprise the category. There are, for instance, a number of note books, photograph albums and boxes of papers, of which Arthur Hussey was probably the author or compiler, covering diverse topics such as the history of Meopham, Dover churches, and architectural features of Kent churches. E.H.W. Dunkin has left some 20 exercise books touching on a wide range of interests among which are Saxon charters, Pipe Rolls, Tithes, and Rochester churches. Material emanating from the indefatigable Dr. Gordon Ward includes a ledger on the Sun Fire Office, a book on ‘Constables of the Montfort Family’, material on ‘The Hundred of Folkestone’, ‘Anglo-Saxon Dens’, and an ‘Analysis of the Domesday Book relating to Kent’. From an unidentified author there are an assembly of 63 note and exercise books in a series numbered up to 193, (the other 130 in this series, if they exist, have yet to be found), mostly on architectural features of Kent churches. Other items include a box of papers concerning KAS matters left by Livett; a History of Addington by J.G.Madden; Jessop’s notes on Kent, and a number of note books written by Leland Duncan. The authorship of another batch of two dozen exercise books on a variety of subjects has not been determined, but it may be that Hardman had a hand in some of them. The question may be asked, is this stack of items worthy of further study? In the first instance, these handwritten notes in cheap school note and exercise books were probably mostly for research purposes, and may have formed the basis of still-available printed books and articles. Then, too, what we are dealing with here is, in the main, not direct source material, but other peoples’ notes and impressions of sources existing at the time they were committed to paper. There may, however, be recorded, within the material, information on places, events or people not used in print and for which the original source no longer exists. It may be useful therefore to make present day researchers aware of the fact that this stack of notes and papers is available, and in any event it seems wrong to keep the material occupying space in an already over crowded Library unless some reference can be made to it in the Library index. Building on the work already done by Sheila Wilson, I am therefore intending to invite the Volunteers who have now completed their excellent work on the Hussey papers, to undertake a more detailed study of this material in order to reference it appropriately in the Library index. More Volunteers are always welcome. Frank Panton, Hon. Librarian. Some notes on persons mentioned in the text. Leland Lewis DUNCAN. KAS member from 1887, and prolific contributor to Archaeologia Cantiana. Co-Author of Testamenta Cantiana 1906. D.1923. Arthur HUSSEY. Vice-President, KAS 1927. D.1941. Co-Author with DUNCAN of Testamenta Cantiana 1906. F.W.HARDMAN. Council member, KAS, for many years. D.1941. F.W.JESSUP. President, KAS, 1976-1982. Published many papers and books, notably ‘A History of Kent’ 1958. D.1990. Rev. Canon G.M.LIVETT. Editor, Archaeologia Cantiana 1907-1914, Vice-President KAS 1914. D.1951. Dr. Gordon WARD. Member KAS 1927, Council 1931, Hon. Life Member 1954. Author of many and varied contributions to Archaeologia Cantiana. D.1962. Postscript Since writing the above I have discovered an article in Arch. Cant. LXXXIII (1968), which identifies the writer of the 63 notebooks mentioned in para 3 as V. J. Torr, a monumental brass and church architecture expert, a contributor to Arch. Cant., who died in 1965 and left his notebooks to the Society. The 1968 Arch. Cant. article indicates the content of the notebooks, and this information will make the task of assimilating them into the library catalogue that much easier. ADDITIONS TO LIBRARY FEBRUARY TO MAY 2005. Archaeology in Vlaanderland VIII 2001/2002. Norfolk Archaeology Vol.XLIV, P.III. Materielshefte zur Archaeologie. Baden-Wurttemberg. Monumental Brass Society Bulletin 98. Jan. 2005. Surrey Archaeological Collections Vol.91. 2004. Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society. 3rd Series Vol.19. 2004. Thurnham Castle; Fact And Fiction. 1999. (Alan Ward). Archives Vol.27 No.1. (Orpington and District). Greater London Advisory Service Quarterly Review. Aug-Nov. 2004. Fornvannen 2004/1. /2. /3. /4. (Journal of Swedish Research). Jahrbuches Romisch-Germanischen Mainz. 50 Jahrgang. 2003. Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society.Vol.54 2003. Review of Archaeology in Hampshire. 1980-2000. Shropshire History and Archaeology. Vol.LXXVIII. 2002. Canterbury’s Archaeology. 2003-2004. Snodland Paper Mill. (K.J.Funnell). Surrey History. Vol.VII No1 2004. L I B R A RY N O T E S CONTINUEDON PAGE 4 3 Sum m er 2005 Ewell – Village That Became A Town. (Epson and Ewell Historical and Archaeological Society). Archaeometry Vol.47 P.1. Feb. 2004. Bygone Kent Vol.26 No.3. Facing the Palace. (Excavations at Fishbourne). Sussex Archaeological Society Vol.141 2002. Jarhschrifte fur Mitteldeutsche Vorgeschichte, Halle, Band 86, 87, 88. Montgomeryshire Collection Vol.92, 2004. Transactions of the Historic Society Lancashire and Cheshire. Vol.151, 2004. A NEW VENTURE - informal adult learning RESEARCHING LOCAL HISTORY with Dr. Jacqueline Bower Enrol now!!! Only 20 places available. The course will be held on Monday afternoons in the KAS library in Maidstone Museum. It will be in 4 modules of 5 sessions each, priced at £20 per module. The sessions will commence at 2 p.m. and finish at 4 p.m. The course will cover a wide range of sources and include live online internet research. Module 1 from 19 September 2005 for five weeks The Victorian Community How to use trade directories, census returns and a range of other sources, to research towns and villages in Victorian Kent. Module 2 from 31 October 2005 for five weeks Reconstructing the Community Using parish registers and other sources to reconstruct the population of a parish from the 16th century to the 19th century. Module 3 from 9 January 2006 for five weeks Parish Affairs Sources for local government in the 18th and early 19th centuries, especially the relief of the poor. Module 4 from 20 February 2006 for five weeks Life in Elizabethan and Stuart Kent Using probate records and other sources to research work and living standards in the late 16th and 17th centuries. Plus guidance on reading old handwriting. An enrolment form for the first module is included in this Newsletter. CONTINUEDFROM PAGE 3 Flint Mines in Neolithic Britain. (Miles Russell). Derbyshire Archaeological Journal No.125, 2005. Life at the Sharp End. (St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School, Gravesend). Whitstable remembered. (Tribute to Wallace Harvey). Materiel Hefte zur Archaeologie. Hefte 65 Stuttgart 2005. Books and pamphlets on finds and their recognition from Greenlight Press: ‘Buttons and Fasteners’, ‘Tokens and Tallies through the Ages’, ‘Benet’s Artefacts’, ‘Medieval English Groats’, ‘Reading Tidal Rivers’, ‘Reading Land’, ‘Reading Beaches’, ‘Pottery in Britain’. Coins of England. 40th Edition 2005 Spink. Consistory Court of Chancery. Index of Wills 1557-1887. (M.J.Cozens) Sum m er 2005 4 demonstrate the team-work and professionalism of Kent’s amateur archaeologists and metal detectorists, something that Time Te a m were very impressed with. The episode on Eastry will air sometime between January to March next year. Andrew Richardson In early May Channel 4’s Time Team descended on Eastry for one of their three-day excavations. The aim was to explore Eastry’s Anglo-Saxon origins, and in particular to see if any evidence of the Villa Regales of the Kentish kings could be located. The focus of attention was a hill to the north of Eastry on which the White Cliffs Metal Detecting Club had found a number of early Anglo-Saxon metal artefacts. Time Team also investigated sites in and around Eastry Court, whose origins as a Medieval manor house adjacent to the church have led to the suggestion that this was the site of the Villa Regales. In the event, very little hard evidence of Anglo-Saxon activity was located at the sites in the village. On the hill, no burials or structures of Anglo-Saxon date were located. However, a metal detector survey during the course of filming produced a silver garnetinlaid brooch fragment and D-shaped buckle loop (both of 6th century date) and the head of a cruciform brooch (late 5th century). On the summit of the hill the base of a Medieval post-mill was located. This was excavated by the Dover Archaeological Group. The fill of this contained the base of a 6th century glass cone beaker. Thus the evidence for high status activity on this hill during the 5th to early 7th centuries continues to accrue. Time Team’s visit to Eastry provided a useful boost to our understanding of this import a n t Kentish village, and was also an opportunity to T I M E T E A MAT E A S T RY 3 rd to 5th May 2005 TOP: Andrew Richardson describes a cruciform brooch found by a member of the White Cliffs Metal Detecting Club to Mick Aston. ABOVE: The crossbars of the Medieval post-mill showed clearly. 5 Sum m er 2005 KAS EVENTS KAS Churches Committee Visit Saturday 24 September. You are invited to visit the two East Kent churches of Upper Hardres and Stelling Minnis. We meet at 2pm at Upper Hardres and at 3pm at Stelling Minnis. Tea and biscuits will be provided at the last church. Tour £2 (Students £1) with tea extra at £1. Cheques in advance please, payable to Kent Archaeological Society. A booking slip for this visit is enclosed; it would be helpful if return was made by 17 September. KAS One-day Conference Visualising Four Kentish Villages Saturday 15 October 10.30am-4.30pm Following the successful one-day conference last year, another event has been organised to take place in the Church Barn at Charing. ‘Visualising Four Kentish Villages’ will look at East Peckham, Kemsing, Loose and Charing. Charge for the day, including tea or coffee, is £5. A booking form for this event appeared in the last Newsletter, so to book now please contact Joy Saynor, Friars, 28 High Street, Shoreham, Sevenoaks TN14 7TD or email: saynor.shoreham@amserve.com KAS History & Archaeology Show Saturday 29 October, 10am – 4.30pm in Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery. 26 exhibitors plus KAS Committee exhibits. More details in the October Newsletter. KAS Christmas Lunch Saturday 26 November. We are returning to the Great Hall of Wye College in response to the popular request of those who enjoyed this venue so much last year. Full details and booking arrangements will appear in the October issue of the Newsletter. OTHER EVENTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTY TALKS Public Lecture on Abbey Farm Villa, Minster, 21 July 7.45 – 9pm. By Keith Parfitt, excavation director. A round-up of work done at this KAS–sponsored site. At St George’s School, Westwood Road, Broadstairs. Cost £3.50 on the door, £3 in advance. Info from Mrs V Robbins, Isle of Thanet Archaeological Society, on 07906 360725. Tonbridge Historical Society Lectures 15 September, 7.45pm The End of the War – 1945 by Dr John Ray 27 October, 7.45pm The Unusual River Crossing at Rochester by Paul Oldham 19 November, 2.30pm Records of the Civil War by Michael Gandy (2 sessions, with refreshments in between. Must be booked, see below) 5 January 2006, 7.45pm An Illustrated Walk around the Saxon Shore by Christopher Wade 16 February 2006, 7.45pm The Art & Architecture of Rochester Cathedral by Simon Bliss 6 April 2006, 7.30pm AGM plus lecture (TBA) All lectures are at the Adult Education Centre, Av e b u ry Avenue, Tonbridge. For further details, and to book the 2 session lecture, contact THS Secretary, Shiela Broomfield on 01732 838698 or mail to s.broomfield@dial.pipex.com. C a n t e r b u ry Archaeological Trust 30th Anniversary Lectures Tim Ta t t o n - B rown, founding Director of Canterbury Archaeological Trust and leading architectural historian and freelance archaeologist. The Building of Canterbury Cathedral ~ Archaeology and Architectural History Thursday 15 September The Anglo-Saxon and Norman cathedrals, 597-1170 Thursday 6 October The great Gothic rebuilding, 1174-1220 Thursday 3 November The Perpendicular rebuilding 1350-1500 All lectures are in the Grimond Lecture Theatre 1 (GLT1), University of Kent, Canterbury. Suggested donation at the door: £3.00 for Friends of CAT, others £5.00. Organised by Friends of Canterbury Archaeological Trust in association with Darwin College, University of Kent. CONFERENCES Council for Kentish Archaeology Nelson and Trafalgar: Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar. Saturday 5 November 2– 5.30pm at Canterbury Christ Church University College, North Holmes Road, Canterbury. Victory and the Road to Trafalgar by Richard Holdsworth, Museum and Heritage Director, Chatham Historic Dockyard. Nelson and the Trafalgar Campaign by Professor Richard Harding, University of Westminster What if Nelson had lost Trafalgar? By Andrew Saunders, leading authority on Medieval and later fortifications. Tickets £4.00 available from CKA, 7, Sandy Ridge, Borough Green TN15 8HP. Cheque payable to CKA, please enclose SAE. W H AT ’ S ON > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sum m er 2005 6 COURSES Study for a Certificate in Archaeology! If you are interested in archaeology, deepen your knowledge and understanding of the subject through study on the University of Kent’s well-established Certificate in Archaeology. There are still a few places available for the part-time evening certificate starting in September 2005 in Canterbury. Courses include an introduction to archaeological method, prehistoric Britain, Roman Britain and Ancient Egypt. No formal entry qualifications are necessary. You need demonstrate only interest, enthusiasm and aptitude. If you complete the Certificate you can then consider progressing to a Diploma and Degree in Archaeological Studies should you wish. Why not ask for more information? Contact the Information and Guidance Unit, The Registry, University of Kent, C a n t e r b u ry CT2 7NZ, tel: 0800 9753777, email: info@kent.ac.uk. EVENTS Heritage Open Days in England, 8 – 11 September This 4-day event offers the chance to see inside many historic buildings normally shut to the public. Further information can be found at www.heritageopendays.org or telephone the Civic Trust on 0870 240 5251. London Open House, 17– 18 September The capital’s equivalent of Heritage Open Days. A guide to available buildings can be bought, from 20 August, by sending an A4 self addressed envelope with a 60p stamp and cheque for £3 (payable to London Open House) to L.O.H., PO Box 25361, London NW5 1GY. Visit www.londonopenhouse.org for more information. NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGY WEEK, Saturday 16 July to Sunday 24 July. A nation-wide celebration of archaeology, with hundreds of events taking place. A full listing is on www.britarch.ac.uk; here are the Kent venues: Archaeological Activities in a Roman Bathhouse, 16 & 17 July at Poverest Road, Orpington (entrance in Bellefield Road). A fun-filled weekend of activities for all the family, with guided tours of the site. Info from Adrian Green on 01689 873826, mail to bromley.museum@bromley.gov.uk. Dartford Festival, 16 & 17 July, 1 – 5pm at Central Park, Dartford.. Display of the recent excavations and finds discovered by Dartford District Archaeological Group. Info from Chris Baker, Dartford Borough Museum, on 01322 224739. Find Out about the Romans, 17 July 10am – 5pm Crofton Roman Villa, Crofton Road, Orpington. Guided talks on the villa house, artefact handling, mosaic-making, Roman games, dig for finds in the excavation box. Take the Villa Discovery Trail for 6-11 year olds, with certificate. Entry £1 per person. Children must be accompanied. Info from Edna Mynott, on 020 8460 1442, mail to CroftonVilla@aol.com. Archaeology Roadshow at Lullingstone Roman Villa, 17 July from 11am. Bring along your finds for identification by our experts. Info on 01322 863467. Roman Festival at Richborough Fort, near Sandwich, 23 & 24 July, 11am – 5pm. Watch combat and everyday life, including cookery, leatherwork and a Roman surgeon. Adult £5.50, Child £2.70, Concession £4.10. Info on 01304 612013. Prehistory – life b4 txt, Sunday 24 July, 11am – 4.30pm in the Museum of Kent Life, Sandling. North Downs Young Archaeologists’ invite you to a family fun day, focusing on prehistory. Carenza from Time Team speaking, Living History groups, flintknapping, bronze axe-casting, mini-excavation, artefacts of the period from Maidstone Museum, lots of free activities for young & old including food tasting & creative crafts, exhibition of local history & archaeology groups. Entry is free for all children 16 & under (normally £4.50), adults £6.50. Oare Gunpowder Works After a long period of conservation, this site is now open to the public free of charge (8am – 5pm during the week and 9am – 4pm at weekends). Started by Huguenot immigrants from Lyons in the 1680’s, the Works were the main supplier to the East India Company and the second most important gunpowder site in Britain. Further i n f o rmation on www. f a v e r s h a m . o rg / history/oareworks.asp. >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 7 Sum m er 2005 MEMBERSHIP MATTERS We are pleased to welcome the following new members: JOINT MEMBERS Andrews, Mr M, and Mrs, 62 Ashenden Walk, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 3UN Newport, Mr P J, and Mrs, 2 Longtail Rise, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 5PZ Spencer, Mr D C J, and Mrs, Five Oasts View, Gallants Lane, East Farleigh, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 0LF Spink, Mr P J, and Mrs, 55 Cornwallis Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent, TN10 4ET Wolton, Mrs D & Lintell, Mr M, 8 Oakford Road, London, NW5 1A JUNIOR MEMBERS Walton, Mr T J, 8 Alexandra Road, Kingsdown, Deal, Kent, CT14 8DS White, Miss L C, 1 Croftside, Vigo, Meopham, Kent, DA13 0SH ORDINARY MEMBERS Barber, Ms E-R, Buxley Cottage, Lymbridge Green, Stowting, Ashford, Kent, TN25 6BL Dane, Ms J, 38 Maudsley Road, Eltham, London, SE9 1LJ Davidson, Mrs J, 7 Chatsworth Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1DS Farmer, Mrs S, Enchante, Church Road, Hartley, Dartford, Kent, DA3 8DW Gaunt, Ms B J, Penhall Cottage, Lamberhurst Road, Horsmonden, Tonbridge, Kent, TN12 8LP Green, Mr A, 63 Allington Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 8AZ Hooper, Sir Anthony, Lyddendone, Hastinglye, Ashford, Kent, TN25 Jones, QC, Mr A J, Hamden Farm, Smarden Road, Bethersden, Ashford, Kent, TN26 3HF Keene, Mrs G, 24 Sharfleet Crescent, Iwade, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8UQ Lushington. Bt, Sir John, Kent House, Barrington, Ilminster, Somerset, TA19 0JP Monk, Mrs M, 46 Second Avenue, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 2HS Reader, Mr T, 76 West View Road, Dartford, Kent, DA1 1T Singleton, Mr A F, 8 Mount Pleasant, Talbot Road, Hawkhurst, Cranbrook, Kent, TN18 4ND Stockdale, Mr N, 8 Foads Hill, Cliffsend, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 5EL Tubby, Mr P W, Andelain, Woodchurch Road, Shadoxhurst, Ashford, Kent, TN26 1LF Webb, Mr N C, 14 Ladywood Road, Cuxton, Rochester, Kent, ME2 1E Weekes, Mr J, Horton Cottages, Ashford Road, Chartham, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 7HR Wooding, Mrs H, Greystones, The Priory, East Farleigh, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 0HA Yeandle, Mrs L, 3200 Baker Circle, Adamstown, Maryland, 21710, USA For all correspondence relating to membership please contact Mrs Shiela Broomfield, KAS Membership, 8 Woodview Crescent, Hildenborough, Tonbridge TN11 9HD. Tel: 01732 838698. Email: membership@kentarchaeology.org.uk or s.broomfield@dial.pipex.com vation of the Roman villa at Minster in Thanet; he later became a member, and then chairman, of the Fieldwork Committee. He is also Treasurer of the Trust for Thanet Archaeology and a director and trustee of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd. The meeting took place on the 21st May at Maidstone Town Hall and was attended by 59 members. The Officers, other than the President, were re-elected and Dr Frank Panton was also elected a Vice-President following the retirement of Lawrence Lyle. Dr James Gibson and Dr Andrew Richardson were elected to the Council for the first time and Ted Connell, Ramon Higgs and Alan Ward were re-elected. A.G.M. ELECTS NEW PRESIDENT Christopher Pout, M.A. was elected President of the Society following the retirement of Paul Oldham after seven years in that office and thirty years on the Council. Chris, 62, is a chemist by profession and followed a career with BP in which he moved from research into management. When he retired early he was able to devote time to his interest in history and was awarded a first class honours degree in archaeology by the University of Kent. He joined the Society in 1996 and became an active member when he took part in its exca- Y O UA N DY O U R SOCIETY COPY DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT Following the formal business Philip Lawrence described the work of the Churches Committee, Lyn Palmer spoke about her approach to editing the Society's Newsletter and how its design might be improved and Ian Coulson spoke on education and archaeology including the Society's involvement through its Education Committee and the education service of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust. In the afternoon members had an opportunity to visit the Society's library in Maidstone Museum where they were shown some of the collections housed there and Paul Oldham conducted some members on a tour of the Town Hall. Sum m er 2005 8 Sharp-eyed members will have spotted the error made on the back page of the last issue within the article ‘Recording Kent’s 20th Century Defences’. The caption for the photograph of the anti-tank obstacle should have read ‘Chartham’, as written on the slide provided by KCC, and not ‘Chatham’. The Editor Another site at which more volunteers can be taken exists at East Farleigh. Here, excavation of a Roman building is being led by Albert Daniels, with the Maidstone Area Archaeological Group. Interest in participating here can be registered with David Bacchus. Chris Pout Fieldwork Committee Excavations will also resume at Ringlemere – the Bronze Age gold cup site – in September 2005. KAS members are warmly invited to join the team of local volunteers, British Museum staff and C a n t e r b u ry Archaeological Trust excavators. A range of work is available including finds processing, sieving and some good steady digging. However, the site is isolated with few facilities and it is always windy! Anyone interested in assisting on this nationally important prehistoric site should contact me on 01304 227000 (working hours); 01304 852502 (weekends & evenings). Keith Parfitt CHURCHES COMMITTEE On St George’s Day (23 April), a large group of KAS members and their friends visited the churches of Stone next Dartford and Southfleet. In both places the company was welcomed and addressed by the resident minister. The Revd. Kenneth Clarke has only been rector of St Mary’s, Stone, for a short time, but has a considerable knowledge of this impressive building. This fine example of late thirt e e n t h - c e n t u ry Decorated Gothic architecture possesses many notable and beautiful features, some of which have been compared with what is to be found at Westminster Abbey. There are also surviving fragments of thirteenth- century wallpaintings, including a mart y rdom of St Thomas of Canterbury, which reflects the church’s proximity to the pilgrim route. St Nicholas, Southfleet is a lovely fourteenthcentury Kentish church. Canon Clifford Goble, who is soon to retire after a quarter of a century in the parish, included many amusing personal anecdotes in his talk. Points of interest here include the brasses, Sedley tombs, a Jacobean pulpit and a very fine fifteenth-century octagonal sculptured font. Canon Goble had also thoughtfully put out the church plate for inspection. A satisfying afternoon was rounded off with tea and biscuits, again administered by Canon Goble. Paul Lee KAS COMMITTEE ROUND-UP FIELDWORK COMMITTEE New Fieldwork Opportunities Recent work by a metal detectorist, in a farmed field to the north of Ashford, has produced a number of Roman-period coins. A brief further investigation of the find spot revealed a pit containing quantities of pottery, roof tile and some tesserae. It is therefore thought possible that the field might contain the remains of a previously unknown Roman farmstead/villa. The farmer appears to be keen on a more detailed investigation and it is hoped that this could be carried out by KAS volunteers (under professional supervision). In the first instance, this would involve a comprehensive field walking and geophysical (resistivity) survey. If signs of a building are confirmed, and it appears that the remains are under threat of further destruction, then there might be an opportunity, in 2006 and beyond, for further excavation. If agreement is obtained, the initial field survey could be done after the field has been ploughed, probably in August or early September this year. Would you like to take part? If the project goes ahead, the opportunity would arise for a dozen or so KAS members to make up a team. Given a dozen volunteers, the survey could probably be completed in a few days, perhaps over a couple of weekends. If you would like to be involved in the possible ‘discovery’ of a new villa, would you please register your interest by calling David Bacchus on 01634 843495, email bacchusdavid@yahoo.co.uk, or Chris Pout on 01227 860207 (if not in, please leave a message with your name, address and telephone number and you will be contacted again when there is further information). A second opportunity may occur, for larger numbers to take part in a more extensive ‘training excavation’ at a site near Folkestone, where there are substantial and important Saxon (7th century), and possible Roman, remains. This site has been the subject of pre l i m i n a ry investigation by Canterbury Archaeological Trust, who have suggested that excavation work could be done by KAS volunteers and students at the University of Kent. There may not be time to organise a project for the late summer of this year, but, if not, 2006 is possible. Again, if you would be interested, contact David Bacchus or Chris Pout. ISSUE IS THURSDAY 1st SEPTEMBER St Mary’s, Stone, has a new and comprehensive website about the church, past and present. It can be found at www.stmarystone.org. PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE The Publications Committee met on 23 April 2005. Mr Paul Oldham had resigned from the Committee thus reducing its membership. New members are required and anyone interested in serving, or knowing any such, should contact Dr Gibson, the Secretary. The date of the History & Archaeology Show was noted, and Committee members volunteered to service the sale of surplus book stock. Dr Thirsk reported that the Hadlow Manorial Survey was at an advanced stage, and that the introduction would be ready by December. To mark the 150th anniversary of the Society a larger issue of Archaeologia Cantiana would be published in 2007; an annual Kent bibliography would become a regular feature in the journal. A CD of Kentish folksongs was on the list of future publications. Four grants were approved from the Kent History Fund. News was welcomed that appointments were to be made to work on two Kent volumes of the Victoria County History, both on the lower Medway. And finally, the Committee endorsed a proposal to go to the Council that the Society establish, as from 2007, a biennial prize to support publication of the best doctoral thesis on a Kentish historical or archaeological topic. David Killingray EDUCATION COMMITTEE Ian Coulson, Education Committee chairman, gave a lively presentation to members at the Society’s recent AGM in Maidstone. Beginning with a review of archaeology and history in the National Curriculum, Ian went on to speak of the breadth of educational activity from committee members such as Canterbury Archaeological Trust (CAT Education Service), North Downs YAC, Dr Frank Panton (KAS Library and website work) and Ted Connell (KAS website projects in particular). Ian then launched into a hands-on spree, distributing finds from a CAT kit brought along by Marion G reen to publicise a current project building resource kits of original archaeological material for 60 Kent schools. It had the desired effect, as members chatted about their objects. It was Ian’s commanding “Look at me when I’m talking to you!” that brought them back into line! Marion Green 9 Sum m er 2005 Thanet’s archaeology has been examined, excavated and re c o rded by antiquarians and archaeologists for over two hundred years. The story of the Isle of Thanet is revealed by the finds and buildings left by our ancestors, and in the studies of these remains that give them meaning. The Trust for Thanet Archaeology felt the need for a museum, to provide for the collection, preservation, study, interpretation and display of the archaeology of Thanet, with easy access for anyone wanting to study the material. The Virtual Museum was opened on the 25th February 2005 and can be accessed t h rough the Tru s t ’s website at www.thanetarch.co.uk. The display of finds and information held by the Trust for Thanet Archaeology and Thanet A rchaeological Society in a web-based ‘Virtual Museum’, is the first step in generating a permanent and secure Museum for Thanet’s Archaeology. Introductions to the finds and sites of each period are accompanied by images of many of the most important finds. Although many galleries have not yet opened fully, the site is growing and the ‘Virtual Museum’ will act as a co-ordinating centre, telling the whole story of Thanet’s Archaeology. Displays and presentations to the public will provide a more immediate experience of the artefacts, backed up by the information and images in the Vi rtual Museum. The Trust has developed an education section on the website, and has resources and The Hollingbourne Hoard, featured in issue 56 of the Newsletter, is now on temporary display at Maidstone Museum. The hoard consists of 32 pieces of Bronze Age metalwork including axes, broken sword-parts, a spearhead and bronze ingots. The Museum has acquired the hoard through a g e n e rous donation by the William and Edith Oldham Charitable Trust, founded in memory of the parents of Paul Oldham, newly-re t i re d President of the Society. Amongst the Trust’s aims are the promotion and development of the study of archaeology and history of Kent; and the acquisition, conservation, research and study of artefacts in Maidstone Museum. Do come and have a look at this wonderful 3000 year-old collection. The Museum is open from 10am – 5.15pm Monday to Saturday and from 11am – 4pm on Sunday. H O L L I N G B O U R N E H O A R D T H E T R U S T F O R T H A N E T A R C H A E O L O G Y V I RT U A LM U S E U M >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> RIGHT: Just a few of the items within the Hollingbourne Hoard now on display in Maidstone Museum. ABOVE: The Virtual Museum is the first step in generating a permanent and secure museum for Thanet’s Archaeology. museum boxes available for schools. In May, the Virtual Museum mounted ‘Timeline’, a successful exhibition at Broadstairs Library in a space normally used to display art works. It is hoped that we can bring exhibitions and presentations to many more unusual spaces in the future. Emma Boast Sum m er 2005 10 paintings and stained glass. Sadly, many fine graffiti are being destroyed. Clunch weathers easily and stone surfaces are constantly being scraped and covered with whitewash. We are, thus, rapidly losing a unique and little appreciated part of our heritage. In order to gain some idea of the distribution and variety of graffiti, it is necessary to look at a considerable number of buildings in the east and south of England as well as in the Midlands. Will you help with this survey? All that is needed is a seeing eye and enquiring mind, a torch for dark corners, a feather duster for removing ageold cobwebs, and pencil and paper for recording and rubbing (this last to be undertaken with the greatest of care as it frequently destroys the outline of graffiti). I have the backing of English Heritage, The National Trust, NADFAS, Church authorities, county societies and many museums and art historians. If you know of any graffiti or would like to help, please contact me at The Chestnuts, Hacheston, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP13 0DR, tel: 01728 747 293. All enquiries are welcome. Rosemary Bowden-Smith Dear Editor Ships, Signatures & Symbols ~ English Medieval Graffiti For many years, I have been recording medieval incised and scratched drawings – graffiti – found on the pillars and walls of our churches and secular buildings. These are largely worked on the soft limestone – clunch – used so extensively in the Midlands, Eastern and South-East England. They vary in subject matter. There are the pictorial examples – fighting ships, a reminder of our glorious naval past celebrated this year in ‘Sea Britain 2005’, harps, ladies in elaborate headdresses, knights in armour, windmills, birds and animals. There are also scraps of writing, signatures and dates and musical notes. Less easy to understand are the symbols which, no doubt, had an underlying heraldic and religious significance. These are a powerful reminder of the importance of symbolism and imagery in the medieval world. The drawings vary greatly in artistic ability. Some are mere casual scribbles; others are works of art in their own right, artistically ranking with wall L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R S U M M E R 2 0 0 5 DO YOU RECOGNISE THIS SPOT? This idyllic scene is one of many images held in the KASlibrary collection which have no provenance. Do you recognise the house or village? If you do know the location of either please contact the editor at 55 Stone Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2QU 11 Sum m er 2005 wide-ranging, in both time and space. Arriving in Charing 30 years ago, Mrs Winzar was inspired by the ruins of the Palace; she became the ‘temporary’ secretary for the Standing Conference for Local History in Kent in 1974 and started the Local History Journal in 1976. The Standing Conference became the BALH, with the County Commission for Kent becoming the Kent History Federation, of which Mrs Winzar is now the President. “That’s what happens when you volunteer…”. The annual oneday conferences which Mrs Winzar organised in her time as Secretary have grown so successful today that it is difficult to find halls big enough to accommodate the enthusiastic audience; the Kent History Federation has some 30,000 historians within the various local groups. Congratulations to Mrs Winzar for her award and her continued work with such a successful group. Historians from across Britain recently witnessed an award of ‘Personal Achievement in Local History’, made to Mrs Pat Winzar by the British Association for Local History at the Friends Meeting House, London on 4th June. Mrs Winzar is well-known to those interested in Kent’s past, and recognition of her achievements by a nationwide body such as the BALH is admirable, her certificate stating ‘for your distinguished contribution to local history’. “The first I knew of it was a phone call asking my permission to be given the award!” she said. The award was then sponsored by the eminent historians Dr Joan Thirsk and Art h u r Ruderman. Although Mrs Winzar feels the nomination for the award was probably p rompted by her involvement and action on the BBC’s ‘Restoration’ programme about Charing Palace, her commitment to local history has been C H A N G ES ‘ D I S T I N G U I S H E DC O N T R I B U T I O N ’W I N SAWA R D ABOVE: Some of the past covers showing the evolution of the growth of picture size presentation. Your Newsletter has had a change of image! Having been the editor for more than 3 years, I felt it was time for a revamp. After showing some new designs at the AGM, the format you see today proved to be the most popular with the assembled Members. As ever, I welcome comments and suggestions. With regard to content, I would particularly like to see more events advertised in the ‘What’s On’ section; if you belong to a local history/archaeology group, work for a venue that puts on events, or just happen to hear of an interesting ‘happening’ nearby, do please let me know. Lyn Palmer, editor Sum m er 2005 12 Cinque Port. Virtually all the surviving medieval buildings stand cheek by jowl in an area no more than 1 km from east to west and 500m from north to south and defined by the medieval town walls. Apart from the three churches of St Clement, St Mary and St Peter, all of which have some 12thcentury stonework, buildings do not start to survive before the late 13th century (Figure 1 above), and there is nothing to indicate what, if anything, had stood there before. And yet, documentary sources indicate that there was a place called Sandwich in Kent from the middle of the 7th century when St Wilfrid landed there and called it a port, and that in the Wantsum Channel near Sandwich there was a frequently used anchorage for English and Danish warships in the 10th and, particularly, 11th centuries. In addition, the Old English wic element in the place-name Sandwich has been taken to mean that there was a trading settlement there – Lundenwic (London), Hamwic (Southampton) and Gipeswic (Ipswich) are often cited as parallels – but the suffix wic has a multiplicity of meanings, one of which is ‘a temporary place of shelter for a ship and its crew’. This may be the meaning implicit in the Sandwich place-name: a haven with a shelving beach on which shallow-draught vessels could be pulled up, and possibly some form of temporary accommodation. The question of where this pre - N o rm a n Conquest port or wic lay has been a bone of contention at least since the 18th century, and the archaeological interventions that have been carried out in the town within the walls since the middle of the 20th century have done little to answer it. There have, of course, been theories about the location and form of the earliest town, but until very recently there was no archaeological evidence for pre-Norman Conquest occupation, and even now it is rather problematic. For example, excavations in St Peter’s Street in 2004 unearthed about 40 potsherds of local origin, dating from c. AD 950-1050, but they appear to have been redeposited from elsewhere (pers. comm. K. Parfitt). Even before the Sandwich Project had begun, Helen Clarke suggested that a detailed topographical study of the town and its hinterland might help to locate earliest Sandwich. Consequently, Keith Parfitt and Barry Corke of C. A. T. Dover Office conducted a closecontour survey of the town within the walls (contours at 0.5m intervals) and its hinterland Since October 2004 English Heritage has been supporting The Sandwich Project, a multi-disciplinary approach to the development of Sandwich from its origins to 1600. The idea for the project arose when Sarah Pearson, a building historian and specialist in Kentish medieval buildings, began to survey some of the over 150 domestic buildings which survive in Sandwich from before 1600 and which make it a rguably the ‘completest medieval town in England’. She soon realised that although the buildings formed a unique historical re c o rd , reflecting trends in building construction, usage and social status over more than three centuries, their significance would be greatly enhanced if they could be set in a wider context. Thus, archaeologists, documentary historians, geologists and many others have been brought in to supplement the skills of the building historian with their own particular specialisms. All will collaborate in the three-year project, the first fully integrated study of any historic small town in England, and will publish their results in a popular book designed for general readers, with a more detailed scholarly report being submitted to English Heritage. The Sandwich Project has been designed to include research into the hinterland of the town and port as well as its ‘historic core’, that is, the land occupied from the 11th century when Sandwich was designated a S A N D W I C H B E F O R E T H E C I N Q U E P O RT Initial findings of The Sandwich Pro j e c t CONTINUEDON PAGE14 ABOVE: House in Strand Street tree-ring dated to 1334 (Nottingham University Tree-Ring Dating Laboratory, report is English Heritage, Centre for Archaeology 97/2001) fig. 1 13 Sum m er 2005 The beginning of May saw the start of construction of the West Malling and Leybourne Bypass. Before this, excavations for Kent County Council produced some exciting results. The new road crosses the ancient manors of Malling and Leybourne, place-names that first appeared in a mid-10th century charter. As well as Leybourne Castle, traces of post medieval fishponds, mills and water systems still survive. In contrast, little was known about earlier periods; and prehistory seemed to be missing. An assessment and then an evaluation of the route, by Canterbury Archaeological Trust and Archaeology South East, began to reveal the first evidence for the prehistoric, Romano- British and Anglo-Saxon periods. Drawing on the results of the evaluation, seven excavations were undertaken by We s s e x Archaeology in March and April. These began to reveal the hidden history, and especially the prehistory, of the area. The earliest finds were flint tools dating to the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age. These included an arrowhead and a fragment of a tranchet axe and show that the landscape had been lived in for thousands of years. These finds, and Neolithic and (contours at 1m intervals; Figure 2). From the subtle gradations of level revealed by these maps, information taken from the Geological Survey soil map (Fordham and Green 1973) and consultations with Stephen Fuller of the newly formed Lydden Valley Research Group, Helen Clarke has proposed a model for the location of Sandwich before the Norman Conquest. The model diverges radically from earlier views and proposes that there were at least two harbours at Sandwich from the 7th to the 10th centuries, neither of them being beneath the present town but on a sand spit to the east, in the Archer’s Low and Sandown areas where there may well have been a prehistoric and Roman haven. Between 1987 and 1991 the Dover Archaeological Group undertook a limited amount of trenching at Archer’s Low, revealing a substantial area of windblown sand with Iron Age and Roman occupation material including many Iron Age coins and potsherds, a high proportion of which were imports. This has led Keith Parfitt to suggest that there was a haven or landing place in this area from c. 100 BC – c. AD 425. Roughly the same area may have continued in use in the Early Saxon period, and the eastern tip of the sand spit could have formed the sheltered haven (wic) at which St Wilfrid landed in c. AD 665. This putative haven (Haven 1; now totally silted through natural causes and human intervention in the Lydden Valley; pers. comm. S. Fuller) was sheltered from the North Sea by a shingle spit which was, and still is, in a constant state of accretion through longshore drift. The spit now extends northwards as far as Shell Ness, at the present mouth of the Stour in Pegwell Bay. Silting may have made this haven inaccessible, even to the shallow-draught vessels of the time, leading to its replacement by one further north, less sheltered but less likely to become silted. The area of the suggested haven (Haven 2) stands at the north end of a trackway from Eastry, traditionally a royal vill of the early Kentish kings; interestingly, it is called ‘Old Haven’ on a map of Sandown drawn by Boycott in 1615. There is a dearth of archaeological evidence for both proposed havens, although two sherds of Ipswich ware have been discovered in the vicinity of the second site (pers. comm. K. Parfitt). Members of the Project are doing more fieldwork in the area in an attempt to remedy this and to test the model that is put forward here. These suggestions for the earliest locations of Sandwich are still tentative. Present thinking is that the site of the current town was not occupied until the 9th or perhaps the 10th century, by which time all three churches may have been founded and there may have been a third haven (Haven 3) and beach market west of St Peter’s church. The current quayside (Haven 4) may not have come into existence until several centuries later, when a change in ship types demanded deeper water and easier access to the town. CONTINUEDFROM PAGE13 RIGHT: Bronze Age spearhead from Area J; Iron Age sickle, knife and loomweights and medieval buckle from E2. OPPOSITE : Excavating one of the Iron Age enclosure ditches in Area A with the M20 in the background. Both photographs by Elaine A. Wakefield © Wessex Archaeology Ltd. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> T H E ‘ M I S S I N G P R E H I S T O RY’ OF Sum m er 2005 14 Bronze Age pottery, were scattered across most of the excavation areas, showing a much higher level of early prehistoric activity than was previously thought. Perhaps the most exciting find was a Bronze Age spearhead, which was found by one of the local metal detectorists who worked closely with the excavation team. The most significant discoveries belonged to the Iron Age. In Area A, there was a sequence of field and possible stock enclosures, each approximately 50m square, which had been frequently remodelled. Although no buildings were found, the quantity and condition of the pottery, cattle bone and burnt stone indicate that the settlement lay just outside the excavation and would not be affected by the new road scheme. In Area E2, a small enclosure, 35m by 45m, was discovered dating to the Iron Age. This contained a wealth of evidence for industrial activity, an impressive collection of triangular loomweights, and tools including a sickle and a knife. The burial of an infant was also found. As with Area A, the main focus of the settlement lay outside the line of the road and in this case, partly below the present A228. In both areas activity continued into the early Romano-British period. An Anglo-Saxon sunken-featured building and a medieval b o u n d a ry ditch were also found in Area E2. Some discoveries complement the bett e r-known medieval sites, notably a 13th century bakery in Area B1 situated within a medieval field system. In one corner, the stone base of the oven was still in place with a thick spread of raked-out ashes extending from it. Work on the Assessment is still in progress but the initial results have a l ready made a significant addition to the history, and especially the missing prehistory, of the West Malling and Leybourne area. Andy Manning Wessex Archaeology The Sandwich Project is due to last for three years, concluding in September 2007. This short article illustrates what has begun to emerge from the collaborative research involved in the project. It will be followed by future updates, when the other participants will present fur- LEFT: Fig. 2 Map of Sandwich’s hinterland with contours at 1 m intervals, showing postulated sites of havens, churches of St Clement (A), St Peter (B), St Mary (C), St Bartholomew’s Hospital (D) and Carmelite Friary (E). Drawn by Barry Corke with modifications by Helen Clarke >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> W E S TM A L L I N GA N D L E Y B O U R N E fig. 2 ther ideas and conclusions about the history and development of the town and port. Helen Clarke The Sandwich Project 15 Sum m er 2005 found. Information is also given about the flora and fauna of the Park. The footpath is inset with roundels depicting long-extinct animals – a feature which children will no doubt race along the trail to discover in turn. Professor Chris Stringer, of the Natural History Museum, explained the significance of the artefacts to the assembled guests, showing replica models of the skull pieces (the originals are in the NHM). The opening ceremony saw pupils from the adjacent Craylands Primary School holding either end of a long red ribbon, whilst Phil Harding, of Wessex Archaeology and Time Team, sliced through it with a sharp worked flint – a fitting tool for such a site! Dr Francis Wenban-Smith, of Southampton University, produced a flintknapping kit and created two handaxes for onlookers, whilst others chose to explore the heritage trail on a guided walk. This is only the start of the process of making this very important site more accessible and giving it the profile it deserves. For further information please contact Lis Dyson, Heritage Conservation Group, Kent County Council, on 01622 221535 or lis.dyson@kent.gov.uk Swanscombe Heritage Park, where the famous Swanscombe Skull was discovered, is being revitalised. On a gloriously hot morning in June, representatives from many of the agencies involved gathered to celebrate the opening of the extensive on-site work, the first stage in improving the condition of the site. These agencies, led by Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council, worked together as the Swanscombe Action Group, formed to renovate and preserve the site as an important heritage location for future generations. The current work has been delivered by the environmental charity, Groundwork Kent Thames-side, with advice on the history and importance of the site provided by Kent County Council’s Heritage Conservation Group, English Nature and a team of international specialists. The site has suffered from neglect in the past, becoming a victim of vandalism and illegal dumping, but it is hoped that the regeneration will make it a real asset to the local community. Designated as a National Nature Reserve (the first geological NNR) and Site of Special Scientific Interest, it also has a very special place within the history of archaeological investigation. One of Europe’s most important archaeological sites, it is well-known for its Lower Palaeolithic remains found during the quarrying of Barnfield Pit. Most famously amongst the remains are the three pieces of skull, found independently of each other over a period of twenty years, but which fit together to reveal the cranium of an ancient female hominid. At around 400,000 years old, these remains, aside from those of Boxgrove, are the oldest in Britain and have been assigned to a possible Neanderthal prec u r s o r. Numerous tools, of the Clactonian and Acheulian industries, have also emerged from the area. The most prolific of these tools, the handaxe, has been immortalised in an enormous, stunning sculpture at the entrance of the Park. Once inside, the visitor follows a trail of new interpretation boards explaining what the site was like when these early hominids lived, how the stratigraphy has built up to cover their remains, and how and where the pieces of skull were AWA L K I N T OH I S T O RY Published by the Kent Archaeological Society, The Museum, St Faith’s Street, Maidstone, Kent. ME 14 1LH www.kentarchaeology.org.uk EDITOR: LYN PALMER 55 Stone Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2QU Telephone: 01892 533661 Mobile: 07810 340831 Email evelyn.palmer@virgin.net or newsletter@kentarchaeology.org.uk Copy deadline for the next issue in October is Thursday September 1st. The editor wishes to draw attention to the fact that neither she nor the Council of the KAS are answerable for opinions which contributors may express in their signed articles; each author is alone responsible for the contents and substance of their work. ABOVE TOP: Guests at the opening follow the Heritage Trail. ABOVE BOTTOM: Phil Harding nears the end of the trail, at the findspot of the first piece of skull. LEFT: Visitors to the Park are greeted by the enormous handaxe sculpture. Sum m er 2005 16