KAS Newsletter, Issue 79, Winter 2008/09

Issue number 79 Winter 2008/09 www.kentarchaeology.org.uk Inside 2-3 The Meads Cemetery 4-5 CAT at your event New FLO for Kent Archive Notes 6-7 What’s On Tebbutt Research 8-9 Notice Board AGM2009 Museum Car Park Committee Round Up 10-11 New Books 12-13 HBC2008 Report Letters to the Editor Allen Grove Awards 14-15 St Peter’s Wharf East Farleigh 16 Medieval Denehole ANGLO-SAXON GLASS BEAKERS DISCOVERED ON SITE OF NEW PUB AT THE MEADS S A X O N S I T T I N G B O U R N E nneeww ss ll ee tt tt ee rr K E N T A R C H A E O L O G I C A L S O C I E T Y Several features with corroded iron objects in their fills were also noted within the circuit of the ring ditch. As further areas were stripped, it rapidly became apparent that a major early Anglo-Saxon cemetery was also present on the site. Since construction had already commenced, there was little option other than to launch an excavation and a CAT team, led by Co n s t ruction of a mixed retail and re s i d e ntial development, on an area known as ‘The Meads’, near Sittingbourne, commenced in May 2008. The site, which straddles the boundary between S i t t i n g b o u rne/Milton Regis and Bobbing, had been subject to Brickearth extraction in the past, so surviving archaeology was not expected, despite an aerial photograph of 1982 which a p p e a red to show the crop-marks of large ring ditches on the site. Consequently, a condition for a watching brief was placed on the site, which was carried out by Andy Linklater of C a n t e r b u ry Archaeological Trust. Stripping of the topsoil by GSE Ltd revealed that most of the Brickearth on the site had indeed been removed, but also that a rchaeological features survived cut into the underlying gravels. The first major feature located was one of the prehistoric ring ditches. Winter 2008/09 2 A P R E H I S T O R I C A N D A N G L O - S A X O N C E M E T E R YAT T H E MEADS, SITTINGBOURNE RIGHT: Plated disc brooch from Grave 2. BELOW: A sample of the many colourful beads from the site. FRONTCOVER & OPPOSITE: Glass beakers from Grave 184 and in situ as found. But the dead were being buried at this place long before the 6th century AD. The ring ditch was probably associated with a now-vanished Bronze Age round barro w, part of several situated along the low ridge that bisects the site from north-east to south-west. The mound and central burial have not survived, although the ditch fill produced an interesting assemblage of worked flint and prehistoric pottery (as did many of the Anglo-Saxon grave fills), indicating activity on the site during the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. A major surprise was the discovery of four Beaker vessels in a cluster of features away from the barro w. These seem to re p resent accessory vessels f rom three inhumations, along with one cre m ation. Other prehistoric features in this part of the site include post holes and what appears to be a segmented ditch; the latter part i a l l y encloses the area centred on the Beaker burials and has produced early prehistoric, possibly Neolithic, pottery. C l e a r l y, a very significant prehistoric site is p resent at The Meads and this is yet another place in Kent where an early Anglo-Saxon community were drawn to place their dead in p roximity to early prehistoric round barro w s . Analysis and publication of CAT ’s excavations at The Meads will make a major contribution to the archaeology of both periods in the mid- Kent re g i o n . ANDREW RICHARDSON C a n t e r b u ry Archaeological Trust that characterises east Kent during the late 5th or early 6th century. This may be because burial at this site had not commenced by then, or because the earliest parts of the cemetery lay beyond the limits of the excavation. A l t e rn a t i v e l y, it may be that the community using this site had yet to come within the orbit of the emerging Kentish kingdom at that stage. The Meads re p resents the first modern, larg e - scale, excavation of an early Anglo-Saxon c e m e t e ry in the mid-Kent region (that is, between the Medway and the Stour). Most of our ideas about the nature of east Kentish cemeteries at this time come from the re g i o n south-east of the Stour, or from Thanet; the e a s t e rnmost third of the county. There is very little information, for instance, on the rich c e m e t e ry at King’s Field, Faversham, other than a large collection of grave goods which suggests proximity to a high-status craft-working site from circa 540 onwards; it may be only f rom this period that the Swale region became fully integrated within the Kingdom of Kent. The Meads is thus a key site for our understanding of the internal development of early Anglo-Saxon Kent. One already noticeable contrast with east Kent concerns weapon burials; the majority at The Meads include shields, a pattern more typical of East Anglia than Kent east of the Stour. It will be interesting to see whether any other diff e rences between the community at The Meads and their neighbours f u rther east in Kent become apparent during the study of this site. 3 Winter 08/09 Tania Holmes, carried this out from May to December 2008. By the time of writing (December 2008), over 220 Anglo-Saxon graves had been excavated. The majority were inhumations, although a small number of urned cre m a t i o n s w e re also re c o v e red. Bone pre s e rvation was v e ry poor, with a few long bones and teeth surviving in a very fragile state; most burials contained no bone at all. However, the majority of the inhumations did contain grave goods; over 2500 objects, including weapons, dress accessories, knives and vessels, have been re c o ve red. Some of the graves contained considerable numbers of objects, including several rich weapon burials (almost certainly those of men) and three, female gendered, burials with garnet- inlaid brooches, including a plated disc b rooch from Grave 2. Many of the graves contained sets of glass, amber or amethyst beads; t h e re were over 300 glass beads in Grave 203 a l o n e . Grave 184, a weapon burial with sword , shield and spear, contained a pair of intact glass cone beakers, placed either side of the head; very appropriate for someone buried at a place called The Meads, on a part of the site that is due to become a pub! The finds from the cemetery appear to date f rom around the middle of the 6th century AD t h rough to the end of the 7th. Although some distinctively Kentish and Frankish objects, such as garnet-inlaid brooches and belt fittings, are p resent, there is no sign of the material culture Winter 2008/09 4 What do members of the public do when they find something interesting, which they may not be able to identify? Hopefully they contact the Finds Liaison Off i c e r (FLO), who can advise on their find and also re c o rd where it was unearthed on the database. Kent has a new FLO – Jennifer Jackson. Jennifer i n t roduces herself below. “For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to be an archaeologist. I got my chance at the age of 15 when I spent two weeks with N o rt h a m p t o n s h i re Arc h a e o l o g y, digging a Neolithic site. I found an aurochs skull with ochre in its eyes and I was hooked! I volunteered at NA e v e ry summer and attended training digs until I went to the University of Bristol to study A rchaeology in 2001. After my degree I spent several years working for various commercial units all over the country on a wide variety of sites f rom Neolithic through to post medieval. I spent a round 18 months working in various city centre s on deeply stratified sites which I found fascinating and was amazed by the amount of art e f a c t s that we found. This increased my interest in art efacts, which had first surfaced during my BA diss e rtation on early Roman brooches. I applied to the Institute of Archaeology at University College London and was accepted onto their Art e f a c t Studies MA in 2007. The course was everything I hoped for; I learnt a huge amount about ancient technology and the ways in which artefacts were made in the past. As part of the MA I did a placement with the Sussex Finds Liaison Off i c e r, which led in turn to me applying for the post in Kent. Four months in, I am still hugely excited about getting the job and the opportunity it gives me; not only to learn more about finds, but also to work closely with people from all over the count y. I am finding my way around all of the metal detecting clubs and am gradually intro d u c i n g myself to the wider archaeological community in Kent. I am looking forw a rd to working closely with you all in the future and to re c o rding many of your finds.” Jennifer has many ‘meet the public’ days: 10th January , 10.30- 16.30 – Dover Museum 17th January , 10.00 – 16.00 – Dart f o rd Museum 2nd Febr u a r y, 13.00 – 15.30 – Ashford Museum 19th Febr u a r y, 10.00 - 12.00 – Folkstone Peoples History Centre . 21st Febr u a r y, 10.00 – 16.00 – Museum of Canterbury. NEW FINDS LIAISON OFFICER FOR KENT Can We Contribute To Your Event? CANTERBURY ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRUST RIGHT: CAT at the North Downs Way celebrations, Wye. ABOVE: Kent’s new FLO, Jennifer Jackson. Are you planning a History or Archaeology themed public event? Would you like a stall f rom Canterbury Archaeological Tru s t ? Based in Canterbury, CAT excavates not only locally but elsewhere in the county. We might be able to add something about your local area or can supply a generic ‘Archaeology’ stall with excellent photographs, original ‘finds’, some hands-on activity and a friendly archaeologist! Teachers will be especially interested in our classroom resources. We have contributed to events in east Kent including the annual ‘Folkestone History Weekend’ (Folkestone People’s History Centre), ‘30 Years of the North Downs Way’ celebrations at Wye (North Downs Way National Trail, KCC), ‘Science Week’ (Canterbury Museums) and ‘Meet the Archaeologists’ day (Isle of Thanet Archaeological Society). We would particularly like to hear now from any organizations based in west Kent. Telephone 01227 462062. 5 Winter 08/09 was connected to the Martin family of b a n k e r s . M o re unexpected perhaps are the papers relating to Leland L. Duncan’s old school, Colfe’s School in Lewisham and his continuing involvement with the Old Boys Club. Leland L. Duncan attended Colfe’s Grammar School, Lewisham between 1874 and 1880. The school was founded by Abraham Colfe in 1652 and has The Guild of the Leathersellers as trustees. It is still thriving, these days as an Independent School. Leland L. Duncan wrote the w o rds to the school song, ‘Carm e n Colfanum’ in 1897. He also started the first Old Boys magazine in the country called the Colfeian. He wrote ‘The H i s t o ry of Colfe’s Grammar School’, published in 1910, and again in 1952, updated and edited by H. Beard w o o d . Among the papers in the KAS archive is a notebook with lists of Colfe scholars, their houses and occasionally their achievements. He corresponded with Mr Kelland, the chemistry teacher for up-to-date information. He also kept a copy of the school song and a booklet with the house song of ‘The Gre e n s ’ , written by himself, among his papers. Inlaid in these notes just after the list of names for the lower form in 1916 are some photos. One depicts a school boy in a white shirt. His name is not given, but perhaps he is either the House Captain for 1916 called Andrews or the Cricket Captain, Heather. Two photos show a school hall with fearsome looking PE equipment. In 1890 the school buildings in Lewisham w e re demolished and replaced by new buildings. The picture appeared in his book on the History of Colfe’s School and depicts the new Hall and Gymnasium in 1899. The School site in Lewisham was bombed in 1944 and the buildings were destroyed. The pre s e n t school is located in Horn Park Lane, Lee. In 1920 L. Duncan published ‘Colfe’s Grammar School and the Great Wa r, 1914 – 1919.’ It contained the names on the Roll of Honour, and on the Roll of S e rvice. It also included a sketch of the School events, and the effect of the war on the Old Boy’s Club. Further study may show if the lists of World War 1 soldiers in the box is connected with the re s e a rch for this publication. R e s e a rching the history of Colfe’s school appears to have made Leland L. Duncan interested in the history of other foundations. The Box contains c o rrespondence with the Headteacher of Cranbrook School, Mr C.F. Pierc e , who thanks him for his information on C r a n b rook School and promises to publish it in the Cranbrokian. The issue f rom midsummer 1922 with the a rticle is among the papers. This piece can also be found in A rchaeologia Cantiana Vol. XXXVI, 1923, pp.127-130. S i m i l a r l y, there is correspondence fro m 1922 between Leland Duncan and Headmaster A.S. Lampre y, M.A. fro m A s h f o rd Grammar School. It all adds up to a fascinating microcosm of the man and his activities and interests almost right up to his death in 1923. P e rnille Richard s LEFT: The 19th century ‘gym’ in a school hall. NOTES FROM THE ARCHIVES Leland Lewis Duncan and Colfe’s Grammar School, Lewisham The archive survey is pro g re s s i n g and another box of papers left by the life-long member of the KAS, Leland Lewis Duncan, has been surveyed. The box has been studied b e f o re, most recently in 2003. It contains a broad range of material of interest to the study of the activities of L. L. Duncan; meticulously kept notebooks, transcripts of deeds and wills, pamphlets, photos and corre s p o n d e n c e . The range of topics and the time scale c o v e red is extremely wide, from wills and deeds in the 1400s to an alphabetical list of World War I soldiers. Leland L. Duncan is best known for his interest in wills and his tire l e s s re c o rding of memorials in Churches and C h u rc h y a rds throughout Kent. In this collection of papers these interests are well re p resented. There are copious notes on Hawkhurst Church, Little Chart C h u rch, the Parish Church at Lewisham and Lydd. The box also contains notes for talks given to the Lewisham Antiquarian Society and to the KAS. One of these is a talk on the wonderf u lly named Ebenezer Blackwall of the ‘Grasshopper’ in Lombard Street, who Winter 2008/09 6 CANTERBURY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY Saturday 14 Februar y Excavation of Bermondsey Abbey, London Alistair Douglas, Pre-Construct Archaeology Saturday 7 March The Making of Christian England: the Story of Canterbury’s World Heritage Site Martin Taylor, Independent Historian Meetings held in Ramsay Lecture Theatre, Canterbury Christ Churc h University at 6pm. Non-members very welcome, cost £2.00. C R A YFORD MANOR HOUSE HISTORICAL & ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY TALKS Saturday 14 Februar y Stuart London – the expansion of London westwards in the 17th century, the disasters which befell it and the new institutions which developed Ian Bevan Saturday 14 March History of the English Country House, 1600-Edwardian John Vigar Saturday 18 April AGM and President’s Lecture All talks held in The Baker Trust Hall, Crayford at 7.30pm. Non-members are welcome to attend at a fee of £2.00 per lecture. Enquiries to Mrs J Hearn- Gillham: 01322 551279. CONFERENCES Canterbury Christ Church University SECOND JOHN HAYES CIVIL WAR CONFERENCE Regicide: The Contexts of the 1649 Kent Petition for the Trial of Charles I Saturday 7 February 10am – 4pm Athough public opinion in Kent has been depicted as strongly anti-Parliament in the aftermath of the Second Civil War, a petition calling for the trial and execution of the King was circulated in the county early in January 1649. It attracted 1,135 signatures including some of the town councillors of Canterbury, Sandwich and Hythe and members of independent church congregations. Their names were headed by William Kenwricke of Boughton under Blean, who was one of the five representatives from Kent to the Nominated or Barebones Parliament of 1653. The petition has been regarded as a fraud, but it can also be argued that the petition demonstrates that there was active, but limited, support for the regicide in Kent. The conference will contextualise the Kent Petition. PROGRAMME 10.00-10.30 Arrival and Coffee 10.30. Welcome by Professor Bar ry Coward, Birkbeck London University. The 1649 Petition for the Trial of Charles I from Kent, Professor Jackie Eales, Canterbury Christ Church University. 10.45 Why was Charles I Executed? Professor Clive Holmes (Oxford) 11.45 Preaching to the Long Parliament: The Justification of Rebellion and Regicide, Dr Stephen Rowlstone, Canterbury Christ Church University. 12.45 - 2.00 Lunch 2.00 ‘On behalf of the people of England’: the trial of Charles Stuart, Professor Ann Hughes, Keele University. 3.00 The Kent Regicides, Dr Jason Peacey, University College, London University 4.00 Closing remarks Registration £12 (£8.50 for postgraduates), lunch will be available at an additional cost of £10.50. For further details and registration form please contact P rofessor Jackie Eales, History Department, Canterbury Christ Churc h U n i v e r s i t y, North Holmes Road, Canterbury, Kent CT1 1QU. Email: jackie.eales@canterbury.ac.uk KAS HISTORIC BUILDINGS COMMITTEE The very popular series of visits to buildings of interest in Kent will continue this year. Wednesday 27 May at 2 pm. The Grange at Ramsgate. Built in 1844 by the architect and designer Augustus Pugin as his family home. More recently, after years of neglect, the building was rescued by the Landmark Trust, and restoration was completed in 2006. Wednesday 10 June at 2 pm. Luddesdown Court, 13th century manor house, and Dode Church. This Norman church was deconsecrated in 1387, after the village of Dode was wiped out by the Black Death. It should be noted that places for this visit are limited, so can only be open to the first 20 members who apply. Applications by 1 March please, with a cheque for £5 per person for each visit, payable to the Kent Archaeological Society. Joy Saynor (Hon. Excursion Secretary), ‘Friars’, 28 High Street, Shoreham, Sevenoaks TN14 7TD. Email: saynor@shorehamkent.wanadoo.co.uk See enclosed booking forms. KAS CHURCHES COMMITTEE VISIT Saturday 25 April A visit is arranged to St Mary of Charity Faversham and then St Catherine, Preston next Faversham. We meet at Faversham at 1.45 for 2pm and go on to St Catherine’s at approximately 3.15. Tour £2. Tea and biscuits £1 extra. A booking form for the visit is included in this newsletter. Further details from Philip Lawrence, Barnfield, Church Lane, East Peckham, Tonbridge TN12 5JJ. Phone: 01622 871945. Email: p.lawrence.801@btinternet.com. EVENTS AROUND KENT FRIENDS of the CANTERBURY ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRUST EVENTS All lectures £2 for members, £3 for non-members who are very welcome. Saturday 31 January at 6pm Frank Jenkins Memorial Lecture Paul Bennett Canterbury Christ Church University, Old Sessions House, Longport, Canterbury Friday 27 February at 2pm The Bargrave Collection Cressida Williams Canterbury Cathedral Archives Wednesday 18 March at 7pm Norman Churches in Kent Mary Berg Dominican Priory, St Peter’s Lane, Canterbury TONBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY During the winter the Historical Society provides lectures (usually illustrated) by speakers who are experts in their field. The lectures are usually held in the Medway Room, The Angel Centre, Tonbridge. In the summer, outings are arranged to places of historical interest. We try to include local houses which are not normally open to the public. Thursday 12 February 7.45pm Recent Archaeological Work Gary Brown, Pre-Construct Archaeology Thursday 12 March 7.45pm Westenhanger Castle Terry Whitling Thursday 9 April 7.30pm AGM followed by A Close Look at Old Tonbridge Pat Hopcroft & Anthony Wilson W H AT ’ S ON > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> KAS EVENTS EVENTS ELSEWHERE CONFERENCE: LOCAL HISTORY AFTER HOSKINS University of Leicester July 9 -12 Several members of the Kent Archaeological Society will be speaking at this c o n f e rence organised by the University of Leicester with the British Association for Local History. Among many other speakers, Sarah Pearson will be giving the plenary lecture with the title ‘Sandwich: “the completest medieval town in England”. An interdisciplinary study’ P rofessor David Killingray will speak on The Impact of Immigrant Communities on British Local Histor y. Dr Sheila Sweetinburgh will speak on Hythe’s butcher-graziers: Townsmen in the late medieval Kent countryside. Dr Gill Draper will speak on Death in a town: Rye, East Sussex, in the four - teenth century. The programme and booking form is available online at the websites of the British Association for Local History and the Centre for English Local History, University of Leicester, http://www.le.ac.uk/elh/documents/Proof3.pdf For a paper copy of the programme and booking form please contact Gill Draper on g.m.draper@kent.ac.uk or 01732 452575. The last ‘Hoskins’ conference on landscape history sold out, so please book promptly! There is a discount for bookings before March. There are some bursaries available to help with costs, particularly for post-graduates and people living in Kent. Contact Gill Draper for details. 7 Winter 08/09 COURSES BIRKBECK COLLEGE ~ Faculty of Lifelong Learning Industrial Archaeology Study Day Saturday 21 March 10am-5pm £40/£20 concession This study day will enable students to explore Britain’s industrial heritage by looking at a number of topics including materials, energy, transport and industrial architecture. Full programme will be available nearer the date. For more information please contact the Executive Officer for Archaeology on: 020 7631 6627 or email:archaeology@fce.bbk.ac.uk. You can also find full details about courses at http://www.bbk.ac.uk/study/all_courses/archaeology.html EGYPTOLOGY with Frances Williams For University of Kent courses, contact details are given in listings. For all other courses/study days/tours, please contact Frances Williams on fwipetiset@hotmail.com; 25 Orchard Way, Horsmonden TN12 8LA; tel. 01892 723013 or 07789 661 616. Ancient Egyptian Glass and Faience March 3 for 6 weeks. Canterbury 2-4pm. Hieroglyph workshop March 3 for 6 weeks. Canterbury 7-9pm. Details to be announced. Ancient Egyptian Glass and Faience March 5 for 6 weeks. Tonbridge 10am–12pm. Venue to be announced. Dynasty 25 – the Nubian Pharaohs May 12 for 6 weeks. Canterbury 2–4pm. Hieroglyph workshop May 12 for 6 weeks. Canterbury 7-9pm. Details to be announced. Dynasty 25 and the Nubian Pharaohs May 14 for 6 weeks. Tonbridge 10am-12pm. Venue to be announced. Decoding Ancient Egyptian Art – an introduction to the conventions and use of symbolism On 3 linked Mondays - June 22, June 29 & July 6. Canterbury 11am-4pm. STUDY DAYS Learn to read Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs June 6 – Day school at University of Kent campus, Canterbury. A user-friendly study day designed for anyone who would like to begin to read hieroglyphs. Contact V.J.Woolnough@kent.ac.uk. Before Giza: the predynastic archaeology of Early Egypt June 20 – Dayschool at University of Kent Tonbridge Centre. Contact V.J.Woolnough@kent.ac.uk. STUDY TOURS TO EGYPT Time Travellers’ 09 Study Tour to Luxor – exploring a sacred land - scape; April 20 - 27. Travel arrangements by Bales Worldwide. Seminars and site visits including temples of Luxor and Karnak, Valley of the Kings, Deir el-Bahri, tombs of the Nobles and Deir el-Medina; accompanied throughout by Frances Williams and Amr el-Helly. Time Travellers’ 09 Tour to Egypt for the more experienced traveller ; details to be announced; accompanied throughout by Frances Williams and Amr el-Helly; provisional dates October 20–27. (Please note that it may be necessary to alter details as indicated above.) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> MEMBERSHIP MATTERS The ‘Introduction to new members’ morning’ held at the beginning of November was very successful and I am sure that those who attended found it useful. I am very grateful to Dr Panton and the others for arranging this and giving presentations etc. It is hoped that another one will be held towards the end of this year. If you haven’t received a renewal letter and you usually pay by cheque please get in touch – it is not unusual for things to go astray in the post! Of course if you pay by banker’s order please check your statement to make sure that only one payment is made and that it is for the correct amount (£25 for individuals, £30 for two living at the same address with a slight reduction, if you wish, if you have been a member over 10 years and are of pensionable age). How many of you know that once you have been a member for over 50 years you are entitled to free membership? This is an added incentive to continuing your membership even in these straitened times. We are all very grateful to your support – without you, our members, the Society could not exist! Please remember that you need to show your membership card if you wish to use the KAS Library. If you have mislaid yours send me a short note and stamped addressed envelope so that I can send you a replacement. I have recently changed my personal email address so please change your address book as the ‘pipex’ address will cease shortly if it has not already done so. This reminds me to ask you to send me any changes in your details so that I can ensure that the membership database is completely correct! Many thanks to those of you who have sent me amendments to your email addresses. The address for all cor respondence relating to membership is – Mrs Shiela Broomfield, KAS Membership, 8 Woodview Crescent, Hildenborough, Tonbridge TN11 9HD. Tel: 01732 838698. Email: membership@kentarchaeology.org.uk or s.broomfield@clementi.demon.co.uk. We are pleased to welcome the following new members: Mr J I Bampton, Luddesdown, Gravesend Ms R Brown, Staplehurst, Tonbridge Miss R Clancy, Loose, Maidstone Dr A Durham, London SE10 Y O U A N D Y O U R SOCIETY Winter 2008/09 8 COPY DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT Maidstone will be the location of the Society’s annual general meeting on Saturday the 16th May this year. The meeting will be in the m o rning and we hope to be supported by you and the attendance of plenty of other members. After the business there will be a pre s e n t a t i o n about the Society's work and other topics of curre n t i n t e rest. Full details will be in the next Newsletter. The results of the elections will be announced at the A.G.M. Nominations can be submitted for any o ffice and for membership of the Council; it is the sign of an active society if there is competition for off i c e . We need a new Hon. General Secre t a ry and, at the time of writing this note, no volunteers have come f o rw a rd. If you are interested please contact us. Any five members can propose a candidate for election as a member of the Council or as an off i c e r. Nominations have to be received by the Hon. General S e c re t a ry by the 1st March at the latest and must be accompanied by the written consent of the candidate. F u rther information and guidance can be obtained from the Hon. General Secre t a ry Mr A.I. M o ffat, Three Elms, Woodlands Lane, Shorn e , Gravesend, DA12 3HH; email secre t a ry @ k e n t a rc h a eo l o g y. o rg.uk. Although a special nomination form does not have to be used, he can supply a suitable f o rm . How important is the Society to those living in the London Boroughs that w e re once in the administrative county of Kent? Should it be providing more activities for those living there and, if so, what should they be? These are among the questions being c o n s i d e red by the Council which is concern e d that over the years the Society has become less active in the “ancient county of Kent”; it t reats this as being the London Boroughs of B e x l e y, Bro m l e y, Greenwich and Lewisham. Despite this there are still a substantial number of members living there . It seems that since local govern m e n t A.G.M. 2009 The Society in Greater London Mrs V Lauder, Leybourne, West Malling Mr S Marsh, Cranbrook Dr M Martineau, Hildenborough, Tonbridge Ms B McNee, Brighton Dr I Moorhead, Kingsnorth, Ashford Prof. H Tsurushima, Kumamoto, Japan Mr S Whelan, Maidstone re o rganisation took these boroughs out of the administrative county people living in them have become less aware of their historical and geographical connection with Kent. Ye t , in the study of local history, the modern administrative boundaries are hardly re l ev a n t . The Council will be pleased to receive any ideas you have for increasing membership in these London Boroughs and providing more for these members. You may send them to the Hon. General Secre t a ry, Andrew Moffat, at s e c re t a ry @ k e n t a rc h a e o l o g y. o rg.uk or Thre e Elms, Woodlands Lane, Shorne, Gravesend, DA12 3HH. chapels, with battlements all round. Three round arches of the south nave arcade date from 1150-1170. A member of the Churches Committee, Mrs Corringham, spoke about the foliate heads (not green men, apparently) on some of the capitals of this arcade. The Norman church was remodelled in the 13th and 14th centuries and the structure was complete as we see it today by the early 15th century. The Bridges Chapel, to the north of the chancel has served as the family chapel of successive local dynasties including the Finches, Paramours and Bridges. It contains a 14th/16th century palimpsest brass. Other notable features in the church include the 13th century sedilia and piscina, the pulpit of 1615 and the mid-18th century candelabra in the nave. Much restoration work has been carried out in recent years and the church appears in good order. A fascinating addition to the afternoon’s itinerary was then provided by a visit to the underground mediaeval cruciform chamber at St Nicholas Court, an 18th century house in the village, by kind permission of the owner. Shaped stone recesses at the end of each arm suggest a 14th century date but the original purpose of the chamber is now unknown. The group then departed for St Mary the Virgin, Chislet where refreshments were served on arrival. This impressive building is of Norman origin. It is built of coursed rubble with Caen stone dressings and consists of a long chancel, central tower and an aisled nave. Since 1986, the nave has served the local village as a community centre, complete with toilets, kitchen and badminton court fittings, and it is an interesting example of one way in which a rural church can be saved through broadening its use. Mr Chris Pout, KAS president, who has lived in Chislet for many years, outlined the history of settlement of the area based on archaeological finds as well as that of the church itself. The arch between the chancel and tower is a notable indicator of the building’s Norman origins with its zigzag pattern. The nave side aisles were added circa 1200, and in the 13th century the present Early English chancel was built and the tower was heightened. The tower contains six 18th-century bells and is entered by a Norman doorway with tympanum. Several members of the group rose to Mr Pout’s challenge to ascend the narrow staircase to the ringing chamber, where he then spoke about and demonstrated the ancient art of bellringing. Thanks are due to Mr Pout for making all the arrangements for this fascinating and enjoyable afternoon. Paul Lee KAS HISTORIC BUILDINGS COMMITTEE Historic Buildings Conference 2008 The conference took place on Saturday, 18 October at the Lenham Community Centre. More details on the event are given elsewhere in the Newsletter. Two Summer Visits to Kentish Historic Buildings The very popular series of visits to buildings of interest will continue in 2009. The first visit that Joy Saynor is arranging will be to The Grange at Ramsgate on Wednesday, 27th May. The architect and designer, Augustus Pugin, built The Grange in 1844 as his family home. After years of neglect, the building was rescued by the Landmark Trust, and the programme of restoration was completed in 2006. On Wednesday, 10th June there will be a visit to the 13th century Luddesdown Court and to Dode Church. This Norman church was deconsecrated in 1387, after the village of Dode was wiped out by the Black Death. (See What’s On section for more details) Laser Scanning The committee plan to explore the potential of laser scanning as a method of surveying buildings. When its investigations are complete, the findings will be shared with KAS members. KAS CHURCHES COMMITTEE Visit to St Nicholas-at-Wade and Chislet A large group of over 60 people attended the KAS visit to the parish churches of St Nicholas-at-Wade and Chislet on Saturday 4th October. St Nicholas Church is a large and ancient building full of interest. A talk was given by Mr Len Reed, churchwarden, with interpolations from the incumbent, the Revd Bob Coles. The church is built of a mixture of Kentish ragstone, Caen stone, Roman tiles and rubble faced with knapped flint. It consists of an imposing 14th century southwest tower, aisled nave with clerestory and chancel with north and south 9 Winter 08/09 ISSUE IS MONDAY 2nd MARCH Demand for spacein the Museum car park far outstrips capacity, therefore in future it will only be open for parking byMuseum staff and Museum-approved visitors and contractors. However, it is still permissible for the KAS Library to use the car park for a collection/delivery, but oncethis has been made, the vehicle will have to be moved from the car park. This injunction applies particularly to week days; some parking for KAS members attending meetings in the Library on Saturdays may be permissible, though perhaps should not be relied upon. KAS members should also not park in the Brenchley Garden grounds. The gardeners will in future be monitoring parking, particularly at the side of the Museum, and will be ticketing or towing away persistent offenders. COMMITTEE ROUND-UP DO YOU USE THE KAS LIBRARY? Winter 2008/09 10 Price £19.95 plus £2.50 P&P. To order a copy contact James Cook, Treasurer, The Cottage, Powder Mill Lane, Leigh TN11 8PZ. Cheques should be made payable to Leigh Historical Society. Maidstone – A Histor y Cyril Cooper Maidstone has been an important town in south-east England for over a thousand years; this fully illustrated account helps explain why. The town became indelibly associated with revolution and riot between the 14th and 16th centuries, and the townsfolk seem to have enjoyed an independent spirit ever since. Following the battle of Maidstone in 1648, the Mayor was Clerk to the c o u rt which tried Charles I and it was p robably he who pronounced the death sentence. The town was a c e n t re for the fulling process, and enjoyed a v i rtual monopoly in threadmaking. It provided ragstone for building, amongst other places, the Tower of London and Wi n d s o r Castle Chapel. A major source of hops and fruit, brewers such as Fremlins and Style and Winch were sited there. Paper making was another industry of importance. Available from good local bookstores. Phillimore ISBN 978-1-86077-529-1. Price £16.99. Lady Joanna Thornhill – Her Life and Times and her School Wye Historical Society Lady Thornhill was a remarkable woman, who founded the primary school that still bears her name in Wye. Born in 1635 in Cornwall to the Grenville family, her early years were spent in the troubled times of the Civil War, her father killed for the Royalist cause. M a rriage to Richard Thornhill of Olantigh near Wye left her a widow in straitened circ u m s t a n c e s after four years. She later became A Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Catherine and remained a member of the ro y a l household until 1692. Her affection for Wye saw her Brenchley and Matfield Revisited Brenchley and Matfield Local History Society The villages of Brenchley and Matfield are fortunate in having, during the very early days of photography, a postman, William Hodges, whose hobby was taking photographs of the houses, the people, the villages and the surrounding countryside. This book not only shows many of Mr. Hodges’ wonderful Victorian photographs, but also what the same scene looks like today, together with many other interesting photographs taken from the Village Archive. However, this is not just a book of pictures: every reader, whether local resident, visitor or Kentish historian, will find a book full of the history of this lovely part of Kent, and it is hoped, a fuller appreciation of how this parish developed to become the place we know today. Price £10.00 plus £1.00 P&P from Denise Barr, phone 01892 722339. The Lost Powder Mills of Leigh Chris Rowley Over the last few years the Leigh Historical Society have been investigating the Leigh Gunpowder Mills, now ruinous and buried in woodland. Their long and fascinating history is revealed in this 220-page, full colour book, which contains 130 illustrations including 12 maps. The book also tells many personal stories of the men and women who worked at the Mills. N E W B O O K S 11 Winter 08/09 request burial there after her death in 1708/9 and a legacy of money to help the poor and initiate the school. ISBN 0-9546499-0-11. Price £10.00 (post free) from Mr P Burnham, 24 Chequers Park, Wye, Ashford TN25 5BB. Cheque payable to Wye Historical Society. Royal Tunbridge Wells – A Histor y C W Chalklin Formerly a wilderness of forest and heath, within a few years of the discovery of the local wells by London society in 1606, the town had become one of the leading English watering places. The Pantiles had been built by the end of the 17th century and the surrounding hills covered with lodging houses. Within a century, a leisured class of retired professional men, and single gentlewomen, had begun to settle there. Summer visitors remained important until the 1960’s, though the number of commuters to London grew steadily from the 1920’s. The daily habits and entertainments of visitors and residents were described in contemporary writings, whilst the town planners and builders, and the local trades and craftsmen were largely ignored until quite recently. Informative, readable and fully illustrated, this account brings together the best of the published work on the town, and includes much new material. Available from good local bookstores. Phillimore ISBN: 978-1-86077-526-0 Price £16.99. East Kent Gazetteer in the Great War 1914-1918 Compiled by Hazel Basford & K H McIntosh for East Kent Branch, Western Front Association A compilation of information and photographs garnered from many sources showing how East Kent was affected by the First World War. Includes listings of such evidence in each locality of much that still remains visible along with references to local and national archive material. A4, 120pp. Price £19.95 (includes P&P). Available from Mrs H Basford, Chapter Seven, Old Tree, Hoath, Canterbury CT3 4LE. Cheque payable to East Kent Branch, Western Front Association. The Westwell Chronicles Elizabeth Hollis The Chronicles tell the story of a small rural historic village and parish in Kent, from the Bronze Age to the 21st Century. For several centuries the Manor of Westwell was a refectory farm for Christchurch Priory, Canterbury, held by somewhat dubious means. The account reveals how the inhabitants lived and worked, their struggles to cope with events local, of the wider world and personal; the impact of wars and uprisings, death, poverty, their forms of recreation, housing, education and transport. It also shows changes that have taken place over the centuries, the advent of local government and, in more modern times, the threat of spreading urbanisation from Ashford, the impact of the high-speed railway and the motorway. However, Westwell remains, so far, a delightful rural oasis under the lea of the North Downs and Pilgrim’s Way. Fully referenced with detailed documentation and index, sketch maps and photographs. Available from Headley Brothers Digital Ltd. Invicta Press, Queens Road, Ashford TN24 8HH. Price £20.50, includes P&P. Order Line: 01233 648874. N E W B O O K S Winter 2008/09 12 The one-day conference held on 18 October got off to a promising start with a presentation by Richard Filmer, a well-known authority on Kentish crafts and industries, and author of several books on the subject. He began his talk about Kentish Building Materials with the reminder that just because a building was not on the Statutory List, it did not necessarily mean that it had no historical or arc h itectural merit. Many unlisted buildings of i n t e rest or even importance had been damaged, often by misguided affluence. R i c h a rd went on to give a compre h e nsive inventory of locally sourced building materials, explaining when, why, and, in some cases, how the materials were put to use. All these factors could help when attempting to date a building. First was t i m b e r, and in particular oak for timber framing, which had been used to such gre a t e ffect in the county. After dealing with other varieties of timber, Kentish ragstone was considered, and then other types of less commonly used stone, and mort a r. F i n a l l y, after explaining about thatching materials, Richard concluded on the subject of the use of clay for tiles and bricks. I n c re d i b l y, the design of some of the tools and shapes used in brickmaking re m a i n e d unchanged after 700 years. While demonstrating an amazing depth of understanding of his subject, Richard ’s animated style of presentation, adro i t l y interspersed with many “I-must-re m e m b e rthat” facts, added up to a talk that was both i n s t ructive and enjoyable. The observation made by Richard that many buildings had been damaged by misguided affluence was picked up as a theme of the next speaker, Charles Brooking, creator of the Brooking Collection of A rchitectural Features. He described his p resentation, entitled The Window of Ti m e: Dating by Detail, as more of a hands-on workshop than a talk. For those in the audience who had not heard Charles before, it came as a surprise, resembling as it did m o re a piece of perf o rmance art than a workshop. T h ree trestle tables were laden with a selection of architectural fixtures and fittings, and many items were passed aro u n d the audience to illustrate particular points. He had started by collecting window and door details at the age of seven, initially rescuing salvage from demolition sites a round Guildford. In 1985 the Bro o k i n g A rchitectural Museum Trust was established. Most of the collection of over 300,000 items was stored at the University of Greenwich. Charles was attempting to cover all the variations of doors and windows, because so many architectural feat u res were disappearing when buildings w e re demolished or refurbished. A library of details was needed to show how things worked. Another purpose of the collection was to assist in the dating of buildings. A number of sections of sash frames were among the items passed around to illustrate the way designs evolved and regional diff e rences. Charles touched on the social hiera rchy of window style, particularly evident in features such as glazing bars. His immense knowledge of his subject, together with his enthusiasm for sharing that wisdom, resulted in a very entert a i n i n g experience. During the lunch break members of the audience made full use of the o p p o rtunity to examine more closely some of the many intriguing items on display, while Charles continued to answer questions with undiminished zeal. After lunch the theme changed fro m consideration of the physical components of buildings to the documentary evidence relating to them. Jane Davidson of House Historians gave a presentation entitled Following the Sources: Some Examples of House Histories. She explained that when she was commissioned to re s e a rch a pro pe rt y, she produced a re p o rt consisting of a s h o rt history of the surrounding area; form e r occupants; and finally an examination of the c o n s t ruction and features of the building itself. Jane gave several case studies, and o ff e red a variety of ideas on the sources to track down the history of buildings and the lives of people who lived in them. She used the facilities of the Centre for Kentish Studies for much of her re s e a rch. Other sources included museums, Times Online, diocesan re c o rds for C a n t e r b u ry or Rochester, local archives, and RAF aerial photographs taken in 1947. As well as documentary evidence, she s t ressed the value of tapping into local knowledge through anecdotes told by people in the area. J a n e ’s fascinating talk was part i c u l a r l y relevant as it carried on from where the presentation on the services of Centre for Kentish Studies had finished the pre v i o u s y e a r. She provided a reminder that buildings were more than just stru c t u res. An addition to the programme was a review of archaeological discoveries in the Lenham area, given by local amateur a rchaeologist, Lesley Feakes. In her short , but thought-provoking presentation she d rew attention to the items in the display cabinets in Lenham Community Centre. The items, some of which dated back to the Iro n Age, had all been re c o v e red from the site of the Centre prior to its construction. The Lenham Archaeology Society had carried out several investigations during the year. The final event of the day was a visit to the parish church of St Mary in Lenham. David Card e r, who has many years’ involvement in archaeology and the study of vernacular arc h i t e c t u re, provided an intro d u ction to church arc h i t e c t u re. He then took the g roup around the interior of the building, pointing out features of particular intere s t , and helping to interpret its complicated evolution. Richard Filmer and geologist G e o ff Downer assisted him in the task. During the examination of the exterior f e a t u res of the church, the many materials used in the various stages of constru c t i o n w e re identified. In his closing remarks, as well as reviewing the events of the day, Christopher P roudfoot, Chairman of the KAS Historic Buildings Committee, expressed his thanks to the many people who had contributed to the success of the conference. Fore m o s t among them was David Card e r, who had once again been the mainstay of the conference, perf o rming so ably the roles of org a niser and speaker. Thanks also went to other Committee members, and to Ted Connell, for taking care of all the conference technology. It was a very full programme, with something for everyone who had an intere s t in historic buildings. Angela Davies HISTORIC BUILDINGS CONFERENCE 2008 13 Winter 08/09 L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 / 9 first task is to create a dire c t o ry of all the pipe-makers who worked in Kent between the late sixteenth and the early twentieth centuries. This is no small objective as the written re c o rds, often incomplete, are widely dispersed, while collections of pipes can be d i fficult to find. I should be delighted to hear from anyone with knowledge to share about clay tobacco pipe-makers in Kent…names, locations, dates when active etc. If you have any information, please contact me by email at: miwm40@dsl.pipex.com. Many thanks. Brian Boyden Dear Editor B R YAN F A U S S E T T , F. S . A . ( 1 7 2 0 - 1 7 7 6 ) The Kentish antiquary and genealogist is perhaps not as well known as he should be. I am writing a biography and would be pleased to hear from anyone with material relating to him or his circle, or indeed from any direct or collateral descendants. The main gaps on the extensive family tree are from two granddaughters, the childre n of the younger Bryan Faussett: 1) Anna Maria Faussett (1785-1815) who married James Heselden Lt, R.N., (1786-1826) whose only chlid Anna Maria Heselden (1813-1872) married William Henry English B u rn a rd (c.1803-1873), a solicitor of Bideford; and 2) Catherine Helena Faussett (1792-1858) who married Francis William Pridham (c.1784-1831), a surgeon of Bideford, and produced Catherine Helena (b.1816) who married Edward John Parker Pridham, and Frances Isabella Pridham (1821-1885) who married Thomas S u m m e rhill Hilton Twynam (c.1823-1889). Please write to Dr David Wright, 71 Island Wall, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1EL or telephone 01227 275931 or email d a v i d e a s t k e n t @ a o l . c o m . David Wr i g h t Dear Editor I wonder if I might through the pages of the Newsletter enquire about the whereabouts of a transcript concerning the Leiger or Ledger book of Faversham Abbey, so-called by Thomas Southhouse in his Monasticon Favershamiense and re f e rred to by several subsequent writers on the history of Faversham. This is a most interesting and valuable common place book of Faversham Abbey in which has been copied grants, charters, rolls, tenants and purc h a ses and forms a very valuable collection of facts connected with the h i s t o ry of this once-noted abbey. The volume amongst the Wa t s o n - Rockingham collection at Northampton Record Office contains annotations both by Thomas Southhouse and his son Filmer S o u t h h o u s e . The volume was lent to the Kent Arc h a e o l o g i c a l Society on the 26 May 1920 and copied in the Library at Lambeth Palace Library for the Society by Joan Wake, who re t u rned it to Rockingham 8 Febru a ry 1924. Whilst we are preparing a translation and transcript of the document anew we would dearly like to find the Wake transcript which appears to be neither in the KAS Library, at Northampton amongst the Wake papers or at Lambeth Palace Library. Can you help? Please contact Duncan Harrington, L.H.G., F.S.A., F.S.G., Ashton Lodge, Church Road, Lyminge, Folkestone, Kent CT18 8JA. Website: http://www. h i s t o ry re s e a rc h . c o . u k Duncan Harr i n g t o n Dear Editor C L A Y TOBACCO PIPES IN KENT Clay pipes are a common find in literature, in paintings and, espec i a l l y, on archaeological digs! But, who made them in Kent? Where , when and why? I am beginning to re s e a rch the answers to these questions. The G R A N T S F R O M T H E A L L E N G R O V E L O C A L H I S T O R Y F U N D The late Allen Grove left a legacy to the Kent Archaeological Society to establish this fund to be used for the purpos - es of re s e a rch, pre s e rvation and enjoyment of local history. The trustees will consider applications for grants for any project with one or more of these purposes. Projects may be practical ones such as presentation, publication and education as well as re s e a rch. Grants may be made to societies and g roups as well as to individuals and are not restricted to members of the Kent A rchaeological Society. They are usually a round £200 to £400 each but the tru s t e e s would consider a larger grant for a part i c ularly imaginative or innovative project which might not be able to proceed without the grant. They would welcome more applications as the number has declined re c e n t l y. Aw a rds may not be announced until the summer of 2009. Applications must be submitted, on the o fficial application form, by the 31st Marc h 2009. Application forms and further inform ation may be obtained from the Hon. S e c re t a ry: Mr A. I. Moffat, Three Elms, Woodlands Lane, Shorne, Gravesend, DA12 3HH, or by email to secre t a ry @ k e n t a rc h a e o lo g y. o rg.uk. A form can be downloaded fro m the web site www. k e n t a rc h a e o l o g y. o rg . u k blocking remain. A layer of soot and ash was found on the floor inside the blocking. The north–west corner of the building showed signs of being rendered externally with mortar and lime finishing coat, coloured red. The relationship between buildings two and three was examined with a 1 x 13 metre trench cut north to south, 2 metres from the west end of building 3. The base of this trench located the edge of an internal wall and a kiln or oven. The threshold of a doorway was found in the northwest c o rn e r. These features will be furt h e r examined in 2009, together with the use of building five. Albert Daniels Maidstone Area Archaeological Group community would have lain to the north of the church. A new planning consent called for further evaluation and for preservation of the drain in situ. MoLAS exposed its full extent on site (c. 33m), running towards the River Medway to the east, though it had been cut through by gasworks oxidising tanks at this end before it reached the river. The drain was built entirely in large Kentish Ragstone blocks and bonded with brownish yellow, sandy mortar. It consisted of two parallel walls, 1.00-1.15m apart, which stood to an internal height of 1.15m where they supported an arched roof. The base of the drain was constructed of tightlypacked small and large ragstone blocks and abutted the randomlycoursed internal faces of the walls. Overall, the internal height of the drain was 1.60m from floor to apex. In its central part, adjacent to where it had been cut through by a later service trench, the drain had been ‘walled up’; possibly at the time of the construction of the gasworks. Once its orientation and extent had been established, MoLAS accurately surveyed it, so that the client’s engineers could redesign new foundations to bridge the drain and so p re s e rve it beneath the new building, and advised on the appropriate piling regime in order that the remains would not be damaged. This was all done in consultation with Kent County Winter 2008/09 14 Last summer, Museum of London archaeologists, supervised by Nikki Rahmatova, carried out excavations at this Citygrove retail development site in central Maidstone. In 2006, a substantial stone-built medieval drain, almost certainly associated with a 13th-century monastic hospital was discovered during a watching brief on remediation works on a former gasworks. The hospital was St Peter and St Paul’s Hospital, or the Newark Hospital, which lay to the west of the site. It was founded by Boniface of Savoy, Archbishop of Canterbury and uncle of Henry III’s wife Eleanor, in 1260 and was dedicated to SS Paul, Peter and Thomas of Canterbury. The hospital fell into disuse by the end of the 14th century, possibly as a result of the new bridge at Aylesford diverting pilgrimage traffic to Canterbury northwards. The hospital chapel became St Peter’s Church, located near the corner of Buckland Street and St Peter’s Street. A drain (often ‘the Great Drain’) was a common integral feature of monastic developments, usually providing water for kitchens, domestic buildings, latrines and infirmaries, which would be ranged alongside it, and carrying away the waste resulting from associated activities; in this case, into the Medway. On the basis of this investigation, the monastic LEFT: Semi-circular end of north wall of building 5. OPPOSITE RIGHT: Plan of the site. S T P E T E R ’ S W H A R F, ST P E T E R ’ S S T R E E T , MAIDSTONE R O M A N B U I L D I N G S AT O A K L A N D S , L O W Excavations took place at weekends between April and September 2008, ending with an open day attended by 170 people. The first trial pit this season was excavated to locate the south-east corner of building three. The ragstone foundations of the corner were located and proved the building to be 28 metres long. The width has previously been found to be 8 metres internally. A neonatal infant burial was located in the internal corner. There was no evidence to indicate floor level. Trial trenching to the west located building five and a blocking wall between buildings three and five. The wall foundations of building five are 500mm wide constructed of ragstone in a yellow mortar. The northwest and northeast corners were located giving a building length of 13 metres. A pitched ragstone floor with a decayed mortar surface was uncovered beneath a layer of demolition ragstone in a black humic matrix. A coin of Valentinian 1 (367-375) was found in this layer. The north wall had been pierced by a 2.4 metre-wide opening. The sides of the opening had been rebuilt with semi-circular ends. Sometime later the opening was blocked up; the lowest two courses of the Council Archaeological Officer Adam Single. Unexpectedly, during the evaluation to establish the extent and alignment of the drain, human burials, presumably associated with the hospital or its chapel, were found. Again, in co-operation with the Archaeological Officer, foundations were redesigned to minimise the impact on potentially surviving burials. Where impacts could not be avoided all human remains were excavated and removed. Although construction groundworks for the 19th century gasworks had, presumably, removed or disturbed the great majority of burials, a total of 30 partially or fully articulated skeletons were excavated where the new building had an impact. These were associated with pottery dating to the 12th century at earliest. Recovered remains, including disarticulated and unstratified bone have been calculated to represent 133 individuals: 96 adults and 37 sub-adults. Of the 30 articulated burials, 25 were adults and five sub-adults: two of which were aged between one month and six years and three were aged between 13 and 16 years at death. Two burials were positively identified as male and eight as possibly male. Four were scored as possible female with 11 recorded as of indeterminate sex. In assessment, a number of features of the bones which may indicate disease or injury have already been noted. Preliminary assessment of the findings has just been completed, with the results of further analysis, particularly of the human remains and documentary research, intended to be published in Archaeologia Cantiana. Robin Nielsen Museum of London Archaeology 15 Winter 08/09 RIGHT: Central section of drain with later blocking, looking west. WE R ROAD, EAST F A R L E I G H-2008 UPDA T E Published by the Kent Archaeological Society, Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Gallery, 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 Email evelyn.palmer@virgin.net or newsletter@kentarchaeology.org.uk Copy deadline for the next issue in April is Monday March 2nd. 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: An unconventional but easy way to explore a denehole! ABOVE: Plan and section of the denehole. Winter 2008/09 16 In October 2008, Kent Underground Research Group members were asked to investigate a denehole found on a housing development site to the west of Springhead Road, Northfleet. The local geology is Thanet Sand overlying loose-jointed Upper Chalk with the usual layer of Bull- Head Flints at the boundary. Two other deneholes had previously been recorded by the Group on the same site in March 2006 and September 2007. The latest find at TQ 6191 7304 was located when ground probing revealed underg round voids. A mechanical excavator was used to dig a deep trench that intercepted the side of a small chalk chamber, thus gaining access for the KURG team to enter the site on 13th October. The exposed chalk cavity was found to be the remains of a small double-trefoil denehole, the digger having broken into a primary chamber. This chamber had suffered both roof failure and severe flaking from the walls so that very little of the original structure could be observed. A few tool marks were seen on the end wall made by the usual short-headed iron picks. The collapse of this chamber was due to the loose-jointed nature of the chalk in this area and probably accelerated by vibrations caused by the process of probing and excavating the access. The two small lateral chambers of the trefoil were found to be intact but of a diminutive size compared with similar deneholes. It is probable that the miners knew of the poor structural quality of the chalk and excavated smaller chambers to minimise collapse. The shaft of the denehole was found to have been sealed with chalk blocks and it was not possible to gain access into the other three chambers beyond the blockage. It was usual in this type of small chalk mine to make a dangerous pit fall safe by sealing off the shaft. This was often achieved by simply throwing down a bush or treestump and backfilling on top. In some cases, especially around the Gravesham area, the entrances of the two primary chambers were sealed off with roughly built flint walls before the shaft was backfilled. To seal the shaft with chalk blocks was most unusual but may be because the excavators did not encounter enough flints during the mining operations to make this material practicable. The plan and excavation techniques show that the denehole is a typical, although small, Medieval type probably dug around the 12th century. Rod LeGear M E D I E V A L D E N E H O L E AT N O RT H F L E E T