Hunt the Saxons: An Experiment in Community Archaeology
In the summer of 2005, a Community Archaeology project ran in Faversham, under the umbrella of the Faversham Society. The aim of the project is easily stated: this would be archaeology done by local people, for local people, based on the impression that in Faversham there are a substantial number of people who would be deeply interested in such a project.
Research of any kind needs a clear focus, one which captures the imagination and fires the desire to find an answer. Hunt the Saxons came from the fact that although a rich pagan ‘Jutish’ cemetery was found in the 19th century in what is now the southern part of Faversham, there has not been any archaeological or historical evidence for where the people actually lived. In short, we would be looking for evidence of Saxon occupation.
From this focus came a strategy derived from the common assumption, best summarised in the 2003 Kent Historic Towns Survey: Faversham, that ‘Saxon Faversham’ lay in the Tanners Street/West Street area. Yet not a scrap of archaeological evidence existed for this. Furthermore, this part of Faversham is most unlikely to see development in the foreseeable future, leaving the assumption unchallenged.
Last summer’s project involved the digging of eleven one metre-square test pits in gardens in this ancient part of our town, near the probable tidal limit of the Creek. The digging season lasted twenty two days, and an enormous amount of work has gone into post-excavational analysis. Particular attention has been paid to pottery, with Andrew Linklater from the CAT giving us an intensive training session in identification. At the point of writing (mid-November 2005) test pit reports are being written and at the Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre a warmly-received team-produced Hunt the Saxons exhibition is running.
Did we find the Saxons? So far, no; our new website www.community-archaeology.org.uk gives details. Note, however, so far. Next summer, we will be back in the so-called Saxon Zone to complete the investigation, this time armed with a lot more knowledge. Hunt the Saxons has involved a host of Faversham people, not just the excavation team, and contributed a great deal already to the understanding of Faversham’s past. It has also been (and this is far from trivial) enormously enjoyable. Roll on HSX06!
Dr Pat Reid
Sorting the finds.
The exhibition at the Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre.