President’s Report on conferences and forums 2019
By Gerald Cramp
KAS FIELDWORK FORUM
The Fieldwork Committee of the Society held a Forum where local groups could explain their current archaeological excavations on Saturday 4th May in the Maidstone Community Centre. This was a highly successful occasion when over 20 groups took part.
KAS AUTUMN HISTORIC BUILDINGS CONFERENCE HELD IN COBHAM
Steve Willis opened the forum with his analysis of what lay ahead for archaeology in Kent.
Other speakers included Stephen Clifton of MAAG, John Townsend of the Shorne Group, Clive Drew, David May, Pat Reid and Janet Clayton of the Orpington Group. It is planned to have another forum on November 23rd at Eliot College but before the current newsletter will be published.
The Historic Buildings Committee of the Society held its very successful conference on 12th October at the Meadow Rooms in Cobham Village opposite the Church and College. The programme started with David Carder comparing the analysis used by the Norfolk Churches Trust to classify its disused, ruined and lost churches, and how this process might work in Kent. David considered in detail such churches in Canterbury and Romney Marsh. He applied the Norfolk’s classification of “Disused, Ruined and Lost Churches” to these two areas.
With the help of detailed work undertaken by Rupert Austin and Peter Seary of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust, Sheila Sweetinburgh gave an analysis of the documentary and architectural desktop assessment of Wye College’s early history. The Canterbury Archaeological Trust had undertaken a detailed architectural survey of the College buildings which was founded in 1447 for the new owners in 2016-7.
Chris Proudfoot gave an entertaining architectural account of his home, the Old Rectory at Fawkham together with some amusing accounts of former rectors who had lived there. He showed that the building had developed in three phases from a small gentleman’s villa in the early 19th century. The middle part is the earliest, and he showed how its floor level differed from the back and front parts of the house.
After lunch, Andrew Linklater of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust described the Trust’s work in 2001 on Cobham College when the roof on three of the four sides had to be repaired to incorporate new fire walls. This work involved the complete refurbishment and retiling of the roof – the first since the New College was founded in 1596. This enabled a comprehensive examination of all architectural features which allowed the tops of walls and timber structure to be studied in detail. Andrew showed how some of the medieval walls of the original college survived to the roof level.
The conference finished with visits to both Cobham Church and the College where parts not normally open were opened for conference members.
JOINT KAS & CBASE CONFERENCE ON SE AND CONTINENTAL LINKS
On November 2nd the Society held a very successful joint conference with the Council for British Archaeology South East. The title of the conference was “Archaeological Perspectives on Links between the South East and the Continent”.
Dr Sophie Adams gave an informative talk on the production and deposition of Bronze Age bronzes on both sides of the Channel. She showed distribution maps of these hoards in both Kent and France, data for which comes from the PAS scheme in England and the work of a PhD student in France.
The nautical theme was discussed concerning a possible Roman wreck carrying a cargo of Samian which is thought to have sunk on “Pudding Pan” about 5km north of Herne Bay in about 180 to 200 AD. Antiquarians have been aware of oyster fishers dredging up complete Samian bowls from the sea bed for over 200 years. At the start of his researches, Dr Michael Walsh was aware of just 280 examples believed to have come from the wreck. His book on this subject describes over 700 items.
After coffee, Jo Ahmet, Kent Finds Liaisons Officer described the theme of Cross Channel co-operation by the example of similarity of broaches and other jewellery dating to the period of 400 to 600 AD and found on both sides of the Channel. For instance, the repoussé work of the Samur Broach found in North Germany uses techniques developed here in Britain. The sixth-century square-headed broaches that are well known in Kent have been found in Normandy, Pas de Calais and Belgium.
Dr Leonie Hicks described the Norman Landscapes that can still be viewed on both sides of the Channel. Her theme was the archaeology of the Norman Conquest that can be seen at Norwich Castle, the White Tower, Rochester Cathedral and the Caen stone of St Augustine’s Canterbury.
She posed the question – why French stone and why on this scale? Was it that William, who came from Normandy, was making a statement on a grand scale?
After lunch, Dr Murray Andrews gave several examples of the regular flow of coins between the Southeast of England and the Continent during the later medieval period. Evidence for the flow can be found in both the archaeological and historical record. In Kent, coins minted in France, Spain, the Low Countries and Italy have been found in hoards and as single finds, while English coins have been found in Germany, Scandinavia and France. The wool trade and trade as part of the Hanseatic League, contributed to this flow of coinage across the Channel and the North Sea.
Gustav Milne of the CITIZAN project described the discovery in 2004 of the substantial remains of an armed Elizabethan Merchantmen during dredging operations by the PLA in the Thames Estuary. Later research showed that the remains belonged to the ship Cherabim which was launched in 1574 and was lost in a gale thirty years later. The ship was financed by Thomas Gresham whose canon with the initials TG was one of the first items to be recovered from the wreck. The vessel was carrying tin from Cornwall, lead from Derbyshire as well as folded iron the Netherlands.
Dr Steven Willis completed the programme for the day with an eloquent and personal analysis of the day. He considered common European geology and its use by human activity and culture through the ages and finished by looking at the everyday use of concrete in, for example, Lille and Croydon.
A successful day, demonstrating a continuity of trade and culture between Britain and the Continent, regardless of whether Britain was part of the
Roman Empire, the Hanseatic League or not.
PROPOSED KAS HISTORY FORUM
If there is enough interest in holding a similar forum for local history groups, the KAS is willing to hold one in 2020. This was mentioned in my letter to groups affiliated to the Kent History Federation. If you are interested, email me president@kentarchaeology.org.uk
