Community Archaeology at Randall Manor
This autumn saw the completion of the 7th year of excavations. One of the longest running community archaeology excavation projects in the county, this medieval manor site continues to reveal its secrets. A new HLF Grant is supporting years 7 and 8, as part of the Shorne HubCAP Project. The KAS has also lent equipment to the Project and funded the conservation of one of the key finds from the site: a lead flask.
Historical research now suggests Randall was a small manor by 1108. Henry II granted it with other lands to his supporter William de Quatermer in 1165 and his descendant subinfeudated the manor to Henry de Cobham in 1202. Henry’s grandson ‘Henry le Eine’ probably rebuilt the house around 1260; after an active life in the king’s service as a justice, a soldier and as Keeper of the Channel Isles, he died in Kent in 1316 and his tomb is in the parish church at Shorne. The house sits on a platform that has been artificially raised along its northern edge. An aisled hall structure would have dominated the south west corner of the site. A stone cross wing was then added, built perpendicular to the hall. Newbury Farmhouse provides an interesting standing comparison. A further north-south orientated annex was built onto the cross wing; this annex was served by a first floor garderobe. Detached from the main structures was a multi-phase kitchen building, sitting on the edge of a series of medieval ponds. These ponds run along the northern edge of the site and may have served a number of uses from storing fish to light industry.
During 2012, guided by LiDAR results (see previous Newsletter articles) we examined the area to the west of the main building. We recorded a series of thick gravel deposits, revetting walls and drainage channels, all attempts to channel water away from the site in the medieval period. We investigated a clay bank running east from the kitchen to our putative brew house in the north east corner of the site. Work in this area also revealed not only a new building, but two intercutting ditches. The earlier one lies under much of the platform levelling material, the later one runs parallel to the clay bank. This bank butts up to the kitchen building and seals the brew house off from the rest of the site.
In July 2013 we will be spending a month excavating the Manor. Visitors and new volunteers are actively encouraged!
Finds from the site can be seen upstairs in the visitor centre at Shorne Woods, at the Link to the Past Event on Thanet on Sunday the 10th of Feb 2013 and at the Spring Open Day at Shorne Woods on the weekend of the 27th and 28th of April 2013.
For further information on the project, please contact Kent County Council’s Community Archaeologist, Andrew Mayfield andrew.mayfield@kent.gov.uk or 07920 548906 www.facebook.com/archaeologyinkent