AGM 1983

The Annual General Meeting was held at Sevenoaks, on the morning of Saturday 21st May. Council's Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for 1982 were approved (with one dissentient), the feeling of the meeting being that they indicated a very healthy level of activities in the various branches of the Society.

Officers

All the retiring Officers were re-elected, the Hon. General Secretary (502 votes to 147) and the Hon. Librarian (493 votes to 155) after a ballot had been taken.

Vice-Presidents

The existing Vice-Presidents were re-elected and, in addition, Mr Robin Leigh-Pemberton, J.P., M.A., Lord Lieutenant of the County, and the Rt. Hon. Lord Northbourne were elected Vice-Presidents as persons of distinction associated with the County.

Council

After a ballot, Mr E.W. Parkin (494 votes) and Mrs P. Winzar (480 votes) were re-elected. The other four places were filled by Mr P. Bennett (374 votes); Mrs N. Caiger (476 votes); Mr J. Cruse (456 votes) and Mr R.F. LeGear (449 votes). In addition, Mr S.R. Harker (252 votes) was elected for one year to fill the casual vacancy. Mr R.J. Ansell (175 votes); Mr B.J. Philp (235 votes) and Mrs V. Smith (152 votes) were not elected.

Rules

As a result of the painstaking and skilful work of the Rules Committee under the chairmanship of Sir John Winnifrith, K.C.B., a revised and re-arranged set of Rules was presented and passed without amendment. The Committee was reappointed to consider what other amendments, if any, were desirable.

Afternoon Lecture

In the afternoon, members heard a most interesting and entertaining talk by Dr Peter Reynolds, Director of the Butser Ancient Farm Project Trust. In the talk, which was expertly illustrated with colour slides, he told us about the objectives of the Trust. Dr Reynolds explained in some detail his experiments with regards to the construction of Iron Age Houses and the excavation and silting up of enclosure ditches. He also spoke about his experiments with the keeping of animals and the growing and storage of crops, which have been designed to increase our knowledge and our understanding of the agricultural economy of Britain at the end of the Iron Age. Our thanks go to Dr Reynolds for such an enjoyable and informative afternoon.

The various displays of work were greatly appreciated with much interest shown throughout the day. Many thanks for all their hard work to the following: Dartford and District Archaeological Group, Gravesend Historical Society, Orpington & District Archaeological Society, Otford & District Archaeological Group, Sevenoaks Architectural Survey and the K.A.S. Underground Research Group. The K.A.S. Bookstall was equally well patronised with members searching through the stocks of Arch.Cants. clutching lists of back numbers that they required. Our thanks go also to the young ladies of Sevenoaks Girls School who kept everybody supplied with very welcome cups of tea and coffee.

I should also like to take this opportunity to thank Cliff Ward for all his hard work in organising such a successful day.

Arthur Harrison

Hon. General Secretary

The next Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday 19th May 1984 in Ashford.

Current Excavations

Aerial view of cropmarks at Sarre from the North East. In the background can be seen the many graves of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery while the cropmarks in the foreground are perhaps of a Roman settlement. The site of the parish church of St. Giles is probably just this side of the quarry, beyond which runs the main Ramsgate to Canterbury road. Photograph by courtesy of the Cambridge University Collection.

Sarre, Isle of Thanet

Unfortunately, due to the awful spring weather this year, the tenant farmer has asked us to postpone the start of our Sarre excavations. These were due to have started in August this year but will now start in 1984.

A - the A-S grave marks
B - St Giles church
C - A possible Roman site

Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Work will start at the beginning of October on the first stage of the Watling Street Carpark excavations and continue in stages for at least two years. These Rescue Excavations, which will be funded by Canterbury City Council and the D. of E., are taking place on the last of the very large areas available within the City walls. The excavations will be open to the public, and the first stage should find the remains of the church and graveyard of St. John 'the Poor', a parish church which was amalgamated with the neighboring St. Mary de Castro church after the Black Death. Volunteer excavators are welcome at any time, as are volunteer finds helpers. Please apply to Tim Tatton-Brown.

A Unique 5th Century Gold Coin from Canterbury

During the latter part of the Marlowe Theatre excavations in Canterbury, a unique late 5th-century gold tremiss was found in the latest Roman levels. This coin, which is a Visigothic copy of a tremiss of Severus or Zeno of c A.D. 480, was probably minted in South Gaul at Narbonne and brought to Kent some time afterwards as part of a goldsmith's bullion. (Another gold fragment was found on the site nearby). Three other late 5th-century imperial gold coins have been found in East Kent in the past, but the only similar coin to the present one is the find from Sittingbourne of a Visigothic gold solidus of Libius Severus.

Tim Tatton-Brown