What’s On

KAS EVENTS

KAS Churches Committee Visit
Saturday 24 September.
You are invited to visit the two East Kent churches of Upper Hardres and Stelling Minnis. We meet at 2 pm at Upper Hardres and 3 pm at Stelling Minnis. Tea and biscuits will be provided at the last church. Tour £2 (Students £1) with tea extra at £1.
Charges in advance please, payable to Kent Archaeological Society.
A booking slip for this visit is enclosed; it would be helpful if return was made by 17 September.

KAS One-day Conference
Visualising Four Kentish Villages
Saturday 15 October 10:30am - 4:30pm
Following the successful one-day conference last year, another event has been organized to take place in the Church Barn at Charing. 'Visualising Four Kentish Villages' will look at East Peckham, Kemsing, Loose and Charing. Charge for the day, including tea or coffee, is £5. A booking form for this event appeared in the last Newsletter, so book now please contact Joy Saynor, Friars, 28 High Street, Shoreham, Sevenoaks TN14 7TD or email: saynor.shoreham@amserve.com

KAS History & Archaeology Show
Saturday 29 October, 10am - 4:30pm in Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery.
26 exhibitors plus KAS Committee exhibits. More details in the October Newsletter.

KAS Christmas Lunch
Saturday 26 November. We are returning to the Great Hall of Wye College in response to the popular request of those who enjoyed this venue so much last year. Full details and booking arrangements will appear in the October issue of the Newsletter.

OTHER EVENTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTY

TALKS

Public Lecture on Abbey Farm Villa, Minster, 21 July 7:45 - 9pm. By Keith Parfitt, excavation director.
A round-up of work done at this KAS-sponsored site. At St George's School, Westwood Road, Broadstairs. Cost £3.50 on the door, £3 in advance (tel from W S Nobbs, Isle of Thanet Archaeological Society, on 01843 863205.

Tonbridge Historical Society Lectures
15 September, 7:45pm
The Gavel and the Mace - Why? by John Ray
27 October, 7:45pm
The Dover Lifter Crossing at Rochester by Paul Oldham
19 November, 2:30pm
Results of the Civil War by Michael Gandy
(3 sessions, with refreshments in between. See below.)
5 January 2006, 7:45pm
An Illustrated Walk around the Saxon Shore by Christopher Wade
16 February 2006, 7:45pm
The Art & Architecture of Rochester Cathedral by Simon Goldfinch
6 April 2006, 7:30pm
Agricultural Lecture (TBA)
All lectures are at The Adult Education Centre, Avebury Avenue, Tonbridge. For further details, contact Sheila Brookland on 01322 838308 or email sheila.brookland@dial.pipex.com.

CONFERENCES

Council for Kentish Archaeology
Nelson and Trafalgar: Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar.
Saturday 5 November, 2:30pm at Canterbury Christ Church University College, North Holmes Road, Canterbury.
'Nelson and the Road to Trafalgar' by Richard Holdsworth, Museum and Library Director, Chatham Historic Dockyard. 'Nelson and the Trafalgar Campaign' by Professor Richard Harding, University of Westminster. 'The Impact of Nelson on Mid Victorian Ideal of Masculinity' by Professor Beverly Southgate, History Department, University of Hertfordshire.
Tickets £4.00 available from CBA, 7 Sandy Ridge, Borough Green TN15 8HP. Cheques payable to CKA please enclose SAE.

COURSES

Study for a Certificate in Archaeology
If you’re interested in archaeology, deepen your knowledge and understanding of the subject through study on the University of Kent’s well-established Certificate in Archaeology. There are still a few places available for the part-time evening certificate starting in September 2005 in Canterbury.
Courses include an introduction to archaeological method, prehistoric Britain, Roman Britain and Ancient Egypt. No formal entry qualifications are necessary. You need demonstrate only interest, enthusiasm and aptitude. If you complete the Certificate you can then consider progressing to a Diploma and Degree in Archaeological Studies, should you wish.
Why not ask for more information? Contact the Information and Guidance Unit, The Registry, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NZ, tel: 0800 9753771, email: info@kent.ac.uk

EVENTS

Heritage Open Days in England, 8 - 11 September
This 4-day event offers the chance to see inside many historic buildings normally not open to the public. Further information can be found at www.heritageopendays.org or telephone the Civic Trust on 020 8300 2251.

London Open House, 17 - 18 September
The capital’s equivalent of Heritage Open Days. A guide to available buildings can be bought, from 20th August by sending an A5 self-addressed envelope with a 60p stamp and cheque for £3 payable to London Open House) to LOH, PO Box 25361, London NW5 1GY. Visit www.londonopenhouse.org for more information.

NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGY WEEK, Saturday 16 July to Sunday 24 July
A nation-wide celebration of archaeology, with hundreds of events taking place. A full listing is on www.britarch.ac.uk; here are the Kent venues:

Archaeological Activities in a Roman Bathhouse, 16 & 17 July at Poverest Road, Orpington (entrance in Bellefield Road).
A fun-filled weekend of activities for all the family, with guided tours of the site. Info from Adrian Green on 01689 873826, mail to bromleymuseum@bromley.gov.uk.

Dartford Festival, 16 & 17 July, 11 am - 5 pm at Central Park, Dartford.
Display of the recent excavations and finds discovered by Dartford District Archaeological Group. Info from Chris Baker, Dartford Borough Museum, on 01322 224739.

Find Out about the Romans, 17 July 10 am - 5 pm at Crofton Roman Villa, Crofton Road, Orpington.
Guided talks on the villa house, artifact handling, mosaic-making, Roman games, dig for finds in the excavation box. Take the Villa Discovery Trail for 5-11 year olds, with certificate. Entry £1 per person. Children must be accompanied. Info from Ella Marriott, on 020 8460 1442, mail to croftonvilla@aol.com.

Archaeology Roadshow at Lullingstone Roman Villa, 17 July from 11 am.
Bring along your finds for identification by our experts. Info on 01322 863851.

Roman Festival at Richborough Fort, near Sandwich, 23 & 24 July, 11 am - 5 pm.
Watch combat and everyday life, including cookery, leatherwork and a Roman surgeon. Adult £5.30, child £2.70, Concession £4.10. Info on 01304 612013.

Prehistory - Life b4 txt, Sunday 24 July, 11 am - 4:30 pm in the Museum of Kent Life, Sandling.
North Downs Young Archaeologists invite you to a family fun day, focusing on prehistory. Come to Time Team: speaking Living History groups, flintknapping, bronze axe-casting, mini-excavation, artefacts of the period from Maidstone museum, lots of free activities for young & old including food tasting & creative crafts, exhibition of local history & archaeology groups. Entry is free for all children 16 & under (normally £4.50), adults £6.50.

Oare Gunpowder Works
After a long period of conservation, this site is now open to the public free of charge, 9 am - 5 pm during the week and 9 am - 4 pm at weekends. Started by Huguenot immigrants from Lyons in the 1680s, the Works were the main supplier to the East India Company and the second most important gunpowder site in Britain. Further information on www.faversham.org/history/oareworks.asp.