Canterbury's Archaeology 2016 – 2017 by Canterbury Archaeological Trust

CANTERBURYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

ARCHAEOLOGY 2016 ~ 2017

annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

92a Broad Street, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2LU tel: 01227 462062 email: admin@canterburytrust.co.uk http://www.canterburytrust.co.uk

The Canterbury Archaeological Trust is an independent charity formed in 1975 to undertake rescue excavation, research, publication and presentation of the results of its work for the benefit of the public.

Contents Fieldwork

Canterbury Cathedral....................................................................................................... 1 The outer grounds of St Augustine’s Abbey................................................................ 8 St Radigund’s Hospice....................................................................................................12

Further copies of Canterbury’s Archaeology can be obtained from: canterburytrust.co.uk/publications/annual-reports or 92a Broad Street, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2LU © Canterbury Archaeological Trust Limited 2018 The Ordnance Survey data included in this publication is reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence no AL 100021009

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Cover photograph by Neil Chaney, taken from the south-west tower of Canterbury Cathedral

Building recording

The nave and triforia roofs............................................................................................17 St Dunstan’s bellframe...................................................................................................20 The Archdeaconry...........................................................................................................23 Yew Trees..........................................................................................................................35

Palaeoenvironmental work

A ditch in time..................................................................................................................39

Education

Supporting Kent teachers ... .........................................................................................44 … and teachers in training.............................................................................................45 Other activities at home and abroad..........................................................................45

Community archaeology.....................................................................47 The Friends

of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust.....................................................................50

References............................................................................................................51

Canterbury Cathedral

Our review for 2016–2017 looks at work carried out at three medieval monastic institutions. Canterbury Cathedral (Christ Church Priory) was the focus for one programme of fieldwork, the outer grounds of St Augustine’s Abbey another, whilst the third occurred at the lesser known site of St Radigund’s Hospice, lying just beyond the city wall to the north. The works formed the latest in a long series of investigations conducted on the religious houses of Canterbury although, as with many, the remains uncovered were associated not only with medieval occupation but also with earlier origins and later settlement. Here, preliminary results at each of these sites are presented, based upon work by Alison Hicks (Canterbury Cathedral), Damien Boden (St Augustine’s Abbey) and Ross Lane (St Radigund’s Hospice).

Fieldwork

and 1.6m deep, two of which were located within the St Radigund’s Hospice

existing basement. The borehole pits and two of the Welcome Centre pits extended deep enough to uncover remains of Canterbury Christ Church University

Map of the city of Canterbury, showing the location of the three sites mentioned in the text.

Roman date. The cathedral lies within the north-east quadrant of the Roman town, an area known from previous investigations to have contained town-houses and a number of streets. Extensive excavations below

Canterbury Cath

edral

the cathedral nave in 1993 during the installation

South Precincts Welcome Centre

of underfloor heating uncovered up to 1m depth of Roman stratigraphy spanning the first to the late third/ St Augustine’s Abbey

early fourth centuries AD, including a flint metalled street bordered by timber buildings to the east and a masonry building to the west (Blockley et al 1997,

Canterbury Cathedral

5–11). Earlier work undertaken further west in 1978, south of St Gabriel’s Chapel, exposed a street of late second-/early third-century date as well as a thirdcentury building containing at least three rooms all

The archaeological work at the cathedral was

floored with tessellated paving (Rady 1990, 85–90).

undertaken as part of the Canterbury Journey, a five-

Investigations beside the south-west transept in

year development scheme involving restoration and

2009–2010 uncovered an unusual and very substantial

Excavation of one of the drain trenches crossing the South Precincts.

repair of the cathedral church and Christ Church Gate, the construction of a new Welcome Centre and landscaping of the south precincts. An essential precursor to the landscaping works was the provision of new drainage, the installation of which involved a programme of archaeological fieldwork. The scheme required the excavation of three borehole pits, each 2.7m deep and each cut at the base by a borehole extending to a further depth of 15m. Linking the borehole chambers, and connecting with existing pipework, were new lengths of drain laid in trenches up to 1m deep cutting across the south precincts. Further

archaeological

work

occurred

during

evaluation of the new Welcome Centre site. This was undertaken to determine what remains might survive within the development footprint and so design mitigation measures to minimise disturbance during construction activity. The evaluation work comprised the cutting of twelve pits, each up to 2.7m diameter

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

Canterbury Cathedral

Plan of Roman Canterbury, annotated to show the location of the Cathedral, Canterbury Christ Church University dig and St Radigund’s.

Gravel quarry?

DVROVERNVM CANTIACORVM m

iniu

d Lon

St Radigund’s Hospice

b? k

North Gate

West Gate

Bridge?

b? b

iniu

Bridge?

x b bxx x?

st Lo

pl f flood Limit o

channel

ain

b b Postern?

b? b? b b

Marsh

Ford

b b?

Mill?

Forum /basilica Temple precinct

b b

Field

Burgate

Quenin Gate

b? b b

S? b

Rutupiae

Riding Gate

Industrial area?

Yard?

Town ditch

Theatre

b? Bigbury 2 Km

rdo

onduit

c Water

South Precincts

Ford?

Field

b B f k K S x

Canterbury Christ Church University

Town wall

x b b b

Welcome Centre

London Gate

Bridge?

Town wall (known) Town wall (conjectural) Cremation cemetery Inhumation cemetery Burial mound River (existing) Building(s), type unknown Baths Fountain Pottery kiln(s) Tile kiln Shop(s) etc. ‘Belgic’ hut(s)

Quay?

Industrial area?

Lon d

Regulbium Fields

b Bridge

300 metres

1000 Roman feet

Lim

ff it o

a dpl loo

Worth Gate

Anderida

Gravel quarry

Town wall

b b?

bri

Lemanis

masonry building of possible late first-century to mid

have extended to sufficient depth, multi-phase Roman

second-century AD date, formed with footings of

period remains have been discovered. The present

large sandstone blocks, together with further masonry

series of excavations was no exception since, despite

and timber building remnants and a length of street

the limited footprint of each of the three borehole

perhaps in use between the late second and the late

pits and the two Welcome Centre basement pits, all

third/fourth centuries AD (Hicks 2012, 4–9).

were found to contain Roman features and deposits.

In fact, it is the case that wherever excavations

Building remnants comprising lengths of wall, clay

within the cathedral church and the south precincts

flooring and a flint metalled surface were exposed,

Cathedral – Plan of the Roman remains revealed by the current fieldwork.

Christ Church Cathedral Nave

Borehole pit 3 Occupation deposit

Roman wall

157900m

Robber cut

Flint metalled surface

Borehole pit 2

Borehole pit 1

Floor & occupation material

Roman wall

10m

Welcome Centre Pit 2 Tessellated floor

Welcome Centre Pit 1

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Cathedral House 615050m

Christ Church Gate

Demolition deposits

615010m

Augered pits

Canterbury Cathedral

together with a small patch of tessellated flooring

subsequent development to depth thanks to its use

within the Welcome Centre site sealed below late

as a religious site since at least the early Anglo-Saxon

Roman demolition deposits. Augering of underlying

period.

strata in the Welcome Centre basement indicates that

At the cathedral, the earliest church of which there is

a succession of pit fills, probable floors, metallings and

evidence to date was founded by Augustine following

occupation deposits exists, with a depth in places of

his arrival in Kent in AD 597. According to Bede, with

up to 1.2m. It seems that the cathedral church and

the support of King Ethelbert, he ‘recovered’ a church

the south precincts lie within a densely occupied part

which had ‘been built long ago by the Roman Christians,

of the Roman town, a part which has undergone little

and consecrated it in the name of the holy Saviour,

Recording Roman remains in borehole pits.

Queen Bertha’s Walk Bertha was a Frankish princess who

continue to worship. The building

came to Canterbury on her marriage

became St Martin’s Church.

to Ethelbert of Kent in c AD 580. She

It is assumed that Queen Bertha

was already a practising Christian,

travelled each day from the royal

and a former Roman building on the

palace, through an old Roman gate

east side of the city was restored or

in the city wall. Traces of Queningate

converted as a church so that she and

(‘Queen’s Gate’) can still be seen in the

her chaplain, Bishop Liudhard, could

wall today.

This artist’s reconstruction shows the path between Queningate and St Martin’s Church as it might have appeared in the mid seventh century crossing land to the north of the first three buildings of St Augustine’s Abbey. The churches are (from left to right) St Peter and St Paul, built by Ethelbert and intended to be the burial place for archbishops and the royal family. The second church was dedicated to St Mary and was built by Ethelbert’s son, Eadbald. The third church, St Pancras, was also built in Eadbald’s reign (616–640). Both Queen Bertha and Augustine died before the first church was finished, but were reburied there later. Ethelbert was buried there in 616.

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

Canterbury Cathedral

Extract from the Waterworks Drawing of c 1165, looking south with the South Precincts at the top. The drain of Prior Goldstone II would have connected with that leading from a cistern (fons in cemeterio Laicorum), located outside the south-west transept, to a fountain (piscina) sited to the east. © Master and Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge (CC BY-NC 4.0).

God and Lord, Jesus Christ’ (Bede Historia Ecclesiastica

cemetery was divided by a wall, the eastern ground

I.33). However, excavations within the nave suggested

forming the ‘inner’ cemetery and the western the

that there was ‘no continuity between the Romano-

‘outer’. It is often assumed that the ‘inner’ was for

British occupation’ and the apsed church thought to

monks or members of the cathedral and the ‘outer’

have been associated with Augustine (Blockley et al

for lay folk, though some eighteenth- and nineteenth-

1997, 99–100). Further, Queen Bertha, Ethelbert’s

century writers, at least, thought the division had

wife, is known to have travelled out of the city to

more to do with wealth and status than sanctity. In

worship, to the church of St Martin to the east, and it

Battely’s edition of Somner (1703), he suggests that

seems unlikely she would have done so if a serviceable

‘the reason why the cemetery was divided into two

structure remained standing within its walls. If an

parts seems to be this, because the fees of burial in

earlier church did once exist, as Bede suggests, perhaps

the inward cemetery, as in the more honourable place,

in ruinous state by Bertha’s day, it may have lain east

were greater than the fees of burial in the outward

of Augustine’s church, in currently unexplored ground.

cemetery’ (1703, Part III, 90). Hasted, writing at the

The Cathedral of Christ Church founded by Augustine

turn of the nineteenth century, also appears to have

underwent

embellishment

believed that neither cemetery was reserved solely for

and enlargement during the Anglo-Saxon period,

various

periods

members of the church, but also for ‘the inhabitants of

excavations below the present nave identifying at least

the city in general’ (1800, 423). Certainly, there exist

four phases of Anglo-Saxon church. To the north would

at least two documented examples of lay burial in the

have lain structures associated with the monastery,

inner cemetery, that of Walter de Sales, a Canterbury

probably sited on the shady northern side of the

barber, in 1347 who was ‘buried in the cemetery of

complex because a cemetery lay to the south, perhaps

the monks of Christ Church Canterbury’ and that of

in use from the mid eighth century AD. Before this

Thomas Beaufort in 1421, laid to rest ‘in the monks’

time, archbishops of the cathedral were buried at the

cemetery close to the tomb of St Thomas the Martyr’

monastery of SS Peter and Paul (St Augustine’s Abbey),

(Seary 2015, 15).

but Archbishop Cuthbert (740–760) ‘procured a licence

The Canterbury Journey excavation crossed the site

from the pope, and a grant from the king likewise’ for

of the outer cemetery and, despite the limited footprint

a right of burial at the cathedral (Hasted 1801, 164).

and in places limited depth of the cuttings, 102 graves

He built a chapel for the purpose dedicated to St John

were exposed. The earliest, located within the borehole

the Baptist, and except for Archbishop Jaenberht

pits, are probably Anglo-Saxon in date although precise

(765–92), a former abbot of St Augustine’s, he and all

dating is problematic since the graves are intercutting

future archbishops were buried at Christ Church Priory

and often difficult to individually distinguish within

(Brookes 1984, 81). Perhaps in Cuthbert’s time, or

the overall burial horizon. Unlike excavations beside

shortly afterwards, the cemetery south of the cathedral

the south-west transept, where burials were found

church was established and it remained in use into the

cut by eleventh-century Lanfranc foundations (Hicks

post-Dissolution period. Burials are recorded until the

2012, 9), there were no structural remains to assist

first quarter of the seventeenth century and then, after

with phasing, whilst finds were disturbed and often

a gap of around 40 years, were laid once again until at

residual. However, the density of burials suggests that,

least 1806.

as would be expected, burial within the graveyard was

The well-known Waterworks Drawing of c 1165

continuous over a period of centuries, the cathedral

indicates that, certainly by the time it depicts, the

cemetery no doubt being a desirable final resting place

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Canterbury Cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral Nave

10m Borehole pit 3

SW Transept 157900m Borehole pit 2 Borehole pit 1

Drain trench A

Drain trench B

615090m

615050m

615010m

Graves

for many citizens of Canterbury. Study of the burial

which led water from the north side of the church

remains is currently ongoing but it is hoped that in due

and cloister. The brick structure has been uncovered

course it will reveal something of the demography,

during various episodes of work, in general associated

diet, population diversity and living environments of

with investigation and repair (eg Rady 1990; Jarman

those interred.

2009; Hicks 2011; 2012; 2013, 2016). Incredibly, it

Crossing the ground of the outer cemetery was a

still functions today although it struggles to carry the

brick drain constructed by Prior Goldstone II (1495–

volume of water now required, hence the requirement

1517) ‘to carry off the inundations of rain-water

for new relief drains and borehole pits.

which, for want of proper channels, were wont to

The excavations revealed previously unseen lengths

inundate the whole crypt of the Virgin and the adjacent

of the drain, constructed with red brick side walls and

chapels, and greatly hinder access of the pilgrims to

vaulted capping. An unusual feature was a broad

the glorious Virgin’ (Obituary, trans Willis 1868, 170).

chamber, probably an access point which could be

It runs approximately east–west through the south

periodically opened to remove accumulated silt.

precincts, beside the cathedral nave, turning south-

Various side channels were added to the drain during

west towards the western end of the nave and south-

its lifetime, adapting it to take water from open ground

east at the eastern. The drain formed an extension to

to the south as well as the nave roof. The original

the large drain shown on the Waterworks Drawing,

vaulted capping of the drain was also replaced, with

Burials located in the drain trench and borehole pits.

One of the South Precinct graves.

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

Canterbury Cathedral

The brick drain.

South view by Thomas Johnson, engraved by Wenceslaus Hollar for William Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum, i (1655). It shows the extent to which the South Precincts ground had risen during centuries of burial.

another set at lower height, during landscaping works

of monuments in the churchyard gone (Hasted 1800,

which were undertaken in the late eighteenth/early

507). Surfaces associated with this landscaping were

nineteenth century. Burial over hundreds of years had

revealed on the western side of the south precincts,

caused the ground level to rise, Gostling noting that

formed of interleaved layers of crushed Caen stone,

in the eighteenth century six steps were required to

sandstone, mortar and flint metalling.

gain access to the south door of the church (1774,

On the southern side of the south precincts,

49). To take the ground closer to its earlier level, it

evaluation work at the Welcome Centre site exposed

was subsequently truncated, levelled and laid with

elements of a medieval coaching inn lying adjacent

gravel, Hasted describing the area as ‘being a plain

to Christ Church Gate. The Sun Inn was constructed in

surface covered over with gravel, and undisturbed by

1437–8 as a place of hospitality for pilgrims, providing

burials for a great number of years past’, with all trace

food and lodging for those visiting the town. Significant

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Canterbury Cathedral

parts of the original medieval building, with an attic over and chalk-vaulted cellars below, survive fronting the Buttermarket. Part of the rear of the fifteenth-century structure was exposed during evaluation, comprising a wall of bonded flint, ragstone and chalk, inset with the tile base of a hearth or fireplace. A kitchen and a larder are mentioned in contemporary building accounts, the former apparently constructed from thousands of bricks (Seary 2015, 7). These structures perhaps lay in a rear yard, although only a flint-lined well and two pits were identified during the recent phase of archaeological work. A map of Canterbury dated c 1640 suggests that an east–west aligned building range lay beyond the yard, whilst a row of shops is known to have stood behind the inn, to the west, constructed after the erection of the original Christ Church Gate in 1202 (the gate which stands today was built c 1520). These were the shops of the Sacrist, the monk responsible for keeping the church buildings in good order, and rents from them provided revenue for his department (Sparks 2007, 75). Probably in the sixteenth or early seventeenth century, the shops were rebuilt (ibid, 19), walls of bonded Caen

is the building, with crenelated detail on its outer wall,

stone and sandstone seen in one of the evaluation pits

which is being substantially modified for the new

likely forming parts of these replacement structures.

Welcome Centre. The cellar of the Proctor’s Office

The post-medieval history of the inn and the series

survives and will be incorporated into the new build.

of modifications, extensions and adaptations which

The archaeological work uncovered various sections of

it was subject to over the centuries are complex and,

brick wall, sufficient to determine that remains survive

particularly to the rear, poorly understood. It is known

at shallow depth, but as yet not extensive enough to

that a range was added at the back of the property,

add much to the uncertain picture of development. It

and that following closure of the inn in the eighteenth

is hoped that exposure during future excavation work

century the structure was subdivided (Seary 2015,

undertaken as part of the Canterbury Journey will give

11). In 1809, the two southernmost shops were

us a greater understanding of this medieval and post-

pulled down to make way for a Proctor’s Office. This

medieval complex.

Detail of an anonymous plan of Canterbury dated c 1640 (CCA: Map 123), showing the inn frontage with a conventionalised yard or garden behind, and an east–west aligned range behind that. The north–south aligned row of buildings behind Christ Church Gate represent the former Sacrist’s shops (the yellow building is Christ Church Gate).

The main historic components of the Sun Inn (Seary 2015, fig 3) and Grimm’s highly impressionistic view of the rear of the Sun Inn and the shops inside the precincts (Inside of the Church yard Gate at Canterbury, 1768 (CCA: U376/4)).

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

The outer grounds of St Augustine’s Abbey

View across the 2017 excavation area, looking south-west.

Multi-period plan of the Canterbury Christ Church University remains.

The outer grounds of St Augustine’s Abbey

of the construction of a new Arts Building, was no exception. Here, a site in the north-west corner of the university campus was excavated to natural ground and revealed an extensive sequence of occupation. Previous work and discoveries have shown that there has been activity in the area since prehistoric times. A

Archaeological work at Canterbury Christ Church

collection of Mesolithic flintwork from nearby suggests

University, sitting within the outer grounds of St

the presence of an implement manufacturing site

Augustine’s Abbey, has been ongoing over a period of

whilst assemblages of Neolithic pottery and worked

decades, as the educational complex has developed

flint are suggestive of settlement activity (Hicks 2015,

and expanded. Excavations between 1983 and 2007

109). The campus lies on the south-eastern side of the

formed the basis of an Occasional Paper examining the

Stour valley, on gently sloping ground fed by springs

development history of the site between the prehistoric

issuing from hills lying a short distance to the east. Yet

period and post-medieval times (Hicks 2015), but work

despite apparently providing an ideal location, there

since 2007 has continued to throw new light on the

is no evidence for nucleated settlement here during

area. The latest investigation, undertaken in advance

these early periods.

Hollow-way? Broad feature

Prehistoric features Ditches

Saxon remains

5C Earlier metallings

Later metallings

Abbey wall

?post-Dissolution ditch Medieval features

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Saxon remains

Flint layer

Flint metalling

Abbey wall

Late post-medieval features

Post-medieval features & deposits

The outer grounds of St Augustine’s Abbey

It was not until the mid to late Bronze Age (c 1100–

Church, was dedicated by 619. Two further churches

600 BC) that something other than transient land use

were erected, the first dedicated to the Virgin Mary

appears to be occurring, a ditch, pits and post-holes

between 616 and 624 and the second to St Pancras

revealed during previous archaeological work, together

perhaps by 638 (Hicks 2015, 116). Monastic buildings

with retrieved assemblages of flint and pottery, perhaps

probably lay to the north. Ground further north still,

indicative of an enclosed settlement on the fringes

today covered by the university campus, could have

of the river valley (ibid, 110). The recent excavation

formed part of the complex from early in its history,

uncovered further remains thought to be associated

the monastery acquiring many of its holdings during

with this settlement, preliminary analysis of flintwork

the seventh, eighth and ninth centuries (Kelly 1997,

and pottery suggesting a late Bronze Age date. A large

38). Certainly, by the mid eighth century, at least, the

pit or perhaps waterhole, several post- and stake-holes

western side of the outer grounds formed an important

and an area of roughly laid flint were revealed, sealed

resource for the monastery, containing an extensive

by a sequence of silty clays each containing quantities

craftworking production site involved in iron smithing

of fire-cracked (calcined) flint, struck flint and abraded

and smelting, non-ferrous metalworking, bone and

prehistoric pottery (5A). Column samples taken through

antler working, and the production of textiles (Hicks

the sequence for micromorphological study have yet to

2015, 117). Numerous pits and ditches dating to the

be analysed, but they will hopefully indicate the type of

mid eighth to mid ninth century have been excavated

activities occurring on the site at this time.

on the western side of the university campus, each

No evidence for Iron Age or Roman occupation was

containing assemblages of craftworking debris.

recorded, though residual Iron Age and Roman sherds,

Previous university excavations have suggested

probably from field marling, have been recovered

that there was a rapid decline in activity in the outer

from the area in the past. A mortared brick and tile

grounds from the latter part of the ninth century,

water conduit crosses nearby, taking water from the

perhaps reflecting the impact of Viking raids and the

eastern hills into the Roman town (Hicks 2015, 110–

growing importance of the town of Canterbury for

14). Flanking the roads leading into the town were

artefact production and distribution (Hicks 2015, 124).

cemeteries, buildings and pits cut for quarrying and

The recent excavation, however, indicates a more

refuse deposition but away from the road edges, and

complex picture since here features containing pottery

therefore across much of the campus ground, there is

of ninth- and tenth-century date were investigated

little evidence of occupation.

within what was a peripheral area of the monastic

The monastery of St Peter and St Paul (later known

estate, towards the north-west. They included a few

as St Augustine’s Abbey) was founded in c 598, on land

Saxon pits (5B) as well as a broad feature (5B), at

given to Augustine by King Ethelbert. The first church,

least c 6.7m diameter, lined with finely textured flint

lying equidistant between the town and St Martin’s

metalling. Overlying the metalling was a layer of silt

Excavation of the late Saxon broad feature.

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

The outer grounds of St Augustine’s Abbey

however, though it was subsequently replaced by a wall erected c 1320. The recent investigation uncovered a possible hollow-way with associated metallings of probable Saxon date, cut by a series of north–south aligned ditches (5B). Whether the ditches formed an early boundary to the monastic ground, or a division within it, is uncertain from the excavated remains, although a later trackway in the same location perhaps suggests the latter is more likely. Subsequently, the ditches were infilled with a sequence of flint metallings (5C) and soil deposits, perhaps in the eleventh or twelfth century. The nature of these deposits suggests that they formed the metalled surfaces of a trackway, marked by wheel ruts, overlain by occupation debris and successively replaced. The trackway could have formed an extension to Dude Lane, a north-east to south-west aligned lost lane leading from the outskirts of the city into the western side of the precincts, inferred from documentary texts and remains uncovered during excavation in 1987 (Hicks 2015, 129). In the early decades of the fourteenth century, an abbey wall was constructed. According to William Thorne, a fourteenth-century monk of St Augustine’s, the Nordholm area of the precincts (that lying to the north) had become ‘a nest of robbers, a house of filthiness and fornication, and to it there was a common road through the Kenile (kennel), in the hiding places whereof adulteries and other such things were easily committed’ (Davis 1934, 435). To what extent the ground was truly as bad as portrayed is debatable, petitions from the monasteries to enclose adjacent lanes or land commonly being justified by claims of greater good. In 1431, for example, despite which appeared to have been water-lain, whilst the rest of the feature was infilled with a succession of The late Saxon broad feature lined with flint metalling in the foreground, and associated metallings beyond. Inset: Recording the flint metalling within the feature.

charcoal-rich soil deposits containing refuse of animal bone, oyster shell, iron slag and pottery. The broad feature was bordered on its southern edge by a further spread of flint metalling, containing much iron slag, which probably formed a yard or work surface. Samples taken for micromorphological analysis will hopefully indicate what the feature was used for, or at least how it was infilled, whilst comparisons of data with previous work will help determine to what extent the later activities represent continuity or change from earlier. The location of any putative Saxon boundary to the monastic precincts has remained elusive. A later ditch, perhaps cut during the late eleventh or early twelfth century, has previously been investigated along the northern side of the abbey grounds, lying along the southern side of the current North Holmes Road, and is wide enough (c 3m) to suggest a major boundary feature. It perhaps met with the ‘abbot’s

Early ditch lines crossing the western half of the excavation area.

ditch’ mentioned in twelfth-century documents lying beyond North Holmes Road to the north-west. No similar feature pre-dating the ditch has been observed,

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

local objections, Canterbury’s Augustinian friars were

The outer grounds of St Augustine’s Abbey

in places, rebuilding, largely obscuring any potentially surviving original fabric. The monastic precincts lying north of the abbey church and its associated claustral complex contained a range of service buildings, including a brewhousebakehouse range c 80m to the south of the recently excavated ground, the western gable end of which remains standing to full height today. In ground close to the present North Holmes Road there was an aisled timber barn represented by post-pits, post-pads and foundation trenches (Hicks 2015, 58–9). Surrounding these buildings, particularly within the peripheral monastic land, would have lain ground used for a variety of activities supporting the functioning of the abbey. The recent work demonstrated that, to the west of the abbey wall, the trackway was reinstated by the laying of further flint metallings abutting the wall edge (5C). These were relaid and repaired over time, and interleaved with a succession of occupation deposits. A few pits (5C) of fourteenth- or fifteenth-century date were situated a little further west, together with soils suggestive of open land, the ground between the track and the estate’s north-western boundary perhaps granted lanes beside their house, having argued that

forming part of the abbey’s agricultural resource.

they were used as rubbish dumps and were therefore

Cutting the latest surface of the trackway was a

harmful to those living nearby (Sweetinburgh 2015,

north–south aligned ditch (5C) running roughly parallel

178). Nonetheless, at St Augustine’s Abbey, Abbot

to, and some 2.5m to the west of, the abbey wall.

Ralph Bourne (1309–34) ‘by royal authority and licence

The feature perhaps indicates that the trackway was

closed the said common road, levelled up the shady

no longer in use or that, at the least, it was taking a

holes and valleys, rooted up the thorns and brambles,

reduced volume or type of traffic, perhaps becoming

cut down the bushes, surrounded it on all sides with

only a minor footway. The date of the ditch is currently

a wall, and therein …. honourably planted a choice

awaiting analysis but it could relate to the early post-

vineyard’ (ibid, 435).

Dissolution period, when many of the abbey’s service

A length of wall (5C) exposed in the north-western

buildings in the outer court were demolished. A few

ground of the campus, crossing the recent excavation

buildings were retained, including the western rump of

area, could have formed part of the structure erected

the brewhouse-bakehouse range and a kiln, but away

by Abbot Bourne. It was built of bonded chalk and flint, and buttressed in at least one place on its western side. Within the excavated ground, the wall, complete

A length of the abbey boundary wall crossing the excavation area, revealed during an earlier phase of evaluation.

Excavation of the trackway deposits on the western side of the abbey wall.

with footings and foundations, had a total height of c 1.75m, but it had been truncated to current ground level probably sometime within the last few decades. Interestingly, though, the wall is not thought to have represented the outer medieval boundary of the abbey land, which instead lay further to the north-west behind properties along Old Ruttington Lane (Hicks 2015, 154– 5). Instead, it probably formed a continuation of the boundary to the south-west dividing the precincts from the almonry. Dating of adjacent features and deposits will hopefully confirm a date for its erection. Elsewhere, an abbey wall line is preserved today by standing masonry stretching around the western and northern sides of the university campus. Where excavation beside the wall has occurred, it suggests that the current wall rests along the line of earlier masonry, though the above-ground remains have clearly been subject to many episodes of repair and,

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

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The outer grounds of St Augustine’s Abbey

from these, as the abbey estate passed through the hands of a succession of gentry tenants, the ground appears to have been fairly open and probably largely used as gardens, orchards and grazing land (Hicks 2015, 156–8). Within the recent excavation area, the ground immediately east of the abbey wall was cut by features during the post-medieval period (5D), including a large chalk-filled pit, a short length of roughly north–south aligned ditch, and several pits and post-holes. These were associated with discrete areas of flint metalling, probably forming the remnants of surfaces or levelling deposits. By contrast, the ground on the western side of the wall, west of the ditch, was covered by soils. Activity within the walled ground of the outer court appears to be contrasting with open land outside. The abbey estate remained complete until the late eighteenth century when, in 1791, the Hales family sold a southern plot for the establishment of a hospital and an eastern for a county gaol (Sparks 2015, 164). In 1804–5, the remaining abbey land was broken into 32 lots and sold at auction. In the nineteenth century, a smallholding occupied the western side of the former outer court, held first by William Plummer in the 1840s

well and a number of small pits and post-holes, were

St Radigund’s Hospice

perhaps associated with this holding.

Recent development by the King’s School, Canterbury

and then by his son (Hicks 2015, 158). Late postmedieval features revealed by the recent excavation work, including a large circular, brick-lined cess tank, a

1874 Ordnance Survey map of the Canterbury Christ Church University area, annotated to show the location of the excavation site.

Attempts were subsequently made to re-unify

provided the opportunity to investigate ground at 16 St

the estate, starting with Alexander James Beresford

Radigund’s Street, a property lying immediately outside

Hope’s purchase in 1844 of ‘lot 7’: Fyndon Gate, the

the city wall line on the northern side of Canterbury.

Guest House and the Inner Great Court (Sparks 2015,

As the name suggests, the area is associated with

164). Over a hundred years later, by 1952, four major

St Radigund’s Abbey, Dover, a house known to have

portions persisted: the abbey ruins of the church and

had interests in the area since the early thirteenth

part of the claustral complex to the south, the gaol to

century, when ‘Walter son of Alard of Froxepole’ is

the east, St Augustine’s Missionary College to the south-

recorded as exchanging with the abbey recently

west and an educational college to the north. Today

acquired landholdings at and around Froxpole (now

the parcelling of land is not dissimilar, the King’s School

Duck Lane) for a sum of twenty marks (Sweetinburgh

occupying the missionary college site and Canterbury

2004, 15). An abbey hospice is known to have been in

Christ Church University the northern campus grounds.

existence somewhere in the locality by 1450, when it was attacked by rebels returning from Cade’s revolt (ibid, 16). The precise site of the hospice, however, has remained something of a mystery; despite the presence of an upstanding length of apparently medieval wall

Excavation site 50m

forming the western side of No 16, it was not certain whether the wall formed part of the hospice, another medieval structure or a later wall incorporating reused medieval fabric. The present investigations have enabled something of this mystery to be resolved whilst also uncovering remains associated with the earliest years of site occupation. The excavation took place at the rear of the property, on ground which was once part of the floodplain extending down to the River Stour to the north. A sondage cut into the eastern half of the site exposed the upper surface of natural river gravels, overlain by riverine

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

St Radigund’s Hospice

deposits of sand, gravel and flint. Small fragments of

the sequence of peat and marsh horizons was a

charcoal were visible throughout these horizons, whilst

linear feature or pit, backfilled with densely packed

the jaw bone of a large animal, probably horse, was

flint nodules, occasional Roman tile fragments, large

retrieved from an upper erosion rivulet.

chalk blocks, mortar and a few fragments of Samian

The earliest evidence of settlement derives from the

ware, set in grey silty clay and capped by a sandstone

early Roman period, a time when the site appears to

slab. The pit could have formed the foundation of a

have lain just beyond the fringe of the occupied town

structure at the edge of the floodplain, although what

and peaty marshland deposits, overlain by water lain

the structure might have been – perhaps part of a jetty

silts and silty clays, accumulated above the riverine

or a support for a small bridge? – is currently unclear. In c AD 270–90, a wall was erected to the south

included animal bone, oyster shell, slag, pottery and

of the excavation area, encircling the Roman town

mortar, indicating that activity was nearby. Cutting

and surrounded on its outer face by a ditch. GeoMulti-period plan of the St Radigund’s Hospice remains.

158270m

158260m

material. Cultural debris deriving from these layers

View across the excavation area, looking south-east.

Culvert Hospice wall

Beaten-earth floor

2m Pit

Trench 1

Brick oven Courtyard

Medieval oven

Blocked door

Wall of workshop?

Pit

Roman feature

615010m

Courtyard

Pit

Dwelling wall Pit

Dwelling wall Wall of workshop?

Sondage

Pit Wall of workshop?

Courtyard Precinct boundary wall

Precinct boundary wall Trench 2

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

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St Radigund’s Hospice

fist-sized flints and upstanding masonry of neatly laid, irregular flints, all bonded with sandy mortar, forming part of one continuous structure extending to the quoins. The wall is thought to have formed the gable end or eastern side of the hospice. It extended for a length of at least 7.5m, terminating to the south at a later brick buttress. An associated building, perhaps a service building, stood on the eastern side of the excavation area, c 10m distant from the hospice. Using a precinct wall as its southern boundary, the structure was formed by a north–south aligned western wall, visible in two lengths, and an eastern return forming a division between two rooms. The walls were formed of flint nodules and occasional peg tile set within light yellowbrown sandy mortar. No surfaces survived within the southernmost room, but the northern contained a Detail of the foundations of the hospice wall.

Fired clay oven, overlain by a post-medieval brick drain.

technical boreholing undertaken as part of the recent

sequence of beaten-earth floors, capped by a compact

development suggests that, in the St Radigund’s area,

clay floor overlain by laminated occupation deposits. A

the ditch was c 25m wide and separated from the wall

doorway connecting the two rooms was later partially

by a 2m wide berm (Mayne et al 2015, 1 and fig 3).

blocked.

It was c 2.7m deep, perhaps shallower here than seen

Ground lying between the hospice and the service

elsewhere in Canterbury (up to 5.4m) because of a high

building formed part of a courtyard, also bounded on

water table (Hicks and Wilson 2016, 3). Once the wall

its southern side by the precinct wall. The precinct

was built, and the ditch cut, the ground to the north

wall survived to a height of 0.45m and was formed

was isolated from the primary area of settlement and

of flint nodules bonded with yellow-brown sandy

there is no evidence of activity at the site during the

mortar; it ran parallel with the city ditch, which must

later Roman or Anglo-Saxon periods.

still have been open to the south. The courtyard itself

The earliest post-Roman activity at the excavation

was covered by a succession of flint metalled surfaces,

site comprised the formation of a 0.2m thick layer of

each overlain by occupation debris which included

soil containing fragments of brick, tile, oyster shell,

large quantities of oyster shell and tile, as well as a

charcoal and pottery dated to the eleventh century.

few pottery sherds dated to the twelfth and thirteenth

St Radigund’s Abbey was not founded until 1191, so

centuries. The remains of an oven lay on the western

either the pottery was residual or this soil predated the

side of the courtyard, formed by a fire-hardened and

abbey’s holdings. The value of the abbey’s acquisitions

reddened clay base supporting the remnants of a peg

during the thirteenth century suggest that the

tile surround with a single flue.

house ‘acquired pasture/garden ground’ rather than

St Radigund’s Abbey was dissolved in 1536, and the

substantial properties (Sweetinburgh 2004, 16), and

monastery was leased to Richard Kays the following

it seems likely that such undeveloped ground was

year (Sweetinburgh 2004, 16). The hospice and any

present here. This ground could have been accessed

subsidiary buildings at Canterbury may have passed

from Froxpole, a north-west to south-east aligned

into private hands at about the same time. It was

lane leading from Northgate towards the river which

perhaps during the early post-Dissolution period that

is thought to have been present from at least the eleventh century. Evidence for the hospice was, however, strongly suggested by remains recorded during the excavation. On the western edge of the site, an upstanding length of north–south aligned wall was set within a construction trench containing pottery of twelfth- to thirteenth-century date. This largely rendered standing wall has already been the subject of some debate, it being uncertain whether visible Caen stone quoins at its northern terminus represented medieval masonry or were part of a post-medieval bath-house known to have stood on the site. The excavation identified a laminated sequence of mortar deposits at the base of the construction trench, with irregular foundations of

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St Radigund’s Hospice

The dwelling had been taken down by 1838, its demolition represented by mortar, brick and

Excavation beside the possible workshop wall.

tile, pottery and glass spread above its remains. Documentary records tell us that a new property was constructed, four years later, described as ‘a messuage and shop, with coal yard, storehouse, and sheds, and in the occupation of Mr William Freud’ (Seary 2015, 8). A dairy was present by 1845, floored to the rear with laminated surfaces of gravel, rammed chalk and clay containing pottery of mid nineteenth-century date. Thomas Acres, a ‘cow keeper’, lived there with his wife, his sister who was employed as a dairywoman, and his nephew, an assistant (ibid, 9). During the second half of the nineteenth century, the property underwent various alterations, being used as a timber yard and later a workshop. A blue plaque on the outside perhaps incorrectly claims that it was here that millionaire adventurer and racing driver Count Louis Vorow Zborowski (1895–1924) constructed two ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ cars in 1921–2 (the inspiration of Ian Fleming’s book and the later film). Instead, it the service building was demolished. Since the east

was perhaps at Bligh Brothers coachworks at No 1 St

wall of the main hospice building survives it seems likely

Radigund’s Street that Zborowski’s ‘Chitty Bang Bang’

that the structure remained in use and it was probably

racing cars were constructed (Seary 2015, 14). When

this building that was converted into ‘St Radegund’s

the workshop at No 16 was vacated, the property

Bath’ in 1738. The courtyard area, however, appears to

passed into the hands of the City Council, and then to

have been neglected and became covered by a layer

the current owners, the King’s School.

Detail from 1828–9 city terrier depicting No 16 St Radigund’s Street. Reproduced courtesy of The Chapter of Canterbury (CC/PB/2).

of silty clay. A range of buildings is known to have been standing in the area in the post-medieval period, no doubt including some of the former hospice structures. Eighteenth-century maps show buildings to the west of Duck Lane (earlier Froxpole), these perhaps forming ‘a dwelling, and first a tannery and then later a bath house’ (Sweetinburgh 2004, 17). The tannery was in use by 1724, when it was held by the Waite family. Flint and chalk dwarf walls representing at least two rooms of a possible workshop probably formed part of the tannery complex. The easternmost room contained the base of a brick oven. In 1738, John Lade acquired the tannery, comprising a house, tan yard with barns and stables, orchard, meadow ground and garden ground (Sweetinburgh 2004, 17). He later converted the building to a bath house, the main bath structure standing to the northwest of the excavation area. It was fed by a ‘fine gravel spring at a rate of twenty hogsheads of water per hour, thereby maintaining the clarity of the water. Mixed bathing was not allowed and attendants were on hand to maintain decorum’ (ibid, 17). To the east of the bath house, and partly crossing the excavated ground, there was a dwelling, perhaps occupied by John Lade himself (Seary 2015, 4). Remnants of this dwelling (east–west aligned brick walls and floor bedding deposits) survived on the site as well as a brick-built culvert which would have passed below it and channelled water northwards towards the river.

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

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10 9 8

Meanwhile, back in the lab …

Though the animal and plant assemblages recently recovered from St Augustine’s Abbey and St Radigund’s

Hospice still await formal assessment, early indications

are that both sites have a high potential to produce

interesting data on the ancient environment, human activity and the diet and economy of earlier inhabitants

of Canterbury. excavated on the outer boundary of the abbey contained large amounts of burnt flint. These horizons were extensively sampled specifically to recover charred plant remains, firstly to provide information on activity during this little-known period at Canterbury, and secondly to provide material for radiocarbon dating. At St Radigund’s the earliest deposits were

A sturgeon stute. The image of a sturgeon, below, adapted from a watercolour by Alexander Francis Lydon, 1879 [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

of iron. Data obtained will tie in with that obtained from

waterlogged, representing marshland that had existed

previous excavations relating to the abbey (Hicks 2015;

in that area, probably from the late Roman period

Allison and Nicholson 2014).

onwards. It is clear from a range of material including

At St Radigund’s a range of plant and animal remains

animal bones, marine mollusc shell and metalworking

representing food waste has been recovered from

debris, that a fair amount of occupation waste was

occupation deposits within the hospice buildings so that

incorporated into the deposits as they formed. Eventual

material from both institutions has significant potential

analysis of plant macrofossils, insects and freshwater

to produce information on diet and social status. This

and terrestrial snails should provide significant

will allow comparisons to be made with previous work

information on deposit formation, vegetation, the local

at Whitefriars, St Gregory’s Priory and to a lesser extent

environment, and waste disposal practices. Plant and

with sites within the cathedral precincts. Fish bones are

invertebrate remains recovered by boreholing through

a fundamental element of the ecclesiastical diet and

waterlogged deposits in the medieval city ditch have a

the assemblage at St Radigund’s included fragments

similar potential.

of sturgeon (Accipenser sturio) scutes (bony plates in

Much of the archaeology on both sites, however,

the skin that give the fish a somewhat armour-plated

relates to ecclesiastical occupation. At St Augustine’s

appearance). Sturgeon was designated as a royal fish

Abbey various features associated with occupation

in AD 1324, but has always been regarded as a pre-

during the Anglo-Saxon and early medieval periods

eminent prestige foodstuff. Archaeological records

have produced fish, bird and mammal bones, shellfish,

of sturgeon are almost exclusively associated with

charred plant remains and metalworking residues,

aristocratic or religious households; the finds from St

together with occasional finds from other crafts.

Radigund’s might indicate that the hospice at least

Sampling has proved particularly useful for recovery of

occasionally served meals to wealthy individuals or

hammerscale, the waste produced during the smithing

others with high social status. Enid Allison

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0 cms 1

The rare late Bronze Age occupation horizons

Building recording

Anyone who has visited Canterbury recently cannot have failed to notice the miles of scaffolding and polythene sheeting surrounding the cathedral nave and western towers. An ambitious restoration of the western arm of the cathedral, part of the Canterbury Journey project, is in progress and set to continue for several years to come. These works have provided us with an unparalleled opportunity to study the cathedral fabric up close and in detail. Recording and analysis of this part of the church commenced some time before groundworks began and continues alongside restoration work. Some of our work is now reaching completion and is described in the following account by Rupert Austin.

Building Recording The nave and triforia roofs

state of ruin, was demolished, leaving only the western

Work on the nave and triforia roofs comprises a large

towers, crossing and some of the north aisle wall

element of the Canterbury Journey campaign. This

standing. The new nave, attributed to master mason

includes repairs to their timber-framing as well as the

Henry Yevele, was formed in the Perpendicular style.

recasting and relaying of lead. Canterbury cathedral

Work started in 1377 and was proceeding well until

has not been fortunate in the survival of its medieval

an earthquake on 21 May 1382 interrupted its progress.

roofs; nearly all of which have been lost, through

Repairs to buildings elsewhere in the priory delayed

rebuilding or fire. The only surviving medieval high roof

work until 1391. By 1397 the nave clerestory walls, new

is that over the north-west transept, while the nave

great west window and gable were being raised. The

aisles also retain their original roofs, albeit now heavily

final task was the construction of the high vaults, and

repaired.

probably the erection of the external flying buttresses

Plans to rebuild the cathedral nave were first

and pinnacles.

considered c 1369–70, but it was not until the winter

Yevele’s nave consists of eight bays, its divisions

of 1376–7, after the funeral of the Black Prince, that

expressed externally by substantial buttresses against

Archbishop Lanfranc’s nave, said to be in a notorious

the aisle walls. The north and south triforia are located

View of cathedral from south, showing western towers, nave and southwest transept.

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

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Building recording

There are numerous putlog holes in the triforia walls, in which timber scaffold poles were placed during construction of the nave. Significantly those in the aisle walls do not align with those over the nave arcades, indicating that each wall was raised independently, from its own scaffold, and not a single deck spanning the aisles, so allowing them to be raised at different rates. Many of the putlog holes in the triforia are located below vault level, indicating that the walls were finished, and the temporary scaffolding removed, before the aisle vaults were turned between them. The triforia roofs were heavily repaired in the nineteenth century and the majority of their rafters and outer wall-plates replaced (or re-used), but the main trusses, central purlins and inner wall-plates mostly still survive. From these the original arrangement can be determined. The nave, as we have seen, comprises eight bays, but the triforia roofs are divided at twice this interval, each having sixteen roof trusses. None of these could, however, have been located at the nave bay divisions, as they would have interfered with the flying buttresses. Instead they were offset, or syncopated, by placing pairs of trusses within the bays. The roofs were of hand-hewn oak. Each truss comprised five components; a tie-beam, wall-post, arch-brace and a prop to support the inner wall-plate. All but one of the tie-beams has survived. Their outer ends were laid directly upon the aisle walls and were supported from beneath by wall-posts, stood upon stone corbels, and arch-braces. Unfortunately, only one medieval wall-post survives, but numerous braces remain. The corbels were formed with Reigate stone and shaped to match the chamfered profiles of the posts. Most have been replaced with simple â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;squareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Interior of south triforium looking west.

over the nave aisles, but below the level of the nave clerestory, and their floors necessarily comprise the undulating upper surfaces of the aisle vaults. They are covered with shallow pitched roofs concealed behind low parapets. Small quatrefoil windows between the aforementioned buttresses illuminate their bays. Flying buttresses rise from within the triforia, passing out through their roofs before arching over the aisles to support the clerestory walls and high vaults. Outward thrust is resisted by the heavy pinnacles over the aisle walls enriched with croquets and grotesques. The triforia walls comprise a rubble core faced with neatly worked ashlar. Externally, where they could be seen by the public, new Caen stone, and occasionally Reigate, was used for the ashlar. Within the unseen roof spaces, however, the masonry comprised mostly reused stone salvaged from Lanfrancâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demolished nave and is easily distinguished from the later medieval fabric by its rough appearance and crude axed tooling. Whilst

South wall of south triforium showing base of flying buttress and roof wall post.

the re-used material was acceptable for plain walling, fresh stone (again either Caen or Reigate) was used for internal architectural features such as window openings, buttresses and corbels that required more precision.

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

corbels.

Building recording

Far left: Medieval corbel beneath base of flying buttress. Left: Medieval corbel beneath roof wall post.

The inner ends of the tie-beams pass into the nave

An understanding of the order of construction of

triforium walls. Curiously empty mortices, for wall-

this part of the cathedral can be made by examining

posts and arch-braces, can be seen beneath the beams

the triforia roofs and surrounding fabric. Construction

here, but no posts such timbers exist today. They could

of the nave masonry appears to have paused when

have been removed, but evidence suggests they were

it reached the roofs, to allow them to be assembled

never fitted. The post mortices are buried in the wall,

before further stone was laid. Many of the components

but there is no evidence of slots or channels for the

of the triforia roofs, like those in most timber-framed

timbers. Why these timbers were omitted is unclear.

structures, were identified with carpenter’s numerals

An error may have occurred when the roof trusses were

incised in the timbers using a raze knife. Some of these

framed; they perhaps were made slightly too wide,

can still be seen on the props and inner wall-plates.

or maybe the completed triforia were narrower than

The most informative are those on the props within

expected, the error accommodated by placing the inner

the north triforium roof where a sequence of numbers

Representative cross section through nave.

ends of the tie-beams further into the masonry than intended. Almost certainly the triforia roofs, like most timber-framed structures, were framed in advance, possibly off-site and before the masons reached this level of the cathedral. The discrepancy could easily have gone unnoticed until the timbers were raised on the scaffold for assembly. In between the main trusses the triforia rafters were supported on wall-plates laid along the masonry. The inner plates were necessarily higher than the outer plates, to achieve the required roof pitch (approx 7.5°) and supported by short timber props tenoned atop the ends of the tie-beams. Possibly because of the framing error these props also fell within the thickness of the nave triforium walls, but the masonry above tiebeam level was not formed until after the roofs were assembled and it was therefore laid around them to create the required slots. The outer plates were tenoned between the ends of the tie-beams and consequently each bay of each roof had to be assembled in sequence. The rafters were laid flat and placed in cogged housings upon the wall-plates, to prevent them slipping sideways. Five were located between each roof truss, supported mid-span by east–west aligned purlins housed atop the tie-beams. Thick oak boards were laid over the rafters, then as now, to support the lead.

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Building recording

Fragments of medieval lead and scarring at base of clerestory wall for south triforium roof. Right: Interior of south triforium window showing quatrefoil tracery.

North wall of south triforium, showing roof wall plate and prop. Right: North wall of south triforium, showing empty slot (and mortice) for missing prop.

runs from west to east, prop fifteen, the last next to

plates, the mortar pressed tightly around the timbers.

the transept.

The lead flashing of the triforia roofs was also built

Traditional timber-frames, whether those of houses,

into the masonry at the base of the clerestory walls.

barns or cathedral roofs, were usually pre-prepared

Fragments of this lead and scars for the flashing were

in a carpenterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yard, and the numerals ensured the

observed within the south triforia roof. Probably the roofs

components were assembled correctly when the

were used as working platforms for the construction of

frames were erected on site. There is no reason to think

the nave clerestory and flying buttresses.

this process did not occur here, the timbers of both the north and south triforia roofs framed up well ahead of

St Dunstanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bellframe

time and stacked in a yard until the masonry reached

Repairs to the south-west tower included the removal

the appropriate point. The framing of the triforia roofs

of an old bellframe from its roof. This wooden frame

is such that their bays had to be assembled in sequence

once held the cathedralâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most celebrated bell, Great

from one end. The aforementioned numbers suggest

Dunstan, until it was moved to the north-west tower in

work started from the west.

the 1980s. Since then the frame has stood redundant,

Only when the triforia roofs were fully assembled did

its condition slowly deteriorating, to the point where

the masons resume their work. Investigation showed

repair was unrealistic. After careful consideration the

that the triforia roofs were covered with boards and

Dean and Chapter decided to dismantle and remove

lead before work on the clerestory walls began, the

the feature, but not before a detailed record of the

clerestory ashlar slightly overhanging the inner wall-

structure was made.

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Building recording

As the accompanying account of the bells tells us Great Dunstan weighed around 67 hundredweight when it was last recast in 1762. Evidence suggests it was hung in a new frame at this time. The bell hung dead (not swinging) and was struck by a clock hammer. The new frame was not of the usual ‘cage’ design, but a simpler arrangement of a pair of heavily timbered east–west aligned trusses, similar to those employed within king-post roofs of the period. They comprised new, good quality, hand-hewn oak and transferred the weight of the bell and frame onto the strong tower walls and away from the relatively weak tower roof. Each comprised a tie-beam and central king-post flanked by long shores and short struts (the posts were replaced in the nineteenth century). The components were held together with mortice and tenon joints, many identified with chiselled carpenter’s numerals. Where the shores met the tie-beams the joints were strengthened with hand-wrought iron straps, fixed

trusses on posts, this still retaining its original lead and a

with forelock bolts (wedged iron pins).

plaque on its west slope with the inscription ‘D.R.Davis,

The trusses were connected originally by a series of

Treasurer, 1762’, confirming the date of the bell frame.

angled struts crossing over one another in the manner

The roof may have successfully sheltered Dunstan, but

of scissor braces, but later replaced with a simpler

was small and did not cover the whole frame and the

arrangement of ‘side purlins’. In addition to keeping

exposed timbers were protected instead by wrapping

the two trusses in alignment, the struts would have

them with lead. Graffiti was evidently scratched onto

countered the lateral thrust caused by the fall of the

this lead almost as soon as the structure was erected,

clock hammer.

the earliest observed dated 1767.

The bell was protected from the outset by a small,

In 1892 the bell frame was slightly modified when

pyramid-shaped roof or canopy mounted atop the two

Samuel B Goslin of Bishopsgate rehung Dunstan on a

Decayed timber-framing and rusted iron straps revealed beneath lead sheeting.

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

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Building recording

Great Dunstan Bells have rung out from the south-west tower of the

some of the work undertaken ‘by order of Mr Lester by

cathedral (the Oxford tower) since medieval times. A

Augustine Gore’ starting on the 11 August 1762 (CCA:

bell called Great Dunstan was installed on the tower at

DCc-TV/100/4).

its completion in 1459. This was recast by John Bayle

sledgehammers) and brought the pieces down from the

and three others called Quarres (probably quarters for a

tower. Next, he seems to have begun building (or helped

clock). Dunstan struck the hours.

to build) a furnace to melt them down, starting by ‘new

Numerous changes were made to the bells over the

macking a bede of bars for the bell fornes’ on 14 August.

following centuries. Four of Bayle’s set were recast in

There follow numerous payments for iron bars of various

1625 by Joseph Hatch and probably augmented to six.

shapes and sizes, and associated labour, expended

Dunstan was recast again in 1663 by Michael Darbie

in building the furnace, including ‘a bar for the fornes

and in 1684 by Christopher Hodson. In 1726 the bells in

mouth.’ On 23 August, he made a ‘damper and fram to

the south-west tower were sold and a new ring of eight

the fornes.’ Around this time, work began on the mould

formed in their place, by Samuel Knight, by recasting

for the new bell, Gore preparing ‘a tenter bar to the coar

those in the north-west tower. In 1758 an attempt

of the bell mowl’ and ‘a pes of plat to the crown of the

was made to mend Great Dunstan with solder, but this

mowl’ on 25 August. On 14 September he provided ‘4

appears to have been unsuccessful as the bell was

hoocks to the bell mowl’ and ‘4 sharpe hoocks to hold

recast again in 1762 as attested by its inscription.

the rope round the mowl of the bell’. On 22 September

GULIELMO FRIEND STP DECANO LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1762 WM CHAPMAN MOLDED ME

he provided a ‘rack to the fornes’, a ‘ladel’, ‘2 irons with sockets to lete the mettel out of the fornes’ and ‘20 spicks’ and ‘4 cramps to the bell mowl’. Preparations to lift the new bell began around 2

Roughly translated: William Friend STP [short for

October, when Gore provided ‘2 bridels and 2 keys to

‘Sanctae Theologiae Professor,’ meaning ‘professor of

the gin’ and some ‘poleys’. On 13 October he supplied

sacred theology’] Dean [of Canterbury] Lester & Pack of

‘a cold chisel to chepe the mettel of the bell’ and ‘a

London made it 1762 Wm Chapman Molded Me.

large file’ and lengthened ‘the flite of the bell clapper &

Due to the difficulties of transporting such a large bell in the eighteenth century, the whole operation

Gore broke up the old bell using ‘sleges’ (or

in 1499, when there were four bells within the tower

[added] iron to it to mack it longer’. Great Dunstan weighed around 67 hundredweight

was undertaken within the cathedral precinct by

(approximately 3.3 metric tonnes) when recast,

Whitechapel master founders Lester and Pack. They

only slightly lighter than its previous weight of 69¾

were paid the sum of £198 4d 6d for their services (CCA:

hundredweight (approximately 3.55 metric tonnes).

DCc TB 97:80). A treasurer’s voucher of the time lists

Consequently, its new frame had to be sturdy and well

further expenses and provides an interesting account of

made.

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Opposite page: Detail of riveted steel headstock, post cap and underside of bell frame roof. Far left: South truss of bell frame showing king-posts and steel headstock introduced by Samuel Goslin in 1892. Left: St Dunstan’s bell frame looking east.

Far left: South roof truss showing connection between shore and tiebeam. Note wrought iron heel strap. Left: Empty mortices for missing struts in southwest shore.

new riveted steel beam, or headstock. Probably the bell

sounded by clock hammers. Dunstan was also moved

was ‘blocked up’ where it stood whilst his alterations

to this tower, but hung for automatic slow swinging, to

were made. New posts were introduced to support the

be used as an occasional calling bell for worship as well

new headstock, necessarily slightly taller than their

as sounding the hours for the clock. Seven of the bells

predecessors as the bell canons could not be recessed

were recast and returned to the south-west tower.

into the new beam. The bell therefore hung slightly

They were hung in a new galvanised steel frame as a

higher than before. Sturdy cast-iron post caps beneath

ring of twelve, with two semitone bells.

the new headstock held it securely in its frame.

The Archdeaconry

Dunstan remained a static or dead bell after Goslin’s alterations and the south truss was therefore fitted

Still in the cathedral precincts, but away from all the

with two posts to accommodate the hammer which

activity connected with the Canterbury Journey, we

struck the bell. This was operated by a long lever

completed an extensive study of the Archdeaconry

housed in a primitive enclosure against the south side

(29 The Precincts). Located in what is now a quiet

of the bell frame. The clock mechanism within the

corner of the Green Court, this building once occupied

tower presumably activated the lever and hammer via

an important and strategic position in the monastic

chains and cables.

establishment. Arguably, the present building came

Numerous other changes were made to the bells of

into being in the fourteenth century, when Prior

the south-west tower after this date, but this was the

Chillenden built a new hall in a gap between the

last time Dunstan was re-hung until 1981 when the

buildings of the thirteenth-century kitchen yard. His

cathedral bells were again reorganised. Five from the

building has survived, albeit considerably altered,

clock chime were moved from the south-west tower to

down to the present day and despite the destruction of

the north-west and rehung from a new bell frame as

the structures around it: the Pentise Gate, the Domus

quarter bells for the clock. They were hung dead and

Hospitum, the larder and the priory Kitchen. Significant

Eighteenth-century graffiti on bell frame leadwork.

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remnants of those lost buildings survive within the fabric of the Archdeaconry, giving an insight into changes at the priory through five centuries, and more.

Twelfth century The first study undertaken by the Trust at the Archdeaconry was in the 1980s by Tim Tatton-Brown working with cathedral historian Margaret Sparks. They use the mid twelfth-century ‘Waterworks Drawing’ to describe the environs of the kitchen yard and present Archdeaconry (Sparks and Tatton-Brown 1987, 36). At the time of the Waterworks Drawing, entrance to Christ Church Priory was first of all through the Court Gate, into what is now the Green Court … a more or less public place of business, flanked by the brewhouse and the bakehouse and the granary. Entrance to the monastery itself on the south side

Detail of Willis’s tracing of the Waterworks Drawing (Willis 1868, pl 1, part 2).

was through a gate near the Prior’s Lodging (just

The gate between the Domus Hospitum (the guest

east of the present Prior’s Gate) or, more usually,

house) and the Kitchen, labelled Porta inter Domus

through a gate ‘between the guest house and the

Hospitum et coquina on the Waterworks Drawing,

kitchen’ in the south-west corner of the Court. It led

pierces a masonry wall running east-west from the

into a yard with the Domus Hospitum (Guest House)

corner of the Domus Hospitum to the Kitchen. A pair

on the west, the kitchen on the east (which as the

of large heavily planked timber doors hang within the

Waterworks Drawing shows, had a vine growing

opening, on ornamental iron hinges, one incorporating

up it) and to the south the Locutorium, a place for

a small wicket gate. The gate is depicted as a single

discussing business.

storey structure, with no upper chamber, surmounted by a gable on columns. The structure stands slightly detached from the Domus Hospitum which is drawn as a relatively small building. A small part of the original Kitchen gate perhaps survives within the present building: the decorated, semi-circular Norman arch that leads through the east wall of the so called ‘undercroft’ into the main body of the house. The arch springs from hollow chamfered Norman abaci underpinned with saltire decorated ashlar. The outermost of its two orders is enriched with a beaded ‘Greek key’ pattern of alternating upright then inverted T shapes. Two heads or masks interrupt this decoration. The innermost order comprises chevrons. Several odd and inconsistent features exist within the arch. It has no hoodmould, or capitals and colonnettes, the south springing is higher than the north and some of its masonry is poorly laid, with occasional large mortar repairs, clearly made during construction. These features could be the result of repair, alteration or the natural variability in Norman work, but might indicate the arch was relocated, and is not in situ. Whatever its origins, the feature clearly predates the thirteenth-century vault that forms the present ‘undercroft’. Its orientation, facing east rather than south into the kitchen yard, is curious. Margaret Sparks (pers comm) suggests it led to a porter’s lodge, located in front of the priory Kitchen. The priory Great Kitchen stood slightly to the east of this gate. The Waterworks Drawing shows it with two taps, straddling an arm of the Norman piped water supply.

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The Kitchen, in the Norman drawing, is given in so conventional a manner that it is very difficult to interpret its form exactly. It is a lofty edifice, apparently square in plan, with a pyramidal leaden roof. The angles have turrets, which are probably chimneys, each belonging to a fireplace below (Willis 1868, 36). Prior Hathbrand rebuilt the priory Kitchen in the fourteenth century, but the north-west corner of its predecessor possibly survived because it had been incorporated into, and partly underpinned by, the south-east corner of a later thirteenth-century chamber called Paradise (see below). This fragment now forms the corner of Hathbrand’s kitchen. The masonry (good quality Caen stone ashlar, with fine diagonal axe work) is too well executed to be a fragment of Lanfranc’s late eleventh-century kitchen and a twelfth-century date is suggested. The corner is embellished with two engaged colonnettes. The west side of the former kitchen yard was

was through a handsome decorated door in its east

bounded, since at least the twelfth century, by the

wall. Stairs immediately behind the door led up to the

Domus Hospitum (Bowen 1986, 26–7), which stood

hall, the high-end of which was to the north. A stair

within the outer court of the Archbishop’s Palace,

turret at the north-east corner of the building provided

beyond Lanfranc’s north–south aligned priory wall. It

access from the undercroft to the hall and later an

was demolished in the mid seventeenth century, but

adjoining suite of private chambers (see below).

enough remains to show that it was a substantial two-

The east wall is the best preserved, its bays resolved

storey building, comprising a large first-floor guest-hall

externally with an arcade of blind semi-circular arches

over a vaulted undercroft. Entry from the kitchen yard

supported by pilasters enriched with colonnettes and

General view of north front of Archdeaconry.

Ground floor plan.

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Decorated semi-circular arch, a possible fragment of the original mid twelfthcentury Kitchen gate, in the east wall of the so called ‘undercroft’. Right: Detail of arch decoration.

foliage capitals. The north end of this wall, where it

steps higher, to a small gate chamber (see below). Two

forms part of the present Archdeaconry, still stands to

narrow passageways passed out of the top of the vice,

its full height, its arcading vanishing beneath the later

to the south and west. The former led to a wall passage

‘undercroft’.

in the north gable of the hall that passed behind its

The stair turret survived because its steps also served

The stair tower is adjoined on its east side by a

were, however, cramped and narrow, suggesting a

wide semi-circular arch. Since the Dissolution, this has

‘back stair’ not a primary means of communication

been called the Pentise Gate, from the long pentise or

between floors. The turret was entered through a door

wooden ambulatory built against it by Prior Chillenden

(now blocked) in the north-east angle of the undercroft.

to connect it to the Court Gate (Willis 1868, 125). The

The next (also blocked) led to the hall, a third, a few

Pentise Gate was one of only two main points of access

Suggested footprint of Hathbrand’s Kitchen.

windows, the latter perhaps to the roof or wall tops.

Chillenden’s later hall and chambers. The spiral stairs

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on the north side of the cathedral from the public and

lit by a Caen stone window in its north wall, converted

menial outer court, into the private ‘inner’ world of the

into a door in the fifteenth century. Most of its features

Benedictine monastery.

survived the alteration and include stiff leaf capitals,

The fabric of the arch is bonded with that of the

chamfered abaci and colonnettes. The window may

stair turret and is therefore contemporary with the

have had a semi-circular head, removed when a

Domus Hospitum and cannot be the freestanding gate

chamber called Heaven was formed above it (see

depicted on the Waterworks Drawing.

below).

The arch is remarkably plain, suggesting a ‘through passage’ between two buildings rather than a true

Thirteenth century

gatehouse. No rebate or other evidence, such as iron

A larder was built alongside the Green Court sometime

pintels, exists to suggest it was fitted with doors. A

after the Waterworks Drawing stretching eastwards

small chamber, entered from the stair tower, was

from the north-east angle of the Kitchen and including

located over the arch from the outset. The room was

at its east end a gate, known as Larder Gate, the only

Surviving east wall of Domus Hospitum, showing blind arcade and principal entrance. Left: North-east corner of Domus Hospitum, now incorporated into the Archdeaconry, showing surviving stair turret.

View through the twelfthcentury Pentise gate into the so called ‘undercroft’.

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Remains of gate chamber window, converted into a door and detail of window capital.

South wall.

entrance for carts into the kitchen yard. The building was

collar-rafter roof, with soulace braces. No king-posts,

severely damaged by a bomb on 9 September 1940,

crown-posts or struts appear to have existed, but such

and largely rebuilt, but some original fabric survives,

timbers may have been discarded when the rafters were

including parts of its roof. Prior Chillenden incorporated

repositioned (see below). Lap jointed (not morticed)

the west end of the structure into his new chambers,

carpentry was employed, the collars and braces halved

and consequently some of its rafters survive over the

over the rafters, the rafters halved at the ridge. Secret

present Archdeaconry, albeit re-set (see below). These

notches exist in many of the joints, an archaic detail that

timbers suggest the Larder was covered with a simple

suggests an early thirteenth-century date.

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where there are now floorboards, to provide the new chamber with an attractive floor. The chamber roof was removed when a new room, called Heaven, was formed over it in the late fourteenth

Fragment of Prior Hathbrand’s fourteenthcentury, Kitchen window, incorporated into south wall of Archdeaconry.

century (see below), but its central tie-beam may survive, incorporated into the later floor.

Fourteenth century Prior Hathbrand rebuilt the priory Kitchen (1338–70) probably on the same footprint and alignment as its predecessor and therefore, perhaps, re-using its foundations and some other elements. His Kitchen survived until it was demolished at the Dissolution, along with the Refectory. Luckily its north wall, northwest angle and a fragment of west wall survive, incorporated into the present Archdeaconry, the fabric providing invaluable evidence for the arrangement of this important building. Hathbrand’s kitchen was surely square in plan, with thick (approx 1.02m) masonry walls and probably a high vaulted ceiling, to remove hot air, beneath a timber and lead roof. In the early thirteenth century, the Domus Hospitum was provided with a new private first-floor chamber, later called Paradise. A two-bay groin vault was formed behind the kitchen gate, between the east wall of the Domus Hospitum and the north-west corner of the Kitchen, to support the new chamber which adjoined the high end of the guest-hall. A large new gate hall,

Sufficient fragments of the lower part of the walls on the north and west sides remain to determine the magnitude, and to shew that it was in the form of a square of 47 feet within, the arches cutting off the angles, so as to sustain an octagonal roof, in the ordinary manner of conventual and other kitchens of the period ... In these angles, it appears, from the

the present ‘undercroft’, was formed beneath. The new

one that remains, the fire-places were situated (Willis

vault had two transverse Caen stone ribs supported by

1868, 37).

corbels rudely inserted into the surrounding masonry, including that of the Domus Hospitum. Decorated tiles

The missing north-east angle is located by redundant

were perhaps laid on the upper surface of the vault,

corbels, for the arches, and a vault springer, in the rear North wall.

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Building recording

East ground floor room of present Archdeaconry, looking east.

wall of the Archdeaconry. Together with the surviving

were observed over the outer arch, within a roof void,

angle, they provide an accurate measurement, as Willis

confirming that the Kitchen had an octagonal roof.

showed, for the internal dimensions of the Kitchen

Smoke could also have escaped through a vent in the

(14.2 by 14.2 metres).

centre of the roof, or through its open windows.

Hathbrand finished the exterior of his kitchen with

No evidence for Kitchen doors has survived, but they

expensive, high quality Caen stone ashlar (and some

may have been located in the east, west and south

Kentish Ragstone), but internally his walls were built

walls, to provide convenient access from the building

more economically, using roughly coursed flint, with

into the Larder, Domus Hospitum and most importantly

occasional pieces of Caen and other stone rendered or

the Refectory. Remnants of one west and two north

plastered over.

facing Kitchen windows do survive, incorporated into

The thrust of the Kitchen vault and roof was resisted

the rear (south) wall of the Archdeaconry suggesting

on all sides by pairs of substantial buttresses. Three

pairs of relatively small (approximately 1.18m by

have survived, two now cutting into the interior of

1.9m) windows pierced each kitchen wall, their reveals

the Archdeaconry. They were aligned radially, so as to

cavetto and roll moulded externally and deeply splayed

point towards the centre of the Kitchen and its vault.

internally. The north reveal of the west window, the

The Kitchen hearths have now gone, but their

mostly fully exposed, has no glazing groove, or sockets

remains could exist below the present garden. They

for ferramenta, suggesting the openings were unglazed,

were probably located within the corners of the

to allow smoke and heat to escape from the Kitchen.

building, beneath tall chimneys and the pairs of arches

The reveal is, however, rebated internally, presumably

that cut across the angles of the structure. Luckily

to accept timber shutters. Remarkably the north-

remnants of the arches that crossed the north-west

west window retains a fragment of its window head,

corner of the Kitchen survive, incorporated into the

providing a springing height and suggesting a two-

present Archdeaconry. Evidence suggests that a flue,

centred gothic arch.

to draw smoke out of the building, passed between

An intriguing Caen stone springer survives in the

them, the supervening chimney located slightly in from

north-east corner of the former Kitchen, close to

the corner of the building. Outward facing weathering

present ground level, supported by a shouldered

courses that perhaps formed the base of the chimney

Ragstone lintel. Its shape suggests that low arches

First floor drawing room, looking south and first floor dining room, looking west, of present Archdeaconry.

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Far left: Fourteenth-century window in north wall of Prior Chillenden’s former chambers. Left: Fourteenth-century crown-post over Prior Chillenden’s former chambers.

sprang to the south and east. Original masonry below

by fixing two north-south aligned beams to the tie-

the lost arches, indicates they were blind features,

beam saved from the roof of Paradise. Remarkably the

perhaps recesses or niches, behind the hearth.

wide (300mm) oak boards of his floor were discovered

The chamber called Heaven, within the attic of

during works beneath later Victorian boards, their

the present Archdeaconry, is thought to have been

edges bevelled and overlapping in an unusual manner.

built over Paradise by one of Prior Finch’s (1377–90)

A crown-post roof covered Woghope’s new chamber.

treasurers, William Woghope (Woodruff 1911, 60) who

The stair turret at the north-east corner of the Domus

must have dismantled the roof of Paradise and the arch

Hospitum rose high enough to reach Woghope’s new

over its south window, as well as that over the gate

chamber so he only needed to provide it with a new

chamber window, before building Heaven. The walls

Caen stone door.

of the Domus Hospitum and the priory Kitchen rose

By the end of the fourteenth century (1393–4) the

sufficiently high to the west and south-east to be used

priory urgently needed extra lodgings for its guests.

by the new chamber, but elsewhere Woghope erected

Prior Chillenden resolved this by building a large new

new walls, in timber not stone. He created a new floor

first floor hall in the kitchen yard, against the north A chamber called Heaven looking north.

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extends beyond the Kitchen, the wide door suggesting an important link between the new building and the kitchen yard. Chillenden erected a handsome new crown-post roof, with soulace braces, over his lofty new hall. This is well preserved and can be resolved into two bays. Its timbers can be distinguished from those surviving from the Larder roof through the use of mortice and tenon not lap jointed carpentry. The crown-posts are typical of the period, having octagonal shafts and moulded bases and capitals. The hall was supported by a substantial oak floor, but only a few of its timbers, some of the substantial stop chamfered north-south aligned beams, now remain in situ as the floor was almost completely rebuilt in the seventeenth century. The rooms beneath the hall were low in comparison, but equally well lit, suggesting a more important use than mere stowage. Chillenden’s chambers may not have matched the grandeur and importance of other buildings in the precincts, but his hall was nonetheless a significant space, and was probably heated. As none of its roof timbers are blackened, there cannot have been an open hearth, in the middle of its floor. The building was probably heated instead by a proper fireplace, with a masonry chimney located along the rear (south) wall (in the present dining room, where there is now an eighteenth-century hearth). This would have placed it midway along the putative two-bay hall. The steps within the stair turret at the northeast corner of the Domus Hospitum, later adopted by Paradise and Heaven, were too narrow and inconveniently placed to serve Chillenden’s large new hall, and it is possible he created new stairs, near or alongside the Pentise Gate. Evidence for a lost spiral stair was observed within the surviving north-west angle of the Kitchen as a roughly circular feature cut into the chalk vault that crosses its corner. Possibly he Timber-framed, fifteenthcentury addition to Heaven and Paradise.

side of the Kitchen. He did not, however, rely on the

removed the hearth and chimney from the corner of

masonry of the Kitchen to provide its rear (south) wall,

the Kitchen and installed a spiral stair in its place. This

but formed his own directly alongside the Kitchen,

may have been the principal route up to his new hall,

consequently creating the exceptionally thick (2.1m)

but it cannot have been spacious, and could have been

south wall of the present Archdeaconry. He necessarily

a service stair, providing kitchen staff access to the hall.

blocked the north facing Kitchen doors and windows

Chillenden is also credited with constructing the

and concealed its buttresses. The hall comprised two

Pentise (1393-4), a covered walkway linking the

bays and was probably adjoined to the east by a single

Pentise Gate to the Court Gate for food to be carried

bay chamber, a ‘withdrawing’ room or parlour.

from the Kitchen and Refectory, to the Almonry outside

The new hall had thick walls. Externally they

the Court Gate. The structure has a scissor-braced

comprised roughly coursed field flints and occasional

roof, a rather antediluvian form of construction for

stone rubble laid in a coarse, gravelly mortar, rather

the late fourteenth century, and it could have been

than high quality ashlar, and probably rendered. The

formed earlier. Nine of its bays (8ft wide and 12ft

front wall was pierced by at least three ground and

long) have survived, about half its original length, the

three first floor windows, parts of which survive. They

southernmost abutting the Pentise Gate.

were formed, externally, with soft Reigate stone (now

badly weathered) and comprised two-lights, with

Fifteenth century

pointed gothic arches and trefoil tracery. A door and

A tall, high quality, three-storey timber-framed

window pierce the rear wall at ground level where it

addition (Willis and Sparks refer to it as a porch), with

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overhanging gable, was formed against the north wall

Greater changes occurred on the second floor.

of the Pentise Gate in the fifteenth century, to enlarge

Evidence suggests Heaven was subdivided by inserting

the gate hall and supervening chambers.

a partition (now removed) at its central bay division, to

Like many medieval timber-framed structures it was

create a north and south chamber. The north chamber

jettied, but only on the second floor, where it stood

extended into the new addition and was covered with

clear of the adjoining Pentise. At ground level the ‘porch’

a handsome new two-bay roof. An elaborate arch-

merely enlarged the undercroft, but on the first floor it

braced truss formed the central component of this

provided Paradise with a small closet or changing room

roof. It is well preserved, but concealed by a later

(now a bathroom). The existing twelfth-century gate

ceiling. Its braces rise from slender colonnettes, with

chamber window was converted into a door for access

moulded bases and capitals, to a moulded, castellated

into this room, by cutting down its sill.

high-level collar. Tracery enriches the small spandrels

Top left: Fifteenthcentury door to garret rooms formed in roof of Chillenden’s fourteenthcentury chambers. Bottom left: Base of fifteenth-century archbraced roof truss and engaged colonette with capital. Below: Sixteenth-century wall painting preserved in present dining room.

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Building recording

between its braces and collar. Moulded and crenellated

A low four-centred door, with flat sunk spandrels,

cornice beams ran north and south from this truss

was inserted through the east wall of the room, to

along the walls of the north chamber. Continuous

provide access into new garrets over Chillenden’s hall.

fenestration in the front wall of the chamber ensured

Whether the garret rooms were created at this time,

the room was well lit.

or slightly before, is uncertain, but their introduction at

The room was heated by an attractive new Caen stone hearth in its west wall, with a low four-centred

Seventeenth-century timber-framed porch.

this relatively early date is unusual and may imply a pressing need for further accommodation.

lintel, its splayed reveals formed with thin yellow,

We know that the first prebendary to occupy

medieval bricks. A small residual heat bread oven, in its

Chillenden’s chambers (stall 7) after the Dissolution

south reveal, may have provided somewhere to ‘warm

was Mr Glaisier and his family in 1546. Many post

up’ the odd meal. The numerous apotropaic markings

Dissolution features survive within the Archdeaconry,

scratched on the fireplace lintel suggest even ‘Heaven’

some perhaps attributable to Mr Glaisier, others to

was not considered safe from evil spirits entering down

his successors. He probably began to subdivide it,

its chimney.

throwing the extant partition across the former hall to create two rooms of more domestic proportions. He may have decorated the northern room (the present dining room) with wall paintings, a swirling foliage design typical of the period, and inserted other partitions on the ground and first floors. After the medieval Kitchen was removed Glaisier probably introduced new doors and windows into the south wall of the house, by adapting existing openings (the west Kitchen window for example), or by punching new ones through the thick masonry.

Seventeenth century A large three-storey porch was built against the east end of the building in the early seventeenth century, its now rendered upper storeys timber-framed and jettied slightly over a masonry ground floor. The arrangement broadly mirrored the fifteenth-century west addition (see above), having a similar gable, and provided the property with the slightly misleading appearance of a house with wings. The ground floor masonry of the porch rises from a plinth with an upper course of chamfered brick and comprises attractive chequer work of stone and knapped flint. Graffiti is scratched liberally around the front door, the earliest observed dated 1639. A small porch chamber perhaps occupied the first floor, separated from the room behind by a partition, but the space is now open with the present drawing room. It may have been lit by a mullioned and transommed oriel window in the front wall, where there is now a large eighteenth-century bay window. A small hearth (now remodelled) in the west wall reveals that it was heated. The porch has a clasped side-purlin roof, the gable fitted with moulded bargeboards and a carved finial. A two-storey, timber-framed stair tower was erected directly opposite the new front porch, against the rear wall of the property. Its oak frame was heavily restored after the Second World War and the original construction is hard to determine, but seems to have comprised so-called square panel framing, with concealed braces, a common seventeenth-century arrangement. The tower stairs were replaced in the

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eighteenth century (see below), and their form is

An elegant mid-Georgian pine staircase, with half

unknown, but a winding newel staircase seems likely.

and quarter landings, slender turned balusters, and

The structure was quickly raised to enable its steps to

ramped and moulded handrails, replaced whatever

continue into the attic, by adding an extra half-storey

stairs had occupied the rear seventeenth-century stair

with a clasped side-purlin roof.

tower originally. The stair tower was underpinned with

A small two-storey wing was built to the east of the

brick and stone in perhaps the early nineteenth century,

stair tower, also during the seventeenth century, but

and after the Second World War and the removal of the

was demolished after the Second World War, and a

Kitchen wing, it was widened eastwards to provide the

paved garden created in its place. Photographs show a

new stairs with a spacious landing.

structure with a steeply pitched roof, its plastered walls

Several new hearths were introduced, the earliest

suggesting a timber-frame. Its large hearth (2.74m

(now blocked) in the south-west corner of Paradise. Its

wide, 1.06m deep) was spared and converted into a

deep bolection moulding suggests an early eighteenth-

garden feature. The hearth’s appearance is consistent

century date. A smaller later hearth, with shouldered

with a seventeenth-century date, its generous size and

architrave and moulded mantle shelf, survives in the

plain features suggesting it served a kitchen.

dining room. A handsome Jacobean chimneypiece,

The stairs at the north-east corner of the Domus

with elaborate carved oak overmantle, was presented

Hospitum were surely used more frequently now they

to the Dean and Chapter in 1897 by the Bishop of

served the various additions and were widened to their

Dover, and fitted to the drawing room hearth.

present generous 1.18 metres. This was achieved in

The Larder and part of the Archdeaconry were

a rather unusual and arguably reckless manner, by

severely bomb-damaged in 1940. Rebuilding work was

carving away parts of the interior masonry of the stair

overseen by Harold Anderson, Architect to the Chapter,

turret.

and resulted in the new Larder Gate Memorial Building.

The alterations rendered the tower walls perilously thin in places, this rectified by swelling them, externally, at these points with curious masonry protrusions of flint, roughly coursed stone rubble and thin red clampfired bricks. Later in the seventeenth century the house was improved by fitting many of its rooms, in particular

Whilst the cathedral has been the focus of our activities, other work has continued. A building of particular note is described below.

the drawing room and dining room, with small-square

Yew Trees

(oak?) panelling or wainscot. Two small dormer

Yew Trees is a Grade II* listed timber-framed house,

windows were formed on the north roof slope, the

in the historic village of Wye (NGR *0446 *0546).

easternmost still retaining its original oak frame, the

Until his untimely death in 2015, this was the home

fine lambs-tongue mouldings and thick square central

of Ian Coulson, who was a great friend of the Trust

mullion consistent with a late seventeenth-century

and President of the Kent Archaeological Society. The

date.

house has new owners who commissioned an historic

By the end of the seventeenth century the building

buildings assessment to inform proposed alterations.

had more or less achieved its present form, having

The building is an outstanding and well-preserved

evolved from a hall squeezed between pre-existing

example of a lobby entry house, with back-to-back

structures, into an independent dwelling with a garden to the south where the priory Great Kitchen had once stood. The new front porch and rear stair tower freed the building from its erstwhile dependence on and connections with the Pentise Gate and the Domus Hospitum, shifting its focus eastwards.

Eighteenth century onwards Although no major additions to the house occurred after the seventeenth century, minor improvements continued throughout the eighteenth. Most were unremarkable, but the more significant include the introduction of better light into the first-floor rooms, early in the century, by forming tall new windows in the front north wall, either by adapting existing openings or creating new ones. Later in the century the ground floor rooms were provided with new, smaller windows, and a large bay window was added to the porch.

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

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Building recording

can be resolved into five bays. The central bay is narrow and contains a small lobby, through which the house is entered, and a large chimney with back-to-back hearths. Originally the best rooms were those located against each side of the chimney, where they could be heated. Those on the ground floor probably comprised a kitchen-cum-living room and a parlour, to the east and west respectively. Interestingly only the kitchen could be entered from the lobby. To reach the parlour one had to walk, then as now, through this room and around the back of the chimney. It would have been easy to provide the parlour with its own lobby door, but this was a private room, and the arrangement is surely deliberate. Further rooms occupied the end bays. The first floor contained four bedrooms, each occupying a single bay. Probably the master bedroom was that over the parlour. Evidence suggests that stairs to the bedrooms were contained in a projecting stair turret located behind the chimney, rather than within the main body of the house (see below), but this has been replaced by a later wing (see below). The house is timber-framed in a traditional manner using hand-hewn oak, the frame standing upon low dwarf walls of knapped flint and stone rubble. Intermediate posts and mid-rails between the bay divisions subdivide the frame into small square panels, a common arrangement for the period. Short curved braces, springing from the corner posts below the midrails, stiffen the assembly. Distinctive brick nogging, comprising thin clampfired red bricks laid in a herringbone pattern, infills most of the panels in the north, east and west walls. Such nogging was used in buildings of this period,

Jettied faรงade enriched with oriel and bay windows, carved brackets, moulded bressumers and brick nogging.

hearths. Lead rain hoppers fixed to its walls proudly boast a date of 1605, and whilst this has not been confirmed, is consistent with its features. Such houses first appeared around the end of the sixteenth century, the arrangement remaining popular throughout the seventeenth and into the early eighteenth century. The main body of the house broadly retains its seventeenth-century form, its timber-frame relatively well preserved in comparison with other examples of the period. It comprises two storeys with attic, throughout, the noteworthy north faรงade being continuously jettied and enriched with numerous attractive and showy features. The jetties are supported by scrolled brackets and fitted with moulded fascias. Handsome oriel and bay windows illuminate the main rooms.

Detail of carved jetty bracket.

The original part of the house is covered with a butt side-purlin roof and has a rectangular footprint that

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Building recording

Living room looking east towards hearth.

but lath and daub was cheaper and more common.

central bedrooms to reach those at the ends of the

Conceivably the nogging is a later improvement.

house, but the new corridor, a common improvement

The house was remarkably well lit, its principal

seen in other buildings, eliminated this inconvenience.

ground and first floor rooms illuminated, respectively,

The corridor was probably introduced later in the

by mullioned and transommed bay and oriel windows.

seventeenth century.

Typically, these were flanked by clerestory lights that

When it was first built Yew Trees comprised a

extended the fenestration across the full width of the

single residence but in later years, like many of its

rooms. Presently the bay windows are supported by

contemporaries, it appears to have been subdivided.

brick and flint plinths, the oriels carved oak brackets.

Early Ordnance Survey maps suggest it was divided

The rear (south) wall of the main body of the

into two smaller dwellings, presumably tenanted.

house comprises similar square panel framing to the

Early photographs reveal a door to the westernmost

exterior north east and west walls. Later additions and

dwelling, formed in the front wall, where there was

extensions now abut the wall and one could easily

once a window.

assume it has simply been internalised, but its timbers

There may have been other changes during this

are unweathered and it does not appear to have been

period, as the building was adapted by its later

pierced by any windows, suggesting it was never

occupants, but this intervening history was almost

an outside wall. Two blocked doors were, however,

completely swept away in the early twentieth century

observed in the wall, behind the chimney in the narrow

when the building was restored. One change that has

bay. One is located on the first floor indicating the

remained, however, was the remodelling of the east

wall was abutted, along at least part of its length, by

ground floor hearth, as an inglenook with small niches

a two-storey structure. Evidence suggests that this

for seats. The reformed hearth was protected from

was a projecting stair tower, there being no original

draughts entering through the lobby by a small plank-

openings in the floors for stairs within the main body of

and-ledge fire screen, a rare survival.

the house. Probably this tower was just large enough

The house was restored in the 1920s or 30s and

to accommodate some form of winding stair with

once again became a single dwelling. Early nineteenth-

landings, but a larger wing is conceivable.

century photographs of Yew Trees show the property

Other

structures

perhaps

flanked

the

tower,

dilapidated and in a poor state of repair. Successive

preventing the wall from weathering, but no other

Ordnance Survey maps show its footprint unchanged

first floor doors exist. Possibly, if they were two storey

until câ&#x20AC;&#x2030;1938, when a large west outbuilding and a small

structures, their upper floors were entered from the

rear outshot disappeared, and part of the extant single-

tower, and have been lost, but more likely they were

storey kitchen was introduced, against the east wall.

single-storey lean-tos.

Like many restorations of the time the work largely

An east-west aligned corridor was formed behind

succeeded in returning the building to its original

the first-floor bedrooms at an early date by inserting

form. This was a good quality and undoubtedly costly

partitions. Previously one had to walk through the

restoration executed to a high standard using mostly

Canterburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Archaeology 2016â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2017

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Building recording

Butt side-purlin roof looking east.

Early twentieth-century reproduction Jacobean staircase in east bay.

traditional materials and techniques, but it did sweep

The origins of the westernmost rear addition are

away the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intervening history, an approach

less clear. It is timber-framed with brick nogging

that is not usually considered acceptable today.

and closely resembles the original house, but close

Significant repairs were made to the timber-frame.

inspection suggests it too is a modern structure, built

Features such as windows that had been concealed

with re-used material and contrived to look old. An

(for example by later plaster) were exposed and others

early twentieth-century photograph reveals that it was

that had been lost were reinstated.

formed over a well, possibly predating the house, with

Inserted internal partitions were removed and the

its ground floor originally open on two sides. The upper

original hearths restored by removing later fireplaces

storey is supported at the corner by a slender brick pier.

and infill. The timber-frame was more fully exposed internally, by removing plaster ceilings. Salvaged fixtures and fittings, such as plank-and-ledge doors were introduced, to complement surviving examples, and where suitable items could not be obtained, reproductions were made. The front door, then a panelled eighteenth-century door, was fitted with a new oak plank-and-ledge door with moulded battens in the seventeenth-century style. The east bay of the house was heavily modified at this time by removing part of its floor, in order to fit a handsome new doglegged staircase, the new stairs formed in oak in the Jacobean style. Around the same time new extensions were formed to the rear of the house. The central addition comprised two-storeys and was contrived to look ancient and therefore in keeping with the original house, its timberframed first floor jettied over its brick ground floor. Considerable quantities of re-used material were used in its construction, to create the desired effect. The single storey brick lean-to, currently a kitchen, which wraps itself around the south-east corner of the property, may have been added at the same time.

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Palaeoenvironmental work

One of the more obvious changes to the landscape of Canterbury following the Norman conquest in 1066 was the construction of a motte and bailey castle within the surviving circuit of the Roman town wall. Part of the ditch that formed its extra-mural defence was excavated on Rhodaus Town in 2015 and was described in last year’s review (Helm 2017, 22–3). The ditch was massive, at least 5 metres deep and over 12 metres wide. Pottery in its base dated to c AD 1050–1150. Surviving fills of the ditch were waterlogged, providing the anoxic conditions necessary for the preservation of delicate organic material seldom found on the ‘dry’ sites typical of Canterbury and east Kent in general. Deposits in two exploratory trenches cut through the ditch were sampled for plant and insect remains. These samples have now been examined and have provided a glimpse of environmental conditions, human activities and land use in this location from the mid eleventh to mid twelfth century. Enid Allison and Wendy Carruthers describe what was discovered.

A ditch in time

The base of the Norman ditch was reached in one of

provided the only evidence of aquatic vegetation.

the exploratory trenches and samples taken from

Beetles such as Bembidion articulatum, a small ground

the trench sequence were the focus of analysis. The

beetle found in cracks in bare sand or mud near fresh

occurrence of water flea ephippia (resting eggs),

water (Luff 2007, 99), the mud beetle Heterocerus, and

ostracod carapaces, chironomid midge larvae, and

a group of oxyteline rove beetles, together suggested

water beetles and bugs throughout the fills indicated

that ground at the base of the ditch was relatively

that the ditch had contained shallow water, but not

bare and muddy. The lack of marginal plants may be

necessarily permanently. A riffle beetle (Elmis aenea)

a consequence of the relatively steep sides of the ditch

recorded in several samples is associated with clean,

close to the water margins, or perhaps indicative of

clear, well-oxygenated flowing water suggesting that

disturbance of the ditch sides.

it may have been fed by a running water channel

The majority of the plant and insect remains provide

or spring, while Hygrotus confluens, a diving beetle

an indication of terrestrial vegetation and habitats on

recorded from the lowermost fills, is typical of sparsely

the sides of the ditch and outside it. Fruits and seeds

vegetated, often recently created, man-made water

of a variety of docks were frequent in the lower fills,

bodies. Seeds of duckweed (Lemna), together with

particularly broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)

a tiny weevil that feeds on it (Tanysphyrus lemnae),

and curled dock (R crispus), both very common and

The Norman ditch and (left) taking environmental samples from the base.

Bembidion articulatum by Udo Schmidt (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

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Palaeoenvironmental work

widespread weeds of cultivated areas, ditches and

included fat hen (Chenopodium album), chickweed

river banks. The former is a perennial that can become

(Stellaria media), mouse-ear (Cerastium), nipplewort

established in neglected areas over time, the latter an

(Lapsana communis), sowthistles (Sonchus asper and

annual or biennial that can grow as a weed of cultivated

S oleraceus), cf brome grass (cf Bromus sect Bromus)

and disturbed soils. The beetles Gastrophysa viridula,

and stinking chamomile (Anthemis cotula). There were

Apion frumentarium, and Rhinoncus pericarpius all feed

also clear indications of grassland from common seeds

on docks, as does the dock bug (Coreus marginatus).

of grasses, buttercups (Ranunculus acris/bulbosus/

Other weeds of cultivated and disturbed soils

repens), greater plantain (Plantago major) and thistle (Cirsium/Carduus). Various insects provided similar evidence that the principal habitats alongside the ditch were a combination of rather dry, cultivated or disturbed ground and grassland probably used for grazing animals: many of the plants can withstand a level of disturbance, trampling or grazing, and beetles that live in herbivore dung (Geotrupinae, Aphodius spp, Onthophagus) made up a consistent proportion of the terrestrial insect fauna in all the samples. Although the dung beetles provide some support for the presence of grazing animals close to the ditch, some of the species represented are likely to have

Rhinoncus pericarpius by Udo Schmidt (CC BY-SA 2.0) a weevil found on dock (right).

formed part of the general ‘background fauna’ of the town, opportunistically exploiting fresh dung produced by domestic animals kept, or used for transport, within the town itself. Land around the ditch generally appears to have been rather open but beetles found on willows, woody Rosaceae (such as hawthorn, blackthorn and fruit trees), gorse or broom (Ulex europaeus or Cytisus scoparius), and traveller’s joy (Clematis vitalba) suggest that there was shrubby vegetation in some places at least. Plant evidence for this was limited to occasional seeds of sloe (Prunus spinosa), elder (Sambucus nigra), hazel (Corylus avellana) and bramble (Rubus sect Glandulosus), but fruiting would be reduced if shrubs were grazed or cut, and it is possible that this element of the flora and fauna may have derived from a hedgerow.

Xylocleptes bispinus by Udo Schmidt (CC BY-SA 2.0) a bark beetle found on traveller’s joy seed heads (right).

A number of notable plants were represented in the lower fills, either in small numbers or as single seeds, most having both culinary or medicinal uses. These included opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), garden lettuce (Lactuca sativa), cultivated flax (Linum usitatissimum), hemp (Cannabis sativa), common mallow (Malva sylvestris, represented by both seeds and nutlets) and brassicas (mustard/turnip/cabbage/ charlock; Brassica/Sinapis spp). Common mallow and brassicas were recorded in several samples, together with beetles associated with them (Malvapion malvae, Aspidapion aeneum, Phyllotreta spp, Ceutorhychus contractus, Meligethes). Flea beetles that feed on the vegetative parts of both wild and cultivated brassicas (Phyllotreta spp) were notably well-represented. The disparity between the small numbers of brassica seeds recorded and the common brassica-feeding beetles is suggestive of the cultivation of leaf or root

Cotton thistle by H. Zell (CC BY-SA 3.0).

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

crops in kitchen gardens adjacent to the ditch, since plants grown for their vegetative parts would produce

Palaeoenvironmental work

little seed. The record of garden lettuce is particularly suggestive

horticulture

occurring

by.

Common mallow, hemp and flax may also have been grown as leaf and stem crops, although mallow is a common plant on waysides and waste ground around Canterbury at the present day and probably readily colonised similar places in the past. While the fills of the ditch appear to be largely naturally accumulated, all samples included sparse amounts of charred cereal remains and weed seeds, fish and mammal bone, fragmentary marine mollusc shell, slag and hammerscale, pottery and tile, and small groups of insects characteristic of organic occupation waste, together indicating either very limited refuse disposal, or run-off from human occupation or activities nearby. The insects in all but one sample included small groups typically found in organic litter from within buildings including stable waste (Latridius

Opium poppy.

minutus group, Enicmus, Cryptophagus, Ephistemus globulus). If adjacent land was being cultivated, it is possible that at least some of this component might have arrived as a result of manuring, and drains from nearby settlement may also have emptied into the ditch. The insect assemblage from the latest sample examined included remains of keds (Melophagus ovinus), wingless flies that are exclusive ectoparasites of sheep. When keds occur in archaeological deposits they are almost invariably associated with waste from buildings where wool or fleeces have been processed, and not with the close proximity of living sheep. Waste from textile working could conceivably also account for the occasional finds of flax and hemp seeds. A relatively late fill in the second trench contained somewhat greater but still limited quantities of occupation waste in comparison to the generally earlier fills investigated in the first trench. This included charred grain and charcoal, animal bone, oyster shell and pottery. The plant assemblage was

Aspidapion aeneum by Mark Gurney (CC BY-NCSA 2.0), which feeds on common mallow (left).

more limited in diversity and dominated by seeds of nettle (Urtica dioica), a species indicative of nutrientenriched soils, particularly those high in phosphates; the high frequency of seeds may indicate that nettles were growing within or along the edges of the ditch. Nutrient-enrichment was also indicated by henbane (Hyocyamus niger), black nightshade (Solanum nigrum), orache (Atriplex patula/prostrata) and common chickweed. Thistles (Cirsium/Carduus) were the second most frequent plants after nettles, suggesting that some of the enrichment might have come from animal dung; thistles can become dominant on over-grazed pastures and the seeds are inevitably consumed by livestock. There was little to suggest that the occupation waste had included human faecal material: the few bramble (Rubus sect Glandulosus) and elderberry (Sambucus nigra) seeds, which are often characteristic of faeces, were in this case more likely to represent areas of scrubby

Phloeotribus rhododactylus by Udo Schmidt (CC BY-SA 2.0), a bark beetle found on gorse (left) and broom.

Canterburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Archaeology 2016â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2017

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Palaeoenvironmental work

have had a variety of medicinal and culinary uses in the past and were frequently cultivated. The flower heads could be eaten in the same way as globe artichokes, although they are smaller and rather fiddly to prepare, and various vegetative parts were also consumed. Various parts of cotton thistle are covered in white woolly hairs which give the whole plant a silvery appearance. Medicinally it is a cardiotonic and it was thought to have a beneficial effect on cancers and ulcers. It was also a remedy for rickets in children and was used in the treatment for nervous complaints. Its thistledown has been used for stuffing pillows and on the Continent oil was extracted from the seeds (Grieve 1973, 798). The milk-white veins that give milk thistle its common name were traditionally thought to have originated in the milk of the Virgin Mary and it was therefore widely

Above: Milk thistle by Jebulon [Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons. Right: Henbane.

recommended for nursing mothers. Among other things, it was considered beneficial in the treatment of cancer and, according to Westmacott (1694), was regarded as ‘a Friend to the Liver and Blood: the prickles cut off, they were formerly used to be boiled in the Spring and eaten with other herbs’. Gerard (1597) considered it ‘the best remedy that grows against all melancholy diseases’ (‘melancholy’ in Gerard’s day referring to any liver or biliary ailment) (Grieve 1973, 797). Milk thistle is still used at the present day as a herbal cure for hangovers. Given the suggestions of horticulture in the earlier deposits it is quite possible that the occurrence of these plants relates to their deliberate cultivation nearby and perhaps subsequent colonisation of waste ground. Since small amounts of textile processing waste appear to have entered the ditch however, it is worth noting the Online Atlas of the British and Irish

vegetation growing close to the ditch or may even

Flora’s suggestion that milk thistle is often introduced

have arrived in bird droppings.

to an area in wool shoddy.

It is possible that by this time the dominant

Plant remains in a later recut into the top of the

vegetation type was a mixture of grazed land

ditch (seen in the same trench) indicated continuity of

and wasteland or wayside vegetation, since taller

vegetation and habitats: common nettle was again by

herbaceous plants such as cotton thistle (Onopordum

far the dominant taxon, both cotton thistle and milk

acanthium), milk thistle (Silybum marianum) and black

thistle achenes were frequent, and other indicators of

horehound (Ballota nigra) were present. The frequency

nutrient-rich soils included henbane, black nightshade

of both cotton thistle and milk thistle in this deposit was

and black horehound. The main differences between

in marked contrast to a single seed of cotton thistle in

this sample and the earlier one from the same trench

the deposits studied in the other trench, located some

were, firstly, that there was only a trace of duckweed

20m away. This could mean that specific plant groups

but several sedge nutlets (Carex) were recovered,

were growing in each location, or that different types

perhaps suggesting that water levels were now only

of waste entered the ditch, but alternatively, since it

high enough to support marshy vegetation rather than

is quite difficult to exactly tie in the deposits seen in

a truly aquatic one. Possibly tying in with this, water flea

the two trenches, there may simply be a temporal

ephippia were much less frequent than in the earlier

difference. Radiocarbon dating of seeds from both

deposit. Secondly, there was greater evidence for the

trenches might possibly help with this although dates

deposition of domestic waste in the ditch but, again,

obtained are not usually very precise.

little to suggest that this included human faeces. An

Cotton and milk thistles are impressive plants that

unidentifiable fragment of sloe/plum etc (Prunus sp),

grow to around 1-2 or more metres high. They are quite

and seeds comparable with raspberry (Rubus cf idaeus)

distinct from the much commoner species of thistles

and bramble may have come from scrubby vegetation

characteristic of grazing land and waste ground. Both

or possibly bird droppings.

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

An Iron Age coin hoard from Alkham

Andrew Richardson

Significant discoveries are made in Kent by metal

Potins are amongst the earliest coinage ever produced

detectorists on a fairly regular basis and sometimes

in the British Isles, and most if not all of those from

those discoveries merit an archaeological response.

Alkham are of the earliest type of British potin, known

Over the years Canterbury Archaeological Trust has

as the ‘Kentish Primary Series’. They probably date

often been involved in such cases and 2016/17 was

to c 175–125 BC, although definitive dating remains

no exception. Through February and March 2016 two

elusive. All display a stylised head of Apollo on the

detectorists had recovered over one hundred late

obverse, and a bull on the reverse. The head, where

Iron Age coins from land near the village of Alkham.

it can still be identified, invariably faces left, whereas

Although spread across a large area by the action of

the bull may face either left or right. It is possible that

the plough it was fairly clear that these represented a

a small proportion of the hoard may not belong to the

dispersed hoard, and they were duly reported under the

Kentish Primary series, as two coins are sufficiently

terms of the Treasure Act (1996) as case number 2016/

distinctive to suggest that they may be contemporary

T148.

Gaulish issues (David Holman, pers comm). known as the ‘Thurrock type’, after the find spot of

with us. As a result, a small team comprising Trust staff

the first and largest hoard of these coins to have been

and members of Dover Archaeological Group, including

unearthed. However, they are common as individual

Kent’s resident Iron Age coin expert David Holman,

finds in east Kent, and the only other hoards that have

joined the finders to excavate a 6 x 5m trench centred

come to light were found at Round Hill, Folkestone and

over the greatest concentration of find spots. The

nearby Etchinghill. With the addition of the Alkham

excavation revealed a further eighty-seven coins or coin

hoard, a clear concentration in the vicinity of

fragments, bringing the total to 189 coins. The very high

Folkestone is evident, pointing perhaps

concentration of coins encountered within the limits

to the production centre, and

of the excavation may indicate the point of deposition,

arguably the birth of British

but no discrete feature, such as a pit, was identified. It

coinage, being in that

may be that any such feature was very shallow and has

part of Kent.

important find, one of the detectorists got in touch

Kentish Primary potins have long been more widely

Keen to know more about the context of this

been completely removed by ploughing. On the other 7

hand it may be the case that such a feature does survive (presumably in a heavily truncated state) beyond the limits of the excavation, although the frequency of

finds tailed off towards the limits of the trench. Known as potins, the coins are of copper alloy with a high tin content

and were cast in a mould, with several to a strip, rather than being individually

0 cms

struck.

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

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Education

The Trust’s Archaeology in Education Service was set up in 1990 to support the implementation of what was then the new National Curriculum. Since then, Marion Green, our Education Officer, has kept abreast of changes in the curriculum and continues to provide new resources and services. Here she describes some of the work undertaken in 2016-2017. The Archaeology in Education Service is used by schools across the county and is supported by a grant from Kent Archaeological Society.

Education Supporting Kent teachers …

The new Archaeology Course, ‘Supporting History in the Primary School’, went down very well in the spring. Working teachers came from across Kent and found out how to build Archaeology into their classroom teaching using informative and fun resources. With recent changes in the National Curriculum, it is good to see that teachers still value an investigative approach to History learning, allowing children to develop skills which they can also apply in other subjects.

‘Great day. Really informative.’ History Co‑ordinator, Guston CE Primary School ‘Really useful info, practical… thank you very much.’ KS 2 teacher, Sedleys CE Primary School, Southfleet

New Archaeology Course for working teachers held at the Friends Meeting House, Canterbury.

In the summer, we joined Andy Harmsworth for the ‘Historical Association Primary History conference’ and delivered workshops to support Early Learning Goals for very young children (using toys, artefacts and stories) and Local Studies projects at Key Stage 2 (Dover’s Bronze Age boat, Roman Folkestone, AngloSaxon Lyminge). Working teachers came from schools in Broadstairs, Whitstable, Ramsgate, Canterbury, Sittingbourne, Herne and Dover. Our handling collections have again supported A new Anglo-Saxon CAT BOX.

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

schools across the county. Most of these go to primary schools but there are a couple of enlightened

Education

secondary schools who regularly use the CAT KITs and ARKs to introduce Year 7s to the nature of archaeological evidence. Three new Anglo-Saxon boxes include materials on the cemeteries at Buckland Dover and Sarre. Schools in Ashford, Sittingbourne, Canterbury, Sheerness, Snodland, Whitstable, Dover, New Romney, London, Ramsgate, Chatham, Stelling Minnis, Maidstone, Strood, Broadstairs, Hythe, Deal, Sturry, Bredgar, Herne and Tenterden have all enjoyed using the loans. As the teachers collect them from us this gives an opportunity for feedback and offering additional guidance.

‘You offer a fabulous opportunity for children to interact with history.’ KS 2 teacher, Aldington Primary, Ashford ‘Many thanks for your help and further thanks for the loan of the boxes over this year. They made a big impact on our learning and were a fantastic resource.’ KS 2 teacher, Junior King’s School, Canterbury

… and teachers in training

Cheriton Primary School children used our ARK kits to

In addition to the Archaeology and Artefacts workshop

find out about Folkestone’s vanishing Roman villa and

for Year 2 undergraduate teachers at Canterbury

produced some extraordinarily good ‘Roman villa for

Christ Church University, PGCE students had a new

rent’ promotional leaflets which we’ve posted on our

‘developing historical skills’ session. This input helps

website.

teachers in training prepare for their school placements

Here are a few quotes from their leaflets.

and gives them plenty of content to draw on later as

‘You’d be mad not to take advantage of this bargain. Full use of sweating room at no extra charge.’

working teachers.

‘The villa is in Folkestone, Kent. Up west from the Roman Empire’.

The Villa for Rent leaflets and more work from Cheriton Primary School can be seen on our website via the links on this page: canterburytrust.co.uk/ learning/resources/ark_ teacher_pack/

Other activities at home and abroad ‘Dit is een boot uit de Bronstijd’ was a good opener

‘The sea view villa is up for rent, from 100 denarii for 5 weeks. Want more information? Send a letter or slave to our main office.’

when we took the Dover Bronze Age boat replica to

‘Ever longed for a beautiful sea view? Well the Sea View Villa is perfect for you… overlooking the periwinkle sea. This will blow your sandals off!’

– recovering the original boat and using the replica

the Oostende voor Anker festival, attracting 1000s of visitors. Many remarked on the importance of the work vessel and tools to demonstrate the skills of past peoples.

Oostende voor Anker festival.

Themed workshops were given in schools at St Nicholas-at-Wade, Ramsgate, Canterbury, Hersden, Great Mongeham and River.

‘I thought the resources and delivery were fantastic. The children were so excited to find out about the different jobs that your team do. I think they were particularly interested by the links to their local area as made it all real for them.’ KS 2 teacher, St Nicholas-at-Wade CE Primary School. I’m beginning to think that Careers Fairs are the way-in at secondary level where 100s of students (and their teachers) can learn something of their local archaeology.

We have been represented at several

such events recently and this year was the first time we had been to St Anselm’s RC School Canterbury.

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

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Education

Working with Canterbury Cathedral at the CBA festival and using the Beaney’s Learning Lab for a family activity.

‘Meet the Archaeologist’ workshops were given to Dutch and German secondary school students in the Learning Lab at the Beaney House of Art and

The Trust’s ‘40 Years’ anniversary extended into the

Knowledge, Canterbury. This is always a pleasure and

period under review and the Beaney’s Learning Lab was

nice to work with secondary age students.

used for a linked event, the ‘Little Dig’ family activity

During

One of the Westgate Parks interpretation panels.

the

day. The ’40 Years’ exhibition moved from Canterbury

partnered with Canterbury Cathedral for family days

to Dover Museum and then on to the Kent History and

in the Precincts in association with the Trust’s test

Library Centre, Maidstone where it was accompanied

pitting programme, part of the Cathedral’s ‘Canterbury

by a finds handling day as part of the final fling.

Journey’ project.

CBA

Festival

Archaeology,

CAT is a partner of the Canterbury City Council’s five-year ‘Parks for People’ project and has this year contributed to the production of heritage interpretation panels and on-site events promoting the history of Canterbury’s Westgate Parks. Finally, here is a selection from some of the ‘general enquiries’ received over the past year – part of the service not to be underestimated!

‘I was wondering if you had any suitable objects that you would be able to donate.’ Southborough & High Brooms Amateur Archaeological Society re handling material ‘One of my MA students is writing a Rochester trail … do you know any friendly teachers?’ Archaeology and Education tutor, UCL ‘I am doing a term of work on Canterbury – can you help?’ Key Stage 2 Kent teacher

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Community archaeology

Community archaeology at the Trust continues to go from strength to strength. Through 2016-17 we were fortunate to have been involved in a variety of projects all over Kent: we delivered quality training to our participants and we worked with new and existing partners as passionate about community engagement as we are. In light of the increase in outreach work, Annie Partridge joined the team in July 2016 as Community Archaeologist. Annie trained with us in 2013 with the Council for British Archaeology’s Community Archaeology Training Placement scheme and we are delighted to welcome her back. She describes the year’s activities …

Community Archaeology We started excavating the holes for the posts, and as we were on a popular dog walking path it wasn’t

Erecting the henge at The Meads in Sittingbourne.

long before word spread locally of what we were doing and more volunteers arrived. The response from the Sittingbourne community was fantastic with entire families working together to erect their own ‘family post’. Despite being made from wood, the henge has a projected lifespan of many decades, and many of the adults participating in the event hoped that their grandchildren would be able to visit the monument to see the post they erected. The henge not only gives an October 2016 saw us back at The Meads in

insight into the history of the area, but will be used as a

Sittingbourne

focal point within the woodland for outdoor activities.

working

partnership

with

the

Woodland Wildlife Hidden History project and local

In late winter, we were at St Peter’s

volunteers to reconstruct a wooden henge in the

Church in Sandwich, working with

community woodland there. The footprint of the henge

the

was laid out using GPS data from the excavation of the

and Dover Archaeological Group to

Neolithic monument found on the other side of the

investigate the ruined south aisle of

road in 2012 and now covered by houses. Using that

the church. The Churches Conservation

data, we were able to set out the plan of the posts

Trust have recently opened access to

exactly on the orientation of the original monument.

the medieval tower of St Peter’s so

Churches

Conservation

Excavating at St Peter’s Church, Sandwich and a couple of the medieval floor tiles.

Trust

that visitors can enjoy views across the town and to complete their project

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

| 47

Community archaeology

toilets were to be installed outside the building. The south aisle was destroyed when the central tower of the church fell down in 1661. It was never rebuilt and the space was recently converted into a secret garden. To create the garden a large amount of topsoil had been imported which had raised the ground level. By removing this garden soil, we were able to uncover some surprising archaeology which had fallen out of local memory including a collection of some six marked graves and a rather large boiler house (with the boiler still inside). Our finds mostly comprised a large amount of post-medieval material, but also a couple of pieces of Roman pottery and some medieval floor tiles. Roman pottery is a rare find in the town of Sandwich as most of the Roman activity is to the north at Richborough. The floor tiles were dated to the fourteenth century and came from the from Tyler Hill kilns in Canterbury. There are still a few within the floor of the church today. The Churches Conservation Trust have since improved access to the redesigned garden

Local volunteers in the graveyard of Old All Saints Church, Murston.

by re-opening a blocked doorway in the south wall and

so that the architect could design a structure which had

installing a glass door in its frame.

minimal impact on the archaeology. All in all, twenty-

No sooner did we finish at Sandwich than another

one enthusiastic local volunteers were involved with the

community excavation began in the graveyard of Old

excavation, some of whom had ancestors buried within

All Saints Church, Murston. This took place throughout

the graveyard. We were successful in confirming the

March ahead of plans to build a new arts centre. The

depth of the burial horizon, and in addition unearthed

site is situated in the centre of an industrial estate and is

some Roman and medieval pottery. Whilst the Roman

frequently vandalised. It is hoped the arts centre will help

and medieval finds were not surprising given the

stop damage to the remains of the old building which

archaeology of the surrounding area, they are integral to

is currently on Historic Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s At Risk register. The

understanding the community who lived there, because

church itself was moved closer to Sittingbourne in 1873

although the church was constructed by the twelfth

as industrial activity started to encroach on the village

century there has been little evidence discovered about

of Murston, leaving behind a small mortuary chapel

the settlement, possibly in part due to the low economic

which continued to be used until the mid twentieth

status of its inhabitants. These finds, and the evidence

century when the rest of the settlement followed the

of burials within the graveyard, help build up a history

church up the road. The houses that made up the old

of a community now displaced by the growth of the

village were condemned and demolished. Our primary

industrial estate.

objective was to establish the depth of the burial horizon

East Wear Bay Archaeological Field School entered its second season with support from the Kent Archaeological Society, Roger de Haan Charitable Trust (providing subsidised places for under 24 year olds), Dover Archaeological Group and Folkestone Research and Archaeology Group. The excavation took place over a four-week period through July and August and was undertaken by fee paying trainees, A-level and university students, and volunteers. We continued with the investigation of the Iron Age quern production area, the round-house, and the numerous ditches picked up in the first season. Our preliminary timeline suggests the first period of activity is represented by a large pond like feature possibly dating to the late Bronze Age. The pond gradually filled in (further investigation is required to establish whether this was a natural event or not) and was later cut by a large boundary ditch dating to the second century BC. By the late first century BC this ditch had itself been infilled. The quern production area is located above it and remained in use until the first

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Community archaeology

Sunny scenes from the Archaeological Field School at East Wear Bay. Top left is the final drone image of the excavation.

century AD. The round-house boasted a chalk floor with

handles, dated to the first century AD. The bowl is now

a stone box set centrally in the centre of the building.

on display in the Guildhall Museum in Sandwich.

On excavation this was disappointingly empty, but is

Our CAT courses continued to grow with new courses

believed to be for the storage of objects or food. The

added to the program including ‘My place in history’,

final phase of occupation occurred after the conquest

‘Prehistoric Kent’ and Medieval East Kent. Engagement

of AD 43 and is represented by a series of smaller

continues to increase through our social media

ditches cutting through the earlier features. These

platforms (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter) and they

belong to the field system that surrounded the Roman

are now a solid platform for advertising our events and

villa. When we return next year we will be opening up

courses.

a new area, one which creeps ever closer to the villa.

Our thanks go out to all the people who have

In other news, a metal detectorist discovery near

volunteered their time to be involved with our projects.

Wingham prompted a rescue excavation undertaken

We will be continuing the momentum, so be sure to

with the Dover Archaeology Group. The find in question

check into the website or social media to be kept up-

was a wonderful copper alloy bowl, complete with

to-date on the latest projects.

Copper alloy bowl and one of the handles.

cms 1

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

| 49

Friends of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

The Friends

of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Part of the 40th anniversary exhibition on display at Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone.

An evening reception for Friends and others marked

to the three Newsletters which appeared over the year,

the start of the Trust’s 40th anniversary exhibition at

the Trust staff who enabled its production, and the

the end of March 2016 at the Beaney House of Art and

volunteers who helped with distribution.

Knowledge. The Friends made a significant contribution

The Friends continued to support professional

to the funding of the exhibition which was well

development for Trust staff through bursaries to

received by over 7,000 visitors. They also volunteered

enable attendance at conferences and courses. We

approaching 250 hours of stewarding across the

are particularly grateful to the Donald Baron Fund for

month long duration of the exhibition. Elements of the

its assistance. During the year in association with the

exhibition were subsequently displayed in Maidstone

Trust’s trustees and Mrs Baron the guidelines were

and Dover.

modified to provide helpful flexibility with regard to

Continuing the 40th anniversary theme, in October

the disbursements from the fund. The FCAT committee

founding-Director Tim Tatton Brown gave the Friends

also formulated and published guidance outlining how

an anecdotally-rich account of the challenges of the

it can financially support the activities of the Trust and

early years of the Trust’s existence. Other talks during

its staff and the process of application.

the year ranged widely in topics and geographic focus

The Friends also financially supported the Trust’s

- from medieval Dover to Bronze Age Snodland and

outreach work, notably the East Wear Bay project at

perspectives on European migration in prehistory;

Folkestone.

engaging recovering military veterans in therapeutic

Membership declined from around 380 to around

archaeological projects; and the intriguing history of

370. With a view to recruiting new members the

the South Foreland Lighthouse from Roman watch point

concept of household membership was introduced to

to the scene of Marconi’s early wireless experiments.

encourage wider family participation. In order further

Over the year an encouraging trend towards higher

to promote FCAT activities to a younger audience we

attendance at talks was noted. The annual autumnal

are now offering all students admission to talks without

offering of walks as part of the Canterbury Festival

charge and collaborating with Canterbury’s Young

was well received with 470 participants signing up for

Archaeologists Club. In the late winter/early Spring

twenty walks.

of 2017 work began to refresh the Friends’ webpage

The Friends began to hold events in association

and design a new recruitment leaflet emphasising the

with the Centre for Kent History and Heritage,

many ways in which the work of the Trust is supported

Canterbury Christ Church University which included a symposium on the Normans and the Frank Jenkins Memorial Lecture.

and the benefits of membership. Many thanks to all who contributed to making 2016/2017 a successful year.

A landmark 100th edition of the Friends’ Newsletter appeared in the summer of 2016! Thanks to all who contributed

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

Anthony Ward Chair, Friends of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

References

References Allison, E and Nicholson, R 2014, ‘Fishing, fowling and feasts: the evidence from Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury’s Archaeology 37, 28–32 Blockley, K, Sparks, M and Tatton-Brown, T 1997, Canterbury Cathedral nave. Archaeology, history and architecture, The Archaeology of Canterbury New Series vol i, Whitstable Bowen J 1986-7, ‘Domus Hospitum, Canterbury Cathedral’, Canterbury’s Archaeology 1986-87, 26–7 Brookes, N 1984, The early history of the church of Canterbury, Leicester University Press Davis, A H (trans) 1934, William Thorne’s chronicle of St Augustine’s Abbey, Oxford De Burgh-Galwey R H 1950, In the Precincts Canterbury, The home of the Archdeacon, Canon A. Sargent, and his sister, Mrs Mowll, before and after its restoration, Ideal Home Gerard, J 1597, The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes, London

Jarman, C 2009, ‘Investigation of the Great Drain in the South Precinct of Canterbury Cathedral, Archaeological investigation report’, unpublished Canterbury Archaeological Trust client report 2009/100 Kelly, S 1997, ‘The Anglo-Saxon abbey’, in R Gem, St Augustine’s Abbey, Canterbury, Batsford/English Heritage, London, 33–49 Mayne, P, Holman, J, Pratt, S and Mosley, H 2015, ‘16 St Radigund’s Street, Canterbury. Evaluation and archaeological monitoring of test-pits and geo-technical boreholing’, unpublished Canterbury Archaeological Trust client report 2015/65 Rady, J 1990, ‘Excavations around St Gabriel’s Chapel, Canterbury Cathedral’ in J C Driver, J Rady and M Sparks Excavations in the Cathedral Precincts, 2. Linacre Garden, ‘Meister Omers’ and St Gabriel’s Chapel, The Archaeology of Canterbury vol iv, Maidstone, 80–105

Gostling, W 1774, A walk in and about the City of Canterbury, first edition

Seary, P 2015, ‘Numbers 35 to 37 Burgate Canterbury: Historic building and archaeological assessment’, unpublished Canterbury Archaeological Trust client report

Grieve, M 1973, A modern Herbal, edited and introduced by Mrs C F Leyel, revised edition, London (original edition 1931)

Somner, W 1703, The antiquites of Canterbury in two parts, 2nd edition, Battely

Hasted, E 1800, The history and topographical survey of the County of Kent, Volume 11, Canterbury

Sparks, M 2007, Canterbury Cathedral Precincts. A historical survey, Canterbury, Dean and Chapter of Canterbury

Hasted, E 1801, The history and topographical survey of the County of Kent, Volume 12, Canterbury

Sparks, M 2015, ‘The documentary history of St Augustine’s Abbey Outer Court’ in A Hicks, 159–66

Helm, R 2017, ‘Former Peugeot Garage, Rhodaus Town (A28), Canterbury, Kent CT1 2RH: Post-excavation assessment’, unpublished Canterbury Archaeological Trust report 2017/107

Sparks M and Tatton-Brown T 1987, ‘29 The Precincts’, Canterbury Cathedral Chronicle 81, 36–41

Hicks, A 2011, ‘Canterbury Cathedral: Prior Goldstone drain. Investigation report’, unpublished Canterbury Archaeological Trust client report 2011/153 Hicks, A 2012, ‘Canterbury Cathedral. The South-West Transept’, unpublished Canterbury Archaeological Trust client report 2012/66 Hicks, A 2013, ‘Canterbury Cathedral: Prior Goldstone drain. Phase 2. Investigation report’, unpublished Canterbury Archaeological Trust client report 2013/98

Sweetinburgh, S 2004, ‘An assessment of the documentary sources relating to St Radigund’s baths’ in C Sparey-Green, ‘16 St Radigund’s Street, Canterbury. Archaeological desk study’, unpublished Canterbury Archaeological Trust client report 2004/55, 15–19 Sweetinburgh, S 2015, ‘Part 4: Documentary evidence’ in A Hicks, Medieval town and Augustinian friary: settlement c 1325–1700. Canterbury Whitefriars excavations 1999–2004, The Archaeology of Canterbury New Series vii, Canterbury, 175–188

Hicks, A 2015, Destined to serve. Use of the outer grounds of St Augustine’s Abbey, Canterbury, before, during and after the time of the monks. Canterbury Christ Church University excavations 1983–2007, Canterbury Archaeological Trust Occasional Paper 11

Westmacott, W 1694, Historia Vegetabilium Sacra: or A Scriptural Herbal, London

Hicks, A 2016, ‘Canterbury Cathedral Water management works: Investigations within the South Precincts’, unpublished Canterbury Archaeological Trust client report 2016/114

Woodruff C E 1911, ‘A Monastic Chronicle lately discovered at Christ Church, Canterbury: with introduction and notes’, Archaeologia Cantiana xxix, 47–84

Willis R 1868, ‘The Architectural History of the Conventual buildings of the monastery of Christ Church in Canterbury’, Archaeologia Cantiana vii, 1–206

Hicks, A and Wilson, T 2016, ‘16 St Radigund’s Street, Canterbury. Archaeological evaluation report’, unpublished Canterbury Archaeological Trust client report 2016/20

Anyone wishing to join the Friends should go to the webpage for further information (www.fcat.uk) and contact our membership secretary at memsec@canterburytrust.co.uk or call in person at the Trust’s office, 92a Broad Street, CT1 2LU or telephone 01227 462062. We are always looking for volunteers to help the Friends’ committee support the important work of the Trust as well as disseminating information about the Trust’s activities. If you would like to lend a hand please email chairfcat@canterburytrust.co.uk.

Canterbury’s Archaeology 2016–2017

| 51

References

See our on-line gazetteer and reports pages for listings of sites investigated in 2016 and 2017

canterburytrust.co.uk/research-and-reports 52

| Annual review of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust

“ “

I enjoyed the mix of interesting lectures/slides with a chance to see and handle the bones as well … I think this was great value for money and very interesting.

“

”

I knew very little before the course and feel much better informed now … please put on more such courses. Very enjoyable indeed.

”

Knowledgeable tutor, comfortable venue, pot handling, excellent power point presentation, tour of CAT offices. Friendly and accessible staff. Beautiful booklet. Really enjoyable and informative day.

“

”

A great introductory course for people who are interested in archaeology. I have learnt lots and will recommend it to anyone interested.

”

Archaeology courses by Canterbury Archaeological Trust run from September to April. Full details are published in the community section of the website canterburytrust.co.uk. You can also find information on facebook and twitter, or pop in and pick up a leaflet.

ISBN 978-1-870545-38-9

registered office: 92a Broad Street, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2LU t: 01227 462062 | e: admin@canterburytrust.co.uk http://www.canterburytrust.co.uk company registered no. 1441517 (England) | registered charity no. 278861