Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Two early medieval burials, possibly 7th century AD, found in 1882. In the first grave were two dark amber-coloured fluted glasses, one on each side of the head, and a bronze handle of a bucket near them. In the second grave was a bronze buckle.

The site is midway down a gentle north-east facing slope, OD 25m.

Monument Types

• INHUMATION (BURIAL, Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD? (at some time) to 699 AD? (at some time))

Associated Finds

• BUCKET (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD? to 699 AD?)
• BUCKLE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD? to 699 AD?)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD? to 699 AD?)
• TUMBLER (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD? to 699 AD?)

Full description

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Two early medieval graves, found in March, 1882, near Chalkwell next, Sittingbourne, about 150 yards south-west of the London Road and 120 yards south-west from where the two Roman graves were found in Dec. 1879, (see TQ 86 SE 19). The burials lay north - south, heads to the north, and contained two fluted amber glass vessels of the tumbler type, a bronze bucket handle and a bronze girdle clasp. (1) (TQ 89466377). Early medieval burials 1869-1882. Two glass cups in the British Museum. (3) The chalk-pit in which these graves were found went of out use in the early years of this century and it has been used as a Haulage Contractors Depot since about 1939. The pit face in the vicinity of the grave at TQ 89466377 is overgrown and mutilated by buildings. No information was gained locally to resolve the discrepancies in date of finds. (4) TQ 894637 Inhumation burials, Chalkwell, Sittingbourne. 1882 Two early medieval graves were found c.150 yards south west of Watling Street and 120 yards from Roman burials (TQ 86 SE 19), on lowish ground. In the first grave were two dark amber-coloured fluted glasses, one on each side of the head, and a bronze handle of a bucket near them; in the second grave was a bronze buckle. The glasses are in the British Museum. (5-6) Two pouch-bottles - body with corrugations: pointed base - from Chalkwell are in the British Museum. Accession nos. 83.12-13.580,581.Probably 7th century. (7) Additional references. (2, 8-9)

During evaluation work no further trace of other burials were found.(12)

<1> PSA 2nd Ser vol 9 1881-3 162 (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE48806.

<2> OS 6" 1938-47 (OS Card Reference). SKE48354.

<3> Maidstone Mus Arch Gaz (in progress) Anon Undated (OS Card Reference). SKE46300.

<4> F1 CFW 18-NOV-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42634.

<5> Coll Cant 1893 111 (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE39124.

<6> Gaz Early AS Burial sites 1964 113-4 (A Meaney) (OS Card Reference). SKE43482.

<7> VCH Kent 1 1908 384 (R A Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE50868.

<7> Page, W. (ed), 1908, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Kent Volumne I, VCH Kent 1 1908 384 (R A Smith) (Monograph). SKE7882.

<8> Dark Age Brit 1956 (Ed D B Harden) Glass Vessels in Brit AD 400-1000 141 163 (D B Harden) (OS Card Reference). SKE39579.

<9> Payne, G., 1886, Roman Coffin of Lead Found Near Sittingbourne (Article in serial). SKE12494.

<10> Letter from British Museum 10th June 1987 (OS Card Reference). SKE46101.

<11> Field report for monument TQ 86 SE 20 - November, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4603.

<12> Museum of London Archaeology Service, 2002, Nicholls Haulage Yard, Lydbrook Close, Sittingbourne, An Archaeological evaluation report (Unpublished document). SKE12493.

Sources and further reading